adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
AbsorbedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbd/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading Absorbed in his task, he had not noticed the gathering storm.
almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The ground beneath his feet seemed almost to shake beneath that second peal of thunder.
AndrewnounUS /ˈændruː/
(New Testament) disciple of Jesus; brother of Peter; patron saint of Scotland
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The ground beneath his feet seemed almost to shake beneath that second peal of thunder.
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
cloudsnounUS /klaʊdz/
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
cryverbUS /kraɪ/
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading In the stillness that followed he heard the cry of a woman in distress.
distressnounUS /dɪˈstres/
psychological suffering
From this reading In the stillness that followed he heard the cry of a woman in distress.
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The ground beneath his feet seemed almost to shake beneath that second peal of thunder.
flashverbUS /flæʃ/
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading In the stillness that followed he heard the cry of a woman in distress.
forkedadjectiveUS /fɔːrkt/
resembling a fork; divided or separated into two branches
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
gardeningnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdənɪŋ/
the cultivation of plants
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
gatheringnounUS /ˈɡæðərɪŋ/
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading Absorbed in his task, he had not noticed the gathering storm.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The ground beneath his feet seemed almost to shake beneath that second peal of thunder.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Absorbed in his task, he had not noticed the gathering storm.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Absorbed in his task, he had not noticed the gathering storm.
heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading In the stillness that followed he heard the cry of a woman in distress.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Absorbed in his task, he had not noticed the gathering storm.
lightningnounUS /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/
abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Absorbed in his task, he had not noticed the gathering storm.
noticedadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəst/
being perceived or observed
From this reading Absorbed in his task, he had not noticed the gathering storm.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
pealnounUS /piːl/
a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells)
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
rivenverbUS /ˈrɪvən/
inflected form of “rive” — tear or be torn violently
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading The ground beneath his feet seemed almost to shake beneath that second peal of thunder.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The ground beneath his feet seemed almost to shake beneath that second peal of thunder.
shakeverbUS /ʃeɪk/
move or cause to move back and forth
From this reading The ground beneath his feet seemed almost to shake beneath that second peal of thunder.
skynounUS /skaɪ/
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
startledadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtəld/
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading In the stillness that followed he heard the cry of a woman in distress.
stormverbUS /stɔːrm/
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading Absorbed in his task, he had not noticed the gathering storm.
suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
tasknounUS /tæsk/
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading Absorbed in his task, he had not noticed the gathering storm.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The ground beneath his feet seemed almost to shake beneath that second peal of thunder.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
thunderverbUS /ˈθʌndər/
move fast, noisily, and heavily
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The ground beneath his feet seemed almost to shake beneath that second peal of thunder.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Andrew looked up from his gardening, startled by the sudden peal of thunder.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The sky was black with clouds, riven even while he looked with a vivid flash of forked lightning.
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading In the stillness that followed he heard the cry of a woman in distress.
