adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
absencesnounUS /ˈæbsənsɪz/
plural of “absence” — the state of being absent
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The bed was vacant; the blind made the air dim; she saw her breath rise before her.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
bednounUS /bed/
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading The bed was vacant; the blind made the air dim; she saw her breath rise before her.
bedroomnounUS /ˈbedruːm/
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The bed was vacant; the blind made the air dim; she saw her breath rise before her.
besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/
next to; at the side of
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
blindnounUS /blaɪnd/
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading The bed was vacant; the blind made the air dim; she saw her breath rise before her.
breathnounUS /breθ/
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading The bed was vacant; the blind made the air dim; she saw her breath rise before her.
briefadjectiveUS /briːf/
of short duration or distance
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
castingnounUS /ˈkæstɪŋ/
object formed by a mold
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
coffinnounUS /ˈkɔːfɪn/
box in which a corpse is buried or cremated
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
COMPLETIONnounUS /kəmˈpliːʃən/
(American football) a successful forward pass in football
From this reading THE COMPLETION OF MISCHANCE Upon Emily had fallen silence.
dimadjectiveUS /dɪm/
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading The bed was vacant; the blind made the air dim; she saw her breath rise before her.
earsnounUS /ɪrz/
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
Emily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COMPLETION OF MISCHANCE Upon Emily had fallen silence.
enterverbUS /ˈentər/
to come or go into
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
everadverbUS /ˈevər/
at any time
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
fallenadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlən/
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading THE COMPLETION OF MISCHANCE Upon Emily had fallen silence.
fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
feebleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːbəl/
pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
gravenounUS /ɡreɪv/
death of a person
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE COMPLETION OF MISCHANCE Upon Emily had fallen silence.
halfadjectiveUS /hæf/
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
hardenverbUS /ˈhɑːrdən/
become hard or harder
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
hearverbUS /hiːr/
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
homenounUS /hoʊm/
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
hurriedadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːrid/
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
incessantlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsesəntli/
with unflagging resolve
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
iterationnounUS /ˌɪtərˈeɪʃən/
(computer science) a single execution of a set of instructions that are to be repeated
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
meaninglessadjectiveUS /ˈmiːnɪŋləs/
having no meaning or direction or purpose
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
MISCHANCEnoun
an unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate
From this reading THE COMPLETION OF MISCHANCE Upon Emily had fallen silence.
miserynounUS /ˈmɪzəri/
a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
nameverbUS /neɪm/
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
notesnounUS /noʊts/
plural of “note” — a brief written record
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE COMPLETION OF MISCHANCE Upon Emily had fallen silence.
ownverbUS /oʊn/
have ownership or possession of
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
painnounUS /peɪn/
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
perpetualadjectiveUS /pərˈpetʃuːəl/
continuing forever or indefinitely
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
physicaladjectiveUS /ˈfɪzɪkəl/
involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
querulousadjectiveUS /ˈkwerələs/
habitually complaining
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
realadjectiveUS /riːl/
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
restverbUS /rest/
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
ReturningadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
riseverbUS /raɪz/
move upward
From this reading The bed was vacant; the blind made the air dim; she saw her breath rise before her.
sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/
Identical; not different.
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading The bed was vacant; the blind made the air dim; she saw her breath rise before her.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading THE COMPLETION OF MISCHANCE Upon Emily had fallen silence.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
soundnounUS /saʊnd/
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
soundedverbUS /ˈsaʊndɪd/
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
stepnounUS /step/
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE COMPLETION OF MISCHANCE Upon Emily had fallen silence.
threenounUS /θriː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
tonguenounUS /tʌŋ/
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
upbraidingnoun
a severe scolding
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading THE COMPLETION OF MISCHANCE Upon Emily had fallen silence.
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading The bed was vacant; the blind made the air dim; she saw her breath rise before her.
voicenounUS /vɔɪs/
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
wailingnounUS /ˈweɪlɪŋ/
loud cries made while weeping
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading As she stood beside the grave--the grave whose earth had not had time to harden since it received her father--she seemed still to hear that feeble, querulous voice, with its perpetual iteration of her own name; the casting of clay upon the coffin made a sound not half so real.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The tongue which for three months had incessantly sounded in her ears, with its notes of wailing, of upbraiding, of physical pain, of meaningless misery, was at rest for ever.
wontnounUS /woʊnt/
an established custom
From this reading Returning home, she went up to the bedroom with the same hurried step with which she had been wont to enter after her brief absences.
