adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
amountnounUS /əˈmaʊnt/
a quantity of money
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
amusementnounUS /əˈmjuːzmənt/
a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading But of whatever amusement was to be had one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly.
appreciateverbUS /əˈpriːʃieɪt/
recognize with gratitude; be grateful for
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
Aye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But of whatever amusement was to be had one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But of whatever amusement was to be had one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly.
compassed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
drillverbUS /drɪl/
make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
HandsnounUS /hændz/
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION “Hands up!”
hastyadjectiveUS /ˈheɪsti/
excessively quick
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
holdverbUS /hoʊld/
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading But of whatever amusement was to be had one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
laughternounUS /ˈlæftər/
the sound of laughing
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
menaceverbUS /ˈmenəs/
pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
monopolynounUS /məˈnɑːpəli/
(economics) a market in which there are many buyers but only one seller
From this reading But of whatever amusement was to be had one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
obediencenounUS /oʊˈbiːdiəns/
the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But of whatever amusement was to be had one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly.
precisionnounUS /priˈsɪʒən/
the quality of being reproducible in amount or performance
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
REPRESENTATIONnounUS /ˌreprəzenˈteɪʃən/
a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image
From this reading TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION “Hands up!”
ringverbUS /rɪŋ/
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But of whatever amusement was to be had one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly.
showverbUS /ʃoʊ/
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
sinisteradjectiveUS /ˈsɪnɪstər/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
situationnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃən/
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
spectatorsnounUS /ˈspekteɪtərz/
plural of “spectator” — a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)
From this reading It was a situation that might have made for laughter had there been spectators to appreciate.
spurnounUS /spɜːr/
a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
TAXATIONnounUS /tækˈseɪʃən/
charge against a citizen's person or property or activity for the support of government
From this reading TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION “Hands up!”
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
unanimousadjectiveUS /juːˈnænəməs/
in complete agreement
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION “Hands up!”
victimsnounUS /ˈvɪktəmz/
plural of “victim” — an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading But of whatever amusement was to be had one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly.
voicenounUS /vɔɪs/
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
votedverbUS /ˈvoʊtɪd/
past form of “vote” — express one's preference for a candidate or for a measure or resolution; cast a vote
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a ring of crisp menace in the sinister voice that was a spur to obedience.
whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading But of whatever amusement was to be had one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The unanimous show of hands voted “Aye” with a hasty precision that no amount of drill could have compassed.
WITHOUTprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION “Hands up!”
