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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 Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Let them alone," said Durgin.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
blow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
breath
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard stood leaning on the gate-post to recover he breath.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
dragged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
drop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
Durgin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Let them alone," said Durgin.
fell
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From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
fingers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
flashed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
flat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
gasped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
gate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
gate-post
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard stood leaning on the gate-post to recover he breath.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
harmlessly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
heap
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
Hennessey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That was nate," said Michael Hennessey, sententiously.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
Holding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
inert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
knitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
leaning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard stood leaning on the gate-post to recover he breath.
Letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "Let them alone," said Durgin.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
Michael
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That was nate," said Michael Hennessey, sententiously.
nate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That was nate," said Michael Hennessey, sententiously.
neckerchief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
recover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard stood leaning on the gate-post to recover he breath.
repeatednounUS /repeated/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
Richard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Let them alone," said Durgin.
sententiously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That was nate," said Michael Hennessey, sententiously.
sidewalk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
steel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Richard stood leaning on the gate-post to recover he breath.
sunlight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "Let them alone," said Durgin.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
tightly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Richard stood leaning on the gate-post to recover he breath.
Torrini
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
Torrini's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
twisted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flat steel flashed again in the sunlight, but fell harmlessly, and before the blow could be repeated, Richard had knitted his fingers in Torrini's neckerchief and twisted it so tightly that the man gasped.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "That was nate," said Michael Hennessey, sententiously.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.
yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Holding him by this, Richard dragged Torrini across the yard, and let him drop on the sidewalk outside the gate, where he lay in a heap, inert.