AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
afraidadjectiveUS /əˈfreɪd/
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading ‘I am afraid of the disgusting creatures.’
Aha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading ‘I am afraid of the disgusting creatures.’
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
artistnounUS /ˈɑːrtəst/
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
blowverbUS /bloʊ/
exhale hard
From this reading “Sarrasine crushed the snake’s head with a blow of his foot.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
creaturesnounUS /ˈkriːtʃərz/
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading ‘I am afraid of the disgusting creatures.’
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading “Sarrasine crushed the snake’s head with a blow of his foot.
dareverbUS /der/
take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
deadadjectiveUS /ded/
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
disgustingadjectiveUS /dɪsˈɡʌstɪŋ/
highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
From this reading ‘I am afraid of the disgusting creatures.’
ditchnounUS /dɪtʃ/
a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
edgenounUS /edʒ/
the boundary of a surface
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
footnounUS /fʊt/
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading “Sarrasine crushed the snake’s head with a blow of his foot.
gazingverbUS /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
glidingnounUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of flying a glider
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading “Sarrasine crushed the snake’s head with a blow of his foot.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Sarrasine crushed the snake’s head with a blow of his foot.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ‘I am afraid of the disgusting creatures.’
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
LanounUS /lɑː/
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
pointingverbUS /ˈpɔɪntɪŋ/
-ing form of “point” — indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
reptilenounUS /ˈreptaɪl/
any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and extinct forms
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
Sarrasine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Sarrasine crushed the snake’s head with a blow of his foot.
sayverbUS /seɪ/
express in words
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
smileverbUS /smaɪl/
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
snakenounUS /sneɪk/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
snake'snounUS /sneɪks/
possessive form of “snake” — limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading “Sarrasine crushed the snake’s head with a blow of his foot.
terrornounUS /ˈterər/
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
venturenounUS /ˈventʃər/
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
visibleadjectiveUS /ˈvɪzəbəl/
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “‘A snake!’ she said, pointing to a reptile which was gliding along the edge of a ditch.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Sarrasine crushed the snake’s head with a blow of his foot.
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “‘Aha!’ said the artist, with a smile, ‘would you venture to say now that you are not a woman?’
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
Zambinella
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “‘How could you dare to do it?’ said La Zambinella, gazing at the dead reptile with visible terror.
