adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
agesnounUS /ˈeɪdʒəz/
plural of “age” — how long something has existed
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
anxiouslyadverbUS /ˈæŋkʃəsli/
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
authorsnounUS /ˈɔːθərz/
plural of “author” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
blazingadjectiveUS /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading “O, my books, my books, my precious printed books!” reiterated the forlorn bookworm.
bookwormnounUS /ˈbʊkwɜːrm/
a person who pays more attention to formal rules and book learning than they merit
From this reading “O, my books, my books, my precious printed books!” reiterated the forlorn bookworm.
boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/
confined by bonds
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
CadmusnounUS /ˈkædməs/
(Greek mythology) the brother of Europa and traditional founder of Thebes in Boeotia
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
cloudverbUS /klaʊd/
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
consumedverbUS /kənˈsuːmd/
past form of “consume” — eat up completely, as with great appetite
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
daysnounUS /deɪz/
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
descendingadjectiveUS /dɪˈsendɪŋ/
coming down or downward
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
enviableadjectiveUS /ˈenviəbəl/
causing envy
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
eyenounUS /aɪ/
the organ of sight
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
factnounUS /fækt/
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
fieldnounUS /fiːld/
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
forlornadjectiveUS /fərˈlɔːrn/
marked by or showing hopelessness
From this reading “O, my books, my books, my precious printed books!” reiterated the forlorn bookworm.
freeverbUS /friː/
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
generationnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈeɪʃən/
all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
heapnounUS /hiːp/
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
inquiredverbUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪərd/
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
lastadjectiveUS /læst/
immediately past
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
leaveverbUS /liːv/
go away from a place
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
leavingnounUS /ˈliːvɪŋ/
the act of departing
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/
the literary culture
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
likewiseadverbUS /ˈlaɪkwaɪz/
in like or similar manner
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
literaturenounUS /ˈlɪtərətʃər/
creative writing of recognized artistic value
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “O, my books, my books, my precious printed books!” reiterated the forlorn bookworm.
NewadjectiveUS /nuː/
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
nextadjectiveUS /nekst/
immediately following in time or order
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
OnounUS /oʊ/
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading “O, my books, my books, my precious printed books!” reiterated the forlorn bookworm.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
pamphletnounUS /ˈpæmflət/
a small book usually having a paper cover
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
pamphletsnounUS /ˈpæmfləts/
plural of “pamphlet” — a small book usually having a paper cover
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
plagueverbUS /pleɪɡ/
cause to suffer a blight
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
preciousadjectiveUS /ˈpreʃəs/
characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for
From this reading “O, my books, my books, my precious printed books!” reiterated the forlorn bookworm.
pressverbUS /pres/
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
printedverbUS /ˈprɪntɪd/
past form of “print” — put into print
From this reading “O, my books, my books, my precious printed books!” reiterated the forlorn bookworm.
realitynounUS /ˌriːˈælətiː/
all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
reiteratedverbUS /riˈɪtəreɪtɪd/
past form of “reiterate” — to say, state, or perform again
From this reading “O, my books, my books, my precious printed books!” reiterated the forlorn bookworm.
remainverbUS /rɪˈmeɪn/
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
remnantnounUS /ˈremnənt/
a small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
shadowyadjectiveUS /ˈʃædoʊi/
filled with shade
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
shapenounUS /ʃeɪp/
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/
to a small degree or extent
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “O, my books, my books, my precious printed books!” reiterated the forlorn bookworm.
ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
twinklingnounUS /ˈtwɪŋkəlɪŋ/
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
volumenounUS /ˈvɑːljuːm/
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
WelladverbUS /wel/
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Well, and does anything remain to be done?” inquired I, somewhat anxiously.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading These likewise were consumed in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the earth, for the first time since the days of Cadmus, free from the plague of letters,—an enviable field for the authors of the next generation.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “My only reality was a bound volume; and now they will not leave me even a shadowy pamphlet!”
WorldnounUS /wɜːrld/
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading In fact, the last remnant of the literature of all the ages was now descending upon the blazing heap in the shape of a cloud of pamphlets from the press of the New World.
