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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 It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And no cover-story so convincing...._ The building itself was unprepossessive enough.
apartment
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From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
Arlington
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From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
balustrades
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From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
brick
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From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
building
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And no cover-story so convincing...._ The building itself was unprepossessive enough.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
capitol
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From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
closer
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From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
convincing
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From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
cover-story
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From this reading And no cover-story so convincing...._ The building itself was unprepossessive enough.
curving
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From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
district
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From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And no cover-story so convincing...._ The building itself was unprepossessive enough.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
fellow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
finally
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From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
five
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
flanked
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From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
headquarters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
housed
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From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
howitzer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
ironwork
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading And no cover-story so convincing...._ The building itself was unprepossessive enough.
kind
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From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
knows-for-sure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
lie
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From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
lower-middle-class
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
main
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
old-fashioned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
organization
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
ornamental
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
Pentagon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
presently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
private
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
range
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
served
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
sidewalk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
six-floor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
States
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
steps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
structure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
totally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
truth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _There is no lie so totally convincing as something the other fellow already knows-for-sure is the truth.
United
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
unprepossessive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And no cover-story so convincing...._ The building itself was unprepossessive enough.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
Virginia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And no cover-story so convincing...._ The building itself was unprepossessive enough.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The main door was five steps up from the sidewalk, and the steps were flanked by curving balustrades of ornamental ironwork.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading It stood among others of its kind in a lower-middle-class district of Arlington, Virginia, within howitzer range of the capitol of the United States, and even closer to the Pentagon.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was an old-fashioned, six-floor, brick structure that had, over the years, served first as a private home, then as an apartment building, and finally as the headquarters for the organization it presently housed.