AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
actionsnounUS /ˈækʃənz/
plural of “action” — something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
aimlessnessnoun
the quality of lacking any definite purpose
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
columnsnounUS /ˈkɑːləmz/
plural of “column” — a line of units following one after another
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
convulsed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
crampnounUS /kræmp/
a painful and involuntary muscular contraction
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
creaturesnounUS /ˈkriːtʃərz/
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The shadow of death is upon these creatures in the scorching sunshine.
deathnounUS /deθ/
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading The shadow of death is upon these creatures in the scorching sunshine.
earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
forgetverbUS /fərˈɡet/
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
granitenounUS /ˈɡrænət/
plutonic igneous rock having visibly crystalline texture; generally composed of feldspar and mica and quartz
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
HereadverbUS /hiːr/
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
hindnounUS /haɪnd/
any of several mostly spotted fishes that resemble groupers
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The shadow of death is upon these creatures in the scorching sunshine.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The shadow of death is upon these creatures in the scorching sunshine.
kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
legnounUS /leɡ/
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
mechanicaladjectiveUS /məˈkænɪkəl/
using (or as if using) mechanisms or tools or devices
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
mouthsnounUS /maʊðz/
plural of “mouth” — the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
moveverbUS /muːv/
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
nervousadjectiveUS /ˈnɜːrvəs/
easily agitated
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
pervadesverbUS /pərˈveɪdz/
third-person singular of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
piecenounUS /piːs/
a separate part of a whole
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
scorchingadjectiveUS /ˈskɔːrtʃɪŋ/
hot and dry enough to burn or parch a surface
From this reading The shadow of death is upon these creatures in the scorching sunshine.
scratchesnounUS /ˈskrætʃəz/
plural of “scratch” — an abraded area where the skin is torn or worn off
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
seenverbUS /siːn/
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading The shadow of death is upon these creatures in the scorching sunshine.
shutverbUS /ʃʌt/
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
sinisteradjectiveUS /ˈsɪnɪstər/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
stareverbUS /ster/
look at with fixed eyes
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
stretchingnounUS /ˈstretʃɪŋ/
act of expanding by lengthening or widening
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/
the rays of the sun
From this reading The shadow of death is upon these creatures in the scorching sunshine.
sustainedadjectiveUS /səˈsteɪnd/
maintained at length without interruption or weakening
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The shadow of death is upon these creatures in the scorching sunshine.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading A sinister aimlessness pervades the actions of those that move at all.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
tip-toe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
totterverbUS /ˈtɑːtər/
move without being stable, as if threatening to fall
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
trancenounUS /træns/
a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
twitchings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The shadow of death is upon these creatures in the scorching sunshine.
weednounUS /wiːd/
any plant that crowds out cultivated plants
From this reading They stare at columns of polished granite, at a piece of weed, at one another, as though they had never seen such things before.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Here is one, stretching out a hind leg in a sustained cramp; another is convulsed with nervous twitchings; another scratches the earth in a kind of mechanical trance.
yawnverbUS /jɔːn/
utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired
From this reading They totter about on tip-toe; they yawn and forget to shut their mouths.
