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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 His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
accompanying
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
age
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
almost
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
always
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From this reading John Anderson's lips always moved when he worked.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
Anderson's
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From this reading John Anderson's lips always moved when he worked.
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
back
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
bent
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From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
bewildering
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
breathlessly
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
broke
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
busy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
came
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
caress
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
clean-jointed
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
clip-clip
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
conversation
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
cottage
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From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
definite
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
dwell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
emphatic
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
endless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
faint
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
faltered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
far
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
features
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
feeble
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
figure
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
finger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
fingers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
flew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
gave
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
gentle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
girl
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
glow
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading John Anderson's lips always moved when he worked.
head
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
heavy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
hill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
huge
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From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
intervals
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From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
John
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading John Anderson's lips always moved when he worked.
Judge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
leaning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
lingering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
lips
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
listening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
Maynard's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
monotonous
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
moved
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From this reading John Anderson's lips always moved when he worked.
murmur
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
named
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
nimblenessnounUS /ˈnɪmbəlnəs/
the ability to move quickly and easily
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
nod
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
oil-lamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
one-sided
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
only
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
out
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
pitifully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
quiet
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From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
reality
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From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
recurring
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From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
regularly
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From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
reply
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From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
saveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
seared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
shaping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
shears
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
silvered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
sing-song
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
single
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
small
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
smile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
smooth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
spread
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From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
squatted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
staccato
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
stooped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
strong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
tips
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
touch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
uncanny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
uncertainly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/
except if; if not
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
vacantly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
waiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was very quiet in the front room of the little cottage that squatted in the black shadow below Judge Maynard's huge house on the hill.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading John Anderson's lips always moved when he worked.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
white-haired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
womanishly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers, strong and clean-jointed and almost womanishly smooth--the only part of the man not pitifully seared with age--flew with a bewildering nimbleness one moment, only to dwell the next with a lingering caress upon the shaping features before him; and for each caress of his finger tips there was an accompanying, vacantly gentle smile or an uncertainly emphatic nod of the silvered head which gave the one-sided conversation a touch of uncanny reality.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No sound broke the heavy silence save the staccato clip-clip of the long shears in the fingers of the girl who was leaning almost breathlessly over the work spread out on the table beneath the feeble glow of the single oil-lamp, unless the faint, monotonous murmur which came in an endless sing-song from the lips of the stooped, white-haired old figure in the small back room beyond the door could be named anything so definite.
worked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading John Anderson's lips always moved when he worked.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading And yet, at regularly recurring intervals, even his busy fingers faltered, while he sat head bent far over to one side as though he were listening for something, waiting for some reply.
