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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 He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had done so, off and on, for weeks.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading These had asked for certain ancient papers lately, and a search had been made, with this result.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
belonging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
Belward-Staplings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
box
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
branch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
certain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These had asked for certain ancient papers lately, and a search had been made, with this result.
clerk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
curiosity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
distantadjectiveUS /ˈdɪstənt/
not friendly or close
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
documents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had done so, off and on, for weeks.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
family
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
fishing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had done so, off and on, for weeks.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had done so, off and on, for weeks.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
inside
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
lately
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These had asked for certain ancient papers lately, and a search had been made, with this result.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These had asked for certain ancient papers lately, and a search had been made, with this result.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had done so, off and on, for weeks.
office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had done so, off and on, for weeks.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
papers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
partly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
presentiment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
result
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These had asked for certain ancient papers lately, and a search had been made, with this result.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
search
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These had asked for certain ancient papers lately, and a search had been made, with this result.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had done so, off and on, for weeks.
solicitor's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These had asked for certain ancient papers lately, and a search had been made, with this result.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
unaccountable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spent the time in looking through old family papers, fishing out ancient documents, partly out of curiosity, partly from an unaccountable presentiment.
weeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had done so, off and on, for weeks.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The next morning he went down to the family solicitor's office.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He had been there about an hour this morning when a clerk brought him a small box, which, he said, had been found inside another box belonging to the Belward-Staplings, a distant branch of the family.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading These had asked for certain ancient papers lately, and a search had been made, with this result.
