Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
academynounUS /əˈkæd.ə.mi/
A place of study or training in a special field of knowledge and arts.
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
alive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
AREauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
ash
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
compressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
courtyardnounUS /ˈkɔːrtjɑːrd/
an open area surrounded by the walls of a building
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Wispfire was dead.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
die
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
extinguished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
FIRESnounUS /ˈfaɪərz/
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
flamenounUS /fleɪm/
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
flickered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
inside
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
invite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
Lyra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
names
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
Northern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
quietly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
someonepronounUS /ˈsʌmwʌn/
a person, without saying who
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
spark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
startnounUS /start/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
summonsnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/
an official order to appear or respond
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
THATconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
THERE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
trampled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
trust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “THERE ARE FIRES THAT do not start from a spark... but from the silence compressed long enough beneath the ash of trampled trust.
usually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
waiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Wispfire was dead.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
windnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
WispfirenounUS /ˈwɪsp.faɪər/
A luminous, semi-sentient spirit flame that guides seekers through the dark archives.
From this reading The Wispfire was dead.
wisps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lyra sat quietly in the Northern courtyard of the academy, where memory wisps usually flickered.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not die in the wind, but extinguished as if the world itself had forgotten how to keep a flame alive for someone waiting.
written
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And there are names written in summons... not to invite, but to open the door for the one already inside.”
