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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 For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
acute
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
Africa
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From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
almost
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
althoughnounUS /ˈalthough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
appalling
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
awakened
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
back
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From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
black
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
bodkin-like
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From this reading The dim light of a candle, recently lit, flashed upon the bodkin-like dagger held at his throat.
brave
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From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
callousadjectiveUS /ˈkæləs/
showing no sympathy for other people’s suffering
From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
candle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dim light of a candle, recently lit, flashed upon the bodkin-like dagger held at his throat.
consciousness
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
curtain
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
daggernounUS /ˈdæɡ.ər/
A short knife with a pointed and edged blade, used as a stealth weapon.
From this reading The dim light of a candle, recently lit, flashed upon the bodkin-like dagger held at his throat.
deadly
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
developing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
dim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dim light of a candle, recently lit, flashed upon the bodkin-like dagger held at his throat.
Dominey
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From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
enemy
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From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
faint
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
fancied
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From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
fascinated
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From this reading He gazed at the thin line of gleaming steel, fascinated.
fear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
flashed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dim light of a candle, recently lit, flashed upon the bodkin-like dagger held at his throat.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
forbids
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From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
four-poster
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From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
gazed
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From this reading He gazed at the thin line of gleaming steel, fascinated.
gleaming
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From this reading He gazed at the thin line of gleaming steel, fascinated.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
hangings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
heavy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dim light of a candle, recently lit, flashed upon the bodkin-like dagger held at his throat.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
horror
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dim light of a candle, recently lit, flashed upon the bodkin-like dagger held at his throat.
line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He gazed at the thin line of gleaming steel, fascinated.
lit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dim light of a candle, recently lit, flashed upon the bodkin-like dagger held at his throat.
live
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/
Recollections of past events.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
moments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
motion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/
difficult to explain or understand
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
nightmarenounUS /ˈnaɪt.mɛr/
A terrifying or distressing dream.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
oak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
painful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
paralysed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
pricking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
recently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dim light of a candle, recently lit, flashed upon the bodkin-like dagger held at his throat.
rolled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
rush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
rustling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
situation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
slowly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
steel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He gazed at the thin line of gleaming steel, fascinated.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He opened his eyes, and although a brave and callous man he lay still, paralysed with the fear which forbids motion.
tangled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading He gazed at the thin line of gleaming steel, fascinated.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
throatnounUS /θroʊt/
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
unreality
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then a rush of awakened memories--the silence of the great house, the mysterious rustling of the heavy hangings around the black oak four-poster on which he lay, the faint pricking of something deadly at his throat--these things rolled back the curtain of unreality, brought him acute and painful consciousness of a situation almost appalling.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading For the first few tangled moments of nightmare, slowly developing into a live horror, Dominey fancied himself back in Africa, with the hand of an enemy upon his throat.
