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The Gloved Hand
The Gloved Hand

Chapter XXIII

Cover illustration for The Gloved Hand
Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
KISMET!
Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Gloved Hand

Chapter XXIII

Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
KISMET!
Line 2
Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.
Line 3
Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....
Line 4
Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.
Line 5
It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.”

Grasp noun US /ɡræsp/

a firm hold in a specific situation in this story

From this reading “Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....”

Hands plural noun US /hændz/

members of a ship’s crew

From this reading “Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....”

All words in this reading · 72

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

abject

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

almost

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

away

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

awful

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

came

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

cannot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.

clammy

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

clutched

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

coiled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

cold

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

down

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

drapery

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

drug

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

face

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

fastenings

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

Fear

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

floor

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

graspnounUS /ɡræsp/

a firm hold in a specific situation in this story

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

handsplural nounUS /hændz/

members of a ship’s crew

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

head

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

hood

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

horrid

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

horror

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

KISMET

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading KISMET!

lights

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

like

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

moment

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

nauseating

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.

once

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

paint

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.

picked

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

raised

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

ran

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

ready

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

saw

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

shafts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

shape

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

shot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

side

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

some

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

strike

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

sweat

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

swept

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

terror

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.

Three

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading It was coiled with head raised, ready to strike, and I saw that one side of its hood had been shot away.

tore

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

up

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Three shafts of lights swept across the floor, and almost at once picked up that horrid shape.

utter

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

veins

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

wildly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Fear--cold, abject, awful fear--ran through my veins like a drug; my face was clammy with the sweat of utter terror; my hands clutched wildly at some drapery, which tore from its fastenings and came down in my grasp....

Words

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Words cannot paint the nauseating horror of that moment.