Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
barricade
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From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
battled
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From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
begun
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From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
borne
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From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
Brisbane
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From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
canons
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From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
close
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From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
companionship
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From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
covered
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From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
day
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From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
deeper
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From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
defeat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
delivered
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From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
down
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From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
drifted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
eager
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From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
early
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
eight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
ermine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
fastnesses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
feet
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From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
fiercely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
Francisco
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
fruit
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From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
GAME
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
grumbling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
HELGA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
hidden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
higher
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
lawyer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
Leland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
lives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
mountain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
ostensibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
peaks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
penetrate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
PLAYS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
promptly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
prying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
robed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
royal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
safely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
San
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
secrecy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
Shandon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
shopping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
Sierra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
sixty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
snow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
spend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
stagnating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
stern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
STRAWN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
sympathy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
tense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
unusually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
valley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
visiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
vital
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
Wanda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
warm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
Wayne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as the stern face of the Sierra was hidden under the snow that robed the higher peaks in royal ermine and drifted sixty feet in the deeper canons, so was the vital thing in the lives of Wayne Shandon and Wanda Leland covered by silence and secrecy.
Wayne's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wanda delivered Wayne's letter safely and promptly to Brisbane, the San Francisco lawyer.
weeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.
winter
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From this reading HELGA STRAWN PLAYS THE GAME The winter which had begun unusually early, battled fiercely for eight weeks in the mountain fastnesses, and went down in grumbling defeat before an early spring.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took her mother into the secret, she told her mother everything now, for the close companionship of last winter had borne its fruit of warm sympathy, and the two women went out of the valley, ostensibly to spend a few weeks shopping and visiting in San Francisco.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each day was tense and eager to them; to the world whose prying eyes could not penetrate through the barricade of winter it was as though those lives were stagnating.