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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 PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
ASconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
attained
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From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
attempt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
bills
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From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
bounded
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From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
buried
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From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
cannot
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From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
cautious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
conveniences
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From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
define
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From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
definite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
definition
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
definitions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
describing
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From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
difficult
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
DRAMATIC
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From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
fledged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For perhaps the surest way of learning what a thing is, is first to learn what it is not.
FORM
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From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
forms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
foundations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
full
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
futile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
growth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
hasty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
incandescent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
indeed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
inventor's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
lamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
learn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For perhaps the surest way of learning what a thing is, is first to learn what it is not.
learning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For perhaps the surest way of learning what a thing is, is first to learn what it is not.
lestconjunctionUS /lest/
in order that something should not happen
From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
Like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
mechanical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
myriad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
near-playlet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
painting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
perhaps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For perhaps the surest way of learning what a thing is, is first to learn what it is not.
photography
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
PLAYLET
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
present
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
short-story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
slow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
surest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For perhaps the surest way of learning what a thing is, is first to learn what it is not.
telephone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
today
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
tomb
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
understanding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
UNIQUE
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From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
vaudeville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For perhaps the surest way of learning what a thing is, is first to learn what it is not.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Like the short-story, painting as we know it today, photography, the incandescent lamp, the telephone, and the myriad other forms of art and mechanical conveniences, the playlet did not spring from an inventor's mind full fledged, but attained its present form by slow growth.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading For perhaps the surest way of learning what a thing is, is first to learn what it is not.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a thing of life--and life cannot be bounded by words, lest it be buried in the tomb of a hasty definition.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading To attempt even the most cautious of definitions without having first laid down the foundations of understanding by describing some of the near-playlet forms to be seen on many vaudeville bills would, indeed, be futile.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading THE PLAYLET AS A UNIQUE DRAMATIC FORM The playlet is a very definite thing--and yet it is difficult to define.
