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AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A STRUGGLE WITH THE IMPOSSIBLE.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
Barbicane
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From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
bullet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading This change, verified by Barbicane, surprised him greatly.
Canaan
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From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
change
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From this reading This change, verified by Barbicane, surprised him greatly.
companions
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From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
distance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
elliptical
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From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
end
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
gravitate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
greatly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This change, verified by Barbicane, surprised him greatly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
heaviest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This change, verified by Barbicane, surprised him greatly.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
IMPOSSIBLE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A STRUGGLE WITH THE IMPOSSIBLE.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
lower
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
modified
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From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
moon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
Moses
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From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
mute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
orbit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
pensive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
position
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
projectile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
relatively
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
satellite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
STRUGGLE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A STRUGGLE WITH THE IMPOSSIBLE.
surprisednounUS /surprised/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This change, verified by Barbicane, surprised him greatly.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A STRUGGLE WITH THE IMPOSSIBLE.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
verified
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This change, verified by Barbicane, surprised him greatly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The position of the projectile relatively to the moon was modified, and now its lower end was turned towards the earth.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
why
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the bullet was going to gravitate round the satellite in an elliptical orbit, why was not its heaviest part turned towards it like the moon to the earth?
WITHprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A STRUGGLE WITH THE IMPOSSIBLE.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time Barbicane and his companions, mute and pensive, looked at this world, which they had only seen from a distance, like Moses saw Canaan, and from which they were going away for ever.
