adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
askverbUS /æsk/
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading From time to time, they looked at each other.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
communicateverbUS /kəˈmjuːnəkeɪt/
transmit information
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
couragenounUS /ˈkɜːrədʒ/
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
decisiveadjectiveUS /dɪˈsaɪsɪv/
determining or having the power to determine an outcome
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
destroyverbUS /dɪˈstrɔɪ/
do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading From time to time, they looked at each other.
feltverbUS /felt/
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From time to time, they looked at each other.
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/
destroyed or killed
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
happinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
heartnounUS /hɑːrt/
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
illusionnounUS /ˌɪˈluːʒən/
an erroneous mental representation
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
importancenounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
interviewverbUS /ˈɪntərvjuː/
conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading From time to time, they looked at each other.
makeverbUS /meɪk/
engage in
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
Malipieri
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
merelyadverbUS /ˈmɪrli/
and nothing more
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading From time to time, they looked at each other.
placenounUS /pleɪs/
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
Sabina
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
Sabina's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
satnounUS /sæt/
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
scandalnounUS /ˈskændəl/
disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
scenenounUS /siːn/
the place where some action occurs
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
self-possessionnoun
the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/
having a supporting base
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
takeverbUS /teɪk/
carry out
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sabina and Malipieri sat in silence during the minutes that followed.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From time to time, they looked at each other.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
threatenverbUS /ˈθretən/
pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading From time to time, they looked at each other.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From time to time, they looked at each other.
utterlyadverbUS /ˈʌtərli/
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His self-possession and courage had returned, now that something decisive was to take place, but Sabina's heart was almost standing still.
whynounUS /waɪ/
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading She felt that the woman had come to make a scene, to threaten a scandal and utterly to destroy the illusion of happiness.
writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading If not, and if she had merely had something of importance to communicate, why had she not gone to Malipieri first, or written to ask for this interview with Sabina?
