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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 He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
blindly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wheeled round sharply, and came face to face with his wife.
close
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From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
clutched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
cry
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From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
dressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
dressing-case
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
drunk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wheeled round sharply, and came face to face with his wife.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
flooding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
footnounUS /foot/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
Forrester
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
groped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
hall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
happened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He wheeled round sharply, and came face to face with his wife.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
horror
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
mechanically
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
midnight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wheeled round sharply, and came face to face with his wife.
shakingnounUS /ˈshaking/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
sharplynounUS /ˈsharply/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He wheeled round sharply, and came face to face with his wife.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
shock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
smothered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
switch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
travelling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was at the foot of the stairs, dressed for travelling, and she clutched a small dressing-case in one shaking hand.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He groped blindly along the wall and found the switch, flooding the hall with light, and as he did so he heard a little sound close to him on the stairs and a smothered cry.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
wheeled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wheeled round sharply, and came face to face with his wife.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It was midnight when Forrester got back home; he let himself into the dark house mechanically.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wheeled round sharply, and came face to face with his wife.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He felt drunk with shock and the horror of all that had happened.
