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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 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
age
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
air
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
always
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From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
amidstprepositionUS /əˈmɪdst/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
battle
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From this reading The dominant tone of Sir John Meredith's existence had been the high clear note of battle.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The dominant tone of Sir John Meredith's existence had been the high clear note of battle.
beginningnounUS /ˈbeginning/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
better
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From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
clang
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From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
clear
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From this reading The dominant tone of Sir John Meredith's existence had been the high clear note of battle.
dominant
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
dominates
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From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
dying
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From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
existence
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From this reading The dominant tone of Sir John Meredith's existence had been the high clear note of battle.
fight
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From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
fighting
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From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
gentler
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From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
gives
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From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The dominant tone of Sir John Meredith's existence had been the high clear note of battle.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
high
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From this reading The dominant tone of Sir John Meredith's existence had been the high clear note of battle.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
John
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From this reading The dominant tone of Sir John Meredith's existence had been the high clear note of battle.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
lion's
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From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
lives
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
manhood
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
men's
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
Meredith's
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From this reading The dominant tone of Sir John Meredith's existence had been the high clear note of battle.
noise
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From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
note
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
now
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From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
old
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From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
opera
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
perihelion
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From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
periods
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From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
playing
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From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
rhythm
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
rings
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
runs
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
Sir
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dominant tone of Sir John Meredith's existence had been the high clear note of battle.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
soft
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
strong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
ThanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
there
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From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
Tis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
tone
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From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had always found something or some one to fight from the very beginning, and now, in his old age, he was fighting still.
whelp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it is always there, and whether soft in the gentler periods, or strong amidst the noise and clang of the perihelion, it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.
youth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dominant air, so through men's lives there rings a dominant note, soft in youth, strong in manhood, and soft again in old age.
