adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
bearverbUS /ber/
have
From this reading Maurice could bear it no longer.
becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But she only laughed the more.
cackleverbUS /ˈkækəl/
talk or utter in a cackling manner
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
chairnounUS /tʃer/
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
continuedadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːd/
without stop or interruption
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Maurice could bear it no longer.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
Ephie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
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 And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He went up to her and tried to take her hands.
helpedverbUS /helpt/
past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He went up to her and tried to take her hands.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
increasenounUS /ˌɪnˈkriːs/
a quantity that is added
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
inquisitiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkwɪzɪtɪv/
showing curiosity
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
landlady's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
laughnounUS /læf/
the sound of laughing
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
laughedverbUS /læft/
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading But she only laughed the more.
longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/
for more time
From this reading Maurice could bear it no longer.
lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
Maurice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
merestadjectiveUS /ˈmerəst/
superlative of “mere” — being nothing more than specified
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading But she only laughed the more.
muffnounUS /mʌf/
a warm tubular covering for the hands
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Maurice could bear it no longer.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading But she only laughed the more.
paroxysmnoun
a sudden uncontrollable attack
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
peeringverbUS /ˈpiːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But she only laughed the more.
soundnounUS /saʊnd/
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
takeverbUS /teɪk/
carry out
From this reading He went up to her and tried to take her hands.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But she only laughed the more.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
tonenounUS /toʊn/
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading He went up to her and tried to take her hands.
triflesnounUS /ˈtraɪfəlz/
plural of “trifle” — a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He went up to her and tried to take her hands.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He went up to her and tried to take her hands.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The laugh continued, though it had become a kind of cackle--a sound without tone.
workedverbUS /wɜːrkt/
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading And now the merest trifles helped to increase the paroxysm--the way Maurice worked his hands, Ephie's muff lying forgotten on a chair, the landlady's inquisitive face peering in at the door.
