adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
apparitionnounUS /ˌæpərˈɪʃən/
a ghostly appearing figure
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “How long has he been there?
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
contradictoryadjectiveUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪktəri/
of words or propositions so related that both cannot be true and both cannot be false
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
d'Escorval's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
denounUS /diː/
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
decisiveadjectiveUS /dɪˈsaɪsɪv/
determining or having the power to determine an outcome
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
dependsverbUS /dɪˈpendz/
third-person singular of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
DuringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
entireadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtaɪər/
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
flashverbUS /flæʃ/
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
futureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/
yet to be or coming
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
gesturenounUS /ˈdʒestʃər/
motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “How long has he been there?
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “How long has he been there?
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “How long has he been there?
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
inspirationsnounUS /ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “inspiration” — arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
lifenounUS /laɪf/
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
lightningnounUS /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/
abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
listeningnounUS /ˈlɪsənɪŋ/
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading Has he been listening to us?
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading “How long has he been there?
MarquisnounUS /ˌmɑːrˈkiː/
humorist who wrote about the imaginary life of cockroaches (1878-1937)
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
Maurice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
mindnounUS /maɪnd/
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
momentsnounUS /ˈmoʊmənts/
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
occupiedadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪd/
held or filled or in use
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
one's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
playingnounUS /ˈpleɪɪŋ/
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading Has he been playing the spy?
Sairmeuse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
spyverbUS /spaɪ/
catch sight of
From this reading Has he been playing the spy?
suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading “How long has he been there?
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Has he been listening to us?
traverseverbUS /ˈtrævərs/
travel across or pass over
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
twentynounUS /ˈtwenti/
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Has he been listening to us?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
wordnounUS /wɜːrd/
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading During the decisive moments of life, when one’s entire future depends upon a word, or a gesture, twenty contradictory inspirations can traverse the mind in the time occupied by a flash of lightning.
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading On the sudden apparition of the young Marquis de Sairmeuse, Maurice d’Escorval’s first thought was this:
