adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
abatedverbUS /əˈbeɪtɪd/
past form of “abate” — make less active or intense
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It began to widen, with descents less precipitous.
brakesnounUS /breɪks/
a braking device consisting of a combination of interacting parts that work to slow a motor vehicle
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
breathnounUS /breθ/
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
callverbUS /kɔːl/
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
Carley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
cliffnounUS /klɪf/
a steep high face of rock
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
clutchingverbUS /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
cutverbUS /kʌt/
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
descentsnounUS /dɪˈsents/
plural of “descent” — a movement downward
From this reading It began to widen, with descents less precipitous.
drivernounUS /ˈdraɪvər/
the operator of a motor vehicle
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
edgenounUS /edʒ/
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
fascinatedadjectiveUS /ˈfæsəneɪtəd/
having your attention fixated as though by a spell
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
gazedverbUS /ɡeɪzd/
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
gorgeverbUS /ɡɔːrdʒ/
overeat or eat immodestly; make a pig of oneself
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
hearverbUS /hiːr/
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
heldadjectiveUS /held/
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
hoofsnounUS /hʊfs/
plural of “hoof” — the foot of an ungulate mammal
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/
ten 10s
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
inchesnounUS /ˈɪntʃəz/
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
iron-shod
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It began to widen, with descents less precipitous.
leggedadjectiveUS /ˈleɡəd/
having legs of a specified kind or number
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
lessadverbUS /les/
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading It began to widen, with descents less precipitous.
obedientadjectiveUS /oʊˈbiːdiənt/
dutifully complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
passedverbUS /pæst/
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
precipitousadjectiveUS /prɪˈsɪpɪtəs/
done with very great haste and without due deliberation
From this reading It began to widen, with descents less precipitous.
pricklingnoun
a somatic sensation as from many tiny stings
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
rimnounUS /rɪm/
the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
roadnounUS /roʊd/
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
scrapeverbUS /skreɪp/
scratch repeatedly
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
sidenounUS /saɪd/
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
skinnounUS /skɪn/
a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
slidverbUS /slɪd/
inflected form of “slide” — move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
SometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
squeakedverbUS /skwiːkt/
past form of “squeak” — make a high-pitched, screeching noise
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/
having a sharp inclination
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
stiffadjectiveUS /stɪf/
not moving or operating freely
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
supportnounUS /səˈpɔːrt/
the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
suspensenounUS /səˈspens/
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
vehiclenounUS /ˈviːhɪkəl/
a conveyance that transports people or objects
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
waryadjectiveUS /ˈweri/
marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
From this reading The brakes squeaked, the wheels slid; and she could hear the scrape of the iron-shod hoofs of the horses as they held back stiff legged, obedient to the wary call of the driver.
wheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
widenverbUS /ˈwaɪdən/
become broader or wider or more extensive
From this reading It began to widen, with descents less precipitous.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Carley, clutching her support, with abated breath and prickling skin, gazed in fascinated suspense over the rim of the gorge.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Sometimes the wheels on that side of the vehicle passed within a few inches of the edge.
worstnounUS /wɜːrst/
the least favorable outcome
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
yardsnounUS /jɑːrdz/
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading The first hundred yards of that steep road cut out of the cliff appeared to be the worst.
