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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 Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
Ahmed
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From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
Ali
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From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He closed the door quietly, bolted and locked it.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
back
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From this reading But he had not thought of drawing back.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
blackness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
bolted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He closed the door quietly, bolted and locked it.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he had not thought of drawing back.
CASTING
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From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
closed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He closed the door quietly, bolted and locked it.
crossed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
darkness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
DIE
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From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He closed the door quietly, bolted and locked it.
drawing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But he had not thought of drawing back.
elbow
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From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
gapingadjectiveUS /ˈɡeɪpɪŋ/
wide open
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He closed the door quietly, bolted and locked it.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
intently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
Ismail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He closed the door quietly, bolted and locked it.
listened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
locked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He closed the door quietly, bolted and locked it.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
movement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But he had not thought of drawing back.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
passagenounUS /ˈpassage/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
quiet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
quietly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He closed the door quietly, bolted and locked it.
roused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
Shere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
silent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
someonepronounUS /ˈsʌmwʌn/
a person, without saying who
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
space
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
stirring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
suspicion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But he had not thought of drawing back.
threshold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CASTING OF THE DIE Ahmed Ismail crossed the threshold behind Shere Ali.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then for a space of time the two men stood silent in the darkness, and both listened intently--Ahmed Ismail for the sound of someone stirring in the house, Shere Ali for a quiet secret movement at his elbow.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The blackness of the passage gaping as the door opened had roused him to suspicion even while he had been standing in the street.
