adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
abyssnounUS /əˈbɪs/
a bottomless gulf or pit; any unfathomable (or apparently unfathomable) cavity or chasm or void extending below (often used figuratively)
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
backedadjectiveUS /bækt/
having a back or backing, usually of a specified type
From this reading I had backed into the pit which had received Issus.
backwardadverbUS /ˈbækwərd/
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
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 Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
boynounUS /bɔɪ/
a youthful male person
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
brinknounUS /brɪŋk/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading For a second I toppled there upon the brink.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
clutchedverbUS /klʌtʃt/
past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
DIEverbUS /daɪ/
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
DOOMEDadjectiveUS /duːmd/
marked for certain death
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
emptyverbUS /ˈempti/
make void or empty of contents
From this reading My foot felt for the floor but found only empty space.
fellverbUS /fel/
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
feltverbUS /felt/
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading My foot felt for the floor but found only empty space.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
floornounUS /flɔːr/
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading My foot felt for the floor but found only empty space.
footnounUS /fʊt/
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading My foot felt for the floor but found only empty space.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
forcedadjectiveUS /fɔːrst/
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading My foot felt for the floor but found only empty space.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had backed into the pit which had received Issus.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
instantnounUS /ˈɪnstənt/
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I had backed into the pit which had received Issus.
Issusnoun
a battle (333 BC) in which Alexander the Great defeated the Persians under Darius III
From this reading I had backed into the pit which had received Issus.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My foot felt for the floor but found only empty space.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading My foot felt for the floor but found only empty space.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
pitnounUS /pɪt/
A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.
From this reading I had backed into the pit which had received Issus.
pitchedadjectiveUS /pɪtʃt/
(of sound) set to a certain pitch or key; usually used as a combining form
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading I had backed into the pit which had received Issus.
rushverbUS /rʌʃ/
move hurridly
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For a second I toppled there upon the brink.
spacenounUS /speɪs/
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading My foot felt for the floor but found only empty space.
stepnounUS /step/
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
ThenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
tooadverbUS /tuː/
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
toppledverbUS /ˈtɑːpəld/
past form of “topple” — fall down, as if collapsing
From this reading For a second I toppled there upon the brink.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading DOOMED TO DIE For an instant I stood there before they fell upon me, but the first rush of them forced me back a step or two.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I had backed into the pit which had received Issus.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then I too with the boy still tightly clutched in my arms pitched backward into the black abyss.
