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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 a still, dark night.
Adrienne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AGATHA'S WARNING THAT night Adrienne could not sleep.
AGATHA'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AGATHA'S WARNING THAT night Adrienne could not sleep.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
barking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
bell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
cattle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
church
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
ChâteaunounUS /ʃæˈtoʊ/
A large French country house or castle, often surrounded by expansive estates and private galleries.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
clocks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading AGATHA'S WARNING THAT night Adrienne could not sleep.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a still, dark night.
disturb
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
dogs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
hooting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
husband
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
imagining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
intervals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a still, dark night.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
moon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
movements
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AGATHA'S WARNING THAT night Adrienne could not sleep.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
noises
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading AGATHA'S WARNING THAT night Adrienne could not sleep.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
owls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
ring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
sleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AGATHA'S WARNING THAT night Adrienne could not sleep.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
stable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
striking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
task
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
THATconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading AGATHA'S WARNING THAT night Adrienne could not sleep.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
uncertain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
WARNING
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AGATHA'S WARNING THAT night Adrienne could not sleep.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a still, dark night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading No moon: owls were hooting at intervals—once she heard the dogs in the stable barking, but she knew that the movements of the cattle sometimes made them do that.
wishing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay very still, not wishing to disturb her husband; and she took herself to task for imagining she heard strange noises round the old Château.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She heard the clocks striking two, then suddenly with no uncertain sound the church bell began to ring.
