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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 The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
able
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
atrociousadjectiveUS /əˈtroʊʃəs/
shockingly wicked, cruel, or extremely bad
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
attacks
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From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
conversation
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From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
crueladjectiveUS /ˈkruːəl/
causing pain or showing no kindness
From this reading The following nights proved still more cruel.
defend
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
doing
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
draw
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From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
drowned
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
effect
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
exasperated
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From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
exchange
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From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
experienced
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From this reading The sort of remorse Laurent experienced was purely physical.
following
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From this reading The following nights proved still more cruel.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
hours
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
irritated
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From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
Laurent
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From this reading The sort of remorse Laurent experienced was purely physical.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
man
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
more
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From this reading The following nights proved still more cruel.
murderersnounUS /ˈmurderers/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
nerves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
nightsnounUS /naɪts/
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading The following nights proved still more cruel.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
pass
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
physical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sort of remorse Laurent experienced was purely physical.
proved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The following nights proved still more cruel.
purely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sort of remorse Laurent experienced was purely physical.
raving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
ready
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From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
remorse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sort of remorse Laurent experienced was purely physical.
shuddered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
simple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
slightest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sort of remorse Laurent experienced was purely physical.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The following nights proved still more cruel.
strange
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
suffering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
talk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
terror
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The following nights proved still more cruel.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading At the slightest conversation between them, at the least talk, they had alone, they began raving, and were ready to draw blood.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
together
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From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
twenty-four
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
underwent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sort of remorse Laurent experienced was purely physical.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.
wished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The murderers had wished to pass this part of the twenty-four hours together, so as to be able to defend themselves against the drowned man, and by a strange effect, since they had been doing so, they shuddered the more.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were exasperated, and their nerves so irritated, that they underwent atrocious attacks of suffering and terror, at the exchange of a simple word or look.