adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
bentnounUS /bent/
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
bushesnounUS /ˈbʊʃəz/
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/
(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
doubleverbUS /ˈdʌbəl/
increase twofold
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
emptyverbUS /ˈempti/
make void or empty of contents
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
evanescentadjectiveUS /ˌevəˈnesənt/
tending to vanish like vapor
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
extraordinaryadjectiveUS /ˌekstrəˈɔːrdəneri/
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
familiaradjectiveUS /fəˈmɪljər/
well known or easily recognized
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
fellverbUS /fel/
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
flyingadjectiveUS /ˈflaɪɪŋ/
moving swiftly
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
foreseenverbUS /ˌfɔːrˈsiːn/
inflected form of “foresee” — realize beforehand
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
formsnounUS /fɔːrmz/
plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
fusilladenounUS /ˈfjuːsɪleɪd/
rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
glidingnounUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of flying a glider
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
glintingadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪntɪŋ/
having brief brilliant points or flashes of light
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
helmsmannounUS /ˈhelmzmæn/
the person who steers a ship
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
incompleteadjectiveUS /ˌɪnkəmˈpliːt/
not complete or total; not completed
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
leapingnounUS /ˈliːpɪŋ/
a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
leavesnounUS /liːvz/
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
LookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
madadjectiveUS /mæd/
roused to anger
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
mannernounUS /ˈmænər/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
overboardadverbUS /ˈoʊvərbɔːrd/
to extremes
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
overhangingverbUS /ˈoʊvərhæŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “overhang” — project over
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
pastnounUS /pæst/
the time that has elapsed
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
pilot-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
profoundadjectiveUS /proʊˈfaʊnd/
showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
rifleverbUS /ˈraɪfəl/
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
runningadjectiveUS /ˈrʌnɪŋ/
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
shakingnounUS /ˈʃeɪkɪŋ/
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
shorenounUS /ʃɔːr/
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
shoulderverbUS /ˈʃoʊldər/
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
shutternounUS /ˈʃʌtər/
a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
shutter-hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
SomethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
squirtsnounUS /skwɜːrts/
plural of “squirt” — someone who is small and insignificant
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
steppedverbUS /stept/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
swiftlyadverbUS /ˈswɪftli/
in a swift manner
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
threwverbUS /θruː/
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
torenounUS /tɔːr/
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
traversedverbUS /ˈtrævərst/
past form of “traverse” — travel across or pass over
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
twigsnounUS /twɪɡz/
plural of “twig” — a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
vagueadjectiveUS /veɪɡ/
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Something big appeared in the air before the shutter, the rifle went overboard, and the man stepped back swiftly, looked at me over his shoulder in an extraordinary, profound, familiar manner, and fell upon my feet.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
whirlverbUS /wɜːrl/
turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading “We tore slowly along the overhanging bushes in a whirl of broken twigs and flying leaves.
whizzverb
make a soft swishing sound
From this reading I threw my head back to a glinting whizz that traversed the pilot-house, in at one shutter-hole and out at the other.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The fusillade below stopped short, as I had foreseen it would when the squirts got empty.
yellingnounUS /ˈjelɪŋ/
uttering a loud inarticulate cry as of pain or excitement
From this reading Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, gliding, distinct, incomplete, evanescent.
