AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/
weapons considered collectively
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
blendverbUS /blend/
combine into one
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
capnounUS /kæp/
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
darknounUS /dɑːrk/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
dealverbUS /diːl/
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
droopingadjectiveUS /ˈdruːpɪŋ/
weak from exhaustion
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
eagernessnounUS /ˈiːɡərnəs/
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
eighteenadjectiveUS /eɪˈtiːn/
being one more than seventeen
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
eightyadjectiveUS /ˈeɪti/
being ten more than seventy
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
exceedinglyadverbUS /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋli/
to an extreme degree
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
expressionnounUS /ɪkˈspreʃən/
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
eyesnounUS /aɪz/
opinion or judgment
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
formedadjectiveUS /fɔːrmd/
having or given a form or shape
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
givingnounUS /ˈɡɪvɪŋ/
the act of giving
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
gownnounUS /ɡaʊn/
a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
greyadjectiveUS /ɡreɪ/
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
hairnounUS /her/
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
heightnounUS /haɪt/
the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
Holywell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/
ten 10s
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
JunenounUS /dʒuːn/
the month following May and preceding July
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
lashesnounUS /ˈlæʃɪz/
plural of “lash” — any of the short curved hairs that grow from the edges of the eyelids
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
moodynounUS /ˈmuːdi/
United States tennis player who dominated women's tennis in the 1920s and 1930s (1905-1998)
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
negro's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
passedverbUS /pæst/
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
peculiaradjectiveUS /pəˈkjuːljər/
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
PeoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/
on the contrary
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
seemverbUS /siːm/
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
smileverbUS /smaɪl/
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
staredverbUS /sterd/
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
strainsnounUS /streɪnz/
plural of “strain” — (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
stronglyadverbUS /ˈstrɔːŋli/
with strength or in a strong manner
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
sturdyadjectiveUS /ˈstɜːrdi/
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
swiftadjectiveUS /swɪft/
moving very fast
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
teethnounUS /tiːθ/
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
tooadverbUS /tuː/
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
uncoveringnounUS /ənˈkʌvərɪŋ/
the removal of covering
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His face, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed, its expression was rather soft and moody.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
wearingnounUS /ˈwerɪŋ/
(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
From this reading People stared at him a little as he passed—since in eighteen hundred and eighty he was before his time in not wearing a cap.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
whitenounUS /waɪt/
a Caucasian
From this reading His eyes—dark grey, with a good deal of light in them, and very black lashes—had a way of looking beyond what they saw, so that he did not seem always to be quite present; but his smile was exceedingly swift, uncovering teeth as white as a negro's, and giving his face a peculiar eagerness.
wiryadjectiveUS /ˈwɪri/
lean and sinewy
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with his short gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick dark hair.
youthnounUS /juːθ/
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of two very different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light.
