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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 Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
ago
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From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
album
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From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Swiss, who were a simple and thrifty people, objected to paying taxes of any sort.
anybodypronounUS /ˈenibədi/
any person at all
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
Austria
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
became
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From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
belonged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
Blanc
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
country
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From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
disagreed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The point on which they disagreed in particular was the question of taxes.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
Emperor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
Englishman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
envious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
friend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
friends
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
Gessler
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
govern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
Hermann
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
hotel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
liked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
Mont
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
nice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
objected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Swiss, who were a simple and thrifty people, objected to paying taxes of any sort.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The point on which they disagreed in particular was the question of taxes.
Once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
particular
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The point on which they disagreed in particular was the question of taxes.
pasted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
paying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Swiss, who were a simple and thrifty people, objected to paying taxes of any sort.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Swiss, who were a simple and thrifty people, objected to paying taxes of any sort.
photograph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/
the main matter or purpose being discussed
From this reading The point on which they disagreed in particular was the question of taxes.
popular
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The point on which they disagreed in particular was the question of taxes.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/
To recall to mind.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
send
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
shown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
simple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Swiss, who were a simple and thrifty people, objected to paying taxes of any sort.
soon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Swiss, who were a simple and thrifty people, objected to paying taxes of any sort.
Swiss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
Switzerland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
taxes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The point on which they disagreed in particular was the question of taxes.
tea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The point on which they disagreed in particular was the question of taxes.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
thrifty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Swiss, who were a simple and thrifty people, objected to paying taxes of any sort.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One of the first things the Emperor did was to send his friend Hermann Gessler to govern the country.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The Swiss, who were a simple and thrifty people, objected to paying taxes of any sort.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The point on which they disagreed in particular was the question of taxes.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The Swiss, who were a simple and thrifty people, objected to paying taxes of any sort.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Gessler was not a nice man, and it soon became plain that he would never make himself really popular with the Swiss.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time, more years ago than anybody can remember, before the first hotel had been built or the first Englishman had taken a photograph of Mont Blanc and brought it home to be pasted in an album and shown after tea to his envious friends, Switzerland belonged to the Emperor of Austria, to do what he liked with.
