adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/
in addition
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He couldnt understand whence the sound came.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
couldn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He couldnt understand whence the sound came.
deepadjectiveUS /diːp/
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
delusionnounUS /dɪˈluːʒən/
(psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary
From this reading He thought the piercing noise was a delusion.
destroyedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstrɔɪd/
spoiled or ruined or demolished
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
dolorousadjective
showing sorrow
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
dreamnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
foreshortened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
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 He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
interruptedadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈʌptɪd/
discontinued temporarily
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
intrudingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdɪŋ/
projecting inward
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
laughnounUS /læf/
the sound of laughing
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
mirthnounUS /mɜːrθ/
great merriment
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
noisenounUS /nɔɪz/
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading He thought the piercing noise was a delusion.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
painnounUS /peɪn/
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
peacenounUS /piːs/
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
pealnounUS /piːl/
a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells)
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
piercingadjectiveUS /ˈpɪrsɪŋ/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading He thought the piercing noise was a delusion.
positivelyadverbUS /ˈpɑːzətɪvli/
extremely
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
realitynounUS /ˌriːˈælətiː/
all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
seatnounUS /siːt/
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
seeverbUS /siː/
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
self-absorptionnoun
preoccupation with yourself to the exclusion of everything else
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
shrieknounUS /ʃriːk/
sharp piercing cry
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
sobverbUS /sɑːb/
weep convulsively
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
soundnounUS /saʊnd/
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He couldnt understand whence the sound came.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
stretchedadjectiveUS /stretʃt/
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
succeededverbUS /səkˈsiːdɪd/
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
tnounUS /tiː/
a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine
From this reading He couldnt understand whence the sound came.
tearverbUS /ter/
separate or cause to separate abruptly
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
tear-stained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He thought the piercing noise was a delusion.
thrownadjectiveUS /θroʊn/
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading He couldnt understand whence the sound came.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
vileadjectiveUS /vaɪl/
morally reprehensible
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He thought the piercing noise was a delusion.
whenceadverbUS /wens/
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading He couldnt understand whence the sound came.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading But another shrill peal followed by a deep sob and succeeded by another shriek of mirth positively seemed to tear him out from where he stood.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading He could see, foreshortened, the tear-stained, dolorous face of the woman stretched out, and with her head thrown over the back of the seat.
wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/
the words that are spoken
From this reading He heard a laugh, and it not only interrupted his words but also destroyed the peace of his self-absorption with the vile pain of a reality intruding upon the beauty of a dream.
