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AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
absolute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes his face bent over it, and I could watch its absolute concentration.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was Raffles at his latest deviltry.
atom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
bent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes his face bent over it, and I could watch its absolute concentration.
blinding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
bulb
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
centre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
concentration
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes his face bent over it, and I could watch its absolute concentration.
continually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
darkness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
dense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
deviltry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Raffles at his latest deviltry.
disc
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes his face bent over it, and I could watch its absolute concentration.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
handy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
hardly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
heat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was Raffles at his latest deviltry.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Sometimes his face bent over it, and I could watch its absolute concentration.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
incandescence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Raffles at his latest deviltry.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
latest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Raffles at his latest deviltry.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
lit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
Midsummer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
moving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
Night's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
paper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
parts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
pen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
plated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
plateful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
poised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
proceeding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
Raffles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Raffles at his latest deviltry.
reflecting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
snowy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
Sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes his face bent over it, and I could watch its absolute concentration.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
task
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not heard me, and he could not see; but for that matter he never looked up from his task.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
tiny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
total
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
watch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes his face bent over it, and I could watch its absolute concentration.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This blinding atom of white heat lit up a hand hardly moving, a pen continually poised, over a disc of snowy paper; and on the other side, something that lay handy on the table, reflecting the light in its plated parts.
Work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Midsummer Night's Work The dense and total darkness was broken in one place, and one only, by a plateful of light proceeding from a tiny bulb of incandescence in its centre.
