adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After breakfast Billy went straight to the telephone and called up Arkwright.
alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
Arkwright
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After breakfast Billy went straight to the telephone and called up Arkwright.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Emphatically, the restlessness of the day before was gone now.
begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Once more Billy's “clock” had “begun to tick.”
Bertram
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
BillynounUS /ˈbɪli/
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
Billy'snounUS /ˈbɪliz/
possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading Once more Billy's “clock” had “begun to tick.”
brainnounUS /breɪn/
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/
eat an early morning meal
From this reading After breakfast Billy went straight to the telephone and called up Arkwright.
calledverbUS /kɔːld/
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading After breakfast Billy went straight to the telephone and called up Arkwright.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
clocknounUS /klɑːk/
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading Once more Billy's “clock” had “begun to tick.”
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Emphatically, the restlessness of the day before was gone now.
dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/
dearly loved
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
down-stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
EmphaticallyadverbUS /emˈfætɪkli/
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading Emphatically, the restlessness of the day before was gone now.
fairlyadverbUS /ˈferli/
to certain extent or degree
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
fingersnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərz/
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
fourteenthadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːnθ/
coming next after the thirteenth in position
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/
destroyed or killed
From this reading Emphatically, the restlessness of the day before was gone now.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
interestedadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəstɪd/
having or showing interest; especially curiosity or fascination or concern
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
letternounUS /ˈletər/
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
mailedadjectiveUS /meɪld/
wearing protective mail
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
melodynounUS /ˈmelədi/
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Once more Billy's “clock” had “begun to tick.”
NewadjectiveUS /nuː/
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
OnceadverbUS /wʌns/
on one occasion
From this reading Once more Billy's “clock” had “begun to tick.”
papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
putverbUS /pʊt/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
restlessnessnounUS /ˈrestləsnəs/
the quality of being ceaselessly moving or active
From this reading Emphatically, the restlessness of the day before was gone now.
riotously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
shiningadjectiveUS /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
straightadjectiveUS /streɪt/
successive (without a break)
From this reading After breakfast Billy went straight to the telephone and called up Arkwright.
sunnounUS /sʌn/
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
surgingadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrdʒɪŋ/
characterized by great swelling waves or surges
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
telephonenounUS /ˈteləfoʊn/
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
From this reading After breakfast Billy went straight to the telephone and called up Arkwright.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On the fourteenth of December Billy came down-stairs alert, interested, and happy.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
ticknounUS /tɪk/
a metallic tapping sound
From this reading Once more Billy's “clock” had “begun to tick.”
tinglingadjectiveUS /ˈtɪŋɡəlɪŋ/
exciting by touching lightly so as to cause laughter or twitching movements
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading After breakfast Billy went straight to the telephone and called up Arkwright.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading After breakfast Billy went straight to the telephone and called up Arkwright.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
YorknounUS /jɔːrk/
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading She had received a dear letter from Bertram (mailed on the way to New York), the sun was shining, and her fingers were fairly tingling to put on paper the little melody that was now surging riotously through her brain.
