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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 To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
anxiety
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
appeared
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From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
aspect
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From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
Braiding
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From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
bravely
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From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
brightness
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
came
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From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
careless
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
chains
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
cheerful
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
cryptnounUS /krɪpt/
An underground room or vault beneath an ancient building, often used for storage or burials.
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
dark
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
demons
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
despair
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
disaster
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From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
doubt
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
dragged
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
drawing-room
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From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
earnest
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From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
EMPIRE
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From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
face
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From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
fidgety
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From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
firmly
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From this reading G.J., still paternally, but firmly, took her up at once.
FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
frightful
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
fronting
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From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
G
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading G.J., still paternally, but firmly, took her up at once.
got
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From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
hope
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
intimidating
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
J
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading G.J., still paternally, but firmly, took her up at once.
knocked
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From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
lady's-maid
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From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
mate
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From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
Mrs
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From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
neat
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From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
nonsense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
observer
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading G.J., still paternally, but firmly, took her up at once.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
paternally
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From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
pretty
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From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
reared
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
recalled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
respected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
shapes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
Slender
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading G.J., still paternally, but firmly, took her up at once.
temple
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From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
thirty-five
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
ToparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading G.J., still paternally, but firmly, took her up at once.
tranquillising
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading G.J., still paternally, but firmly, took her up at once.
upturned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
vivacious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
why
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was thirty-five, and her aspect recalled the pretty, respected lady's-maid which she had been before Braiding got her and knocked some nonsense out of her and turned her into a wife.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Slender, small, and neat, she passed her life in bravely fronting the shapes of disaster with an earnest, vivacious, upturned face.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.
wonderednounUS /wondered/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading FOR THE EMPIRE Mrs. Braiding came into the drawing-room, and he wondered, paternally, why she was so fidgety and why her tranquillising mate had not appeared.
year
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To the careless observer she was a cheerful woman, but the temple of her brightness was reared over a dark and frightful crypt in which the demons of doubt, anxiety, and despair year after year dragged at their chains, intimidating hope.