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alarming
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From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
anticipated
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From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
any
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From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
bad
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From this reading Have you had bad news?”
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
came
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From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
compose
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From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
Continent
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From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdrɛdfəl/
extremely frightening or unpleasant
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
envelope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
Ethel
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From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
foreign
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
glanced
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From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
hand
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From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
happened
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From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Have you had bad news?”
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
headway
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From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
holiday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What is the matter?...
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
lying
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From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
made
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From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What is the matter?...
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
month's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
news
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Have you had bad news?”
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
observing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
stamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
struggle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
taking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He glanced at the envelope lying on the table, then at the open letter in her hand, and then at her face.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What is the matter?...
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading For one dreadful moment, observing the foreign stamp, he thought something might have happened to Ethel, who was taking her month’s holiday on the Continent.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading He came in while she was still trying to compose herself for the struggle she anticipated; and because she had not yet made any headway, he saw at once that something alarming had happened.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Have you had bad news?”
