adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
avoidverbUS /əˈvɔɪd/
stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading He hurried out to avoid meeting Genevieve.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Well, then," she returned, distractedly, "do come often."
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
dimadjectiveUS /dɪm/
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
distractedlyadverb
in a distracted manner
From this reading "Well, then," she returned, distractedly, "do come often."
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Well, then," she returned, distractedly, "do come often."
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
Genevieve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He hurried out to avoid meeting Genevieve.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Yes, I really must, now," he said.
heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
hurriedadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːrid/
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading He hurried out to avoid meeting Genevieve.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Yes, I really must, now," he said.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
knockverbUS /nɑːk/
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
landingnounUS /ˈlændɪŋ/
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
LateadjectiveUS /leɪt/
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
meetingnounUS /ˈmiːtɪŋ/
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading He hurried out to avoid meeting Genevieve.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "Yes, I really must, now," he said.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Yes, I really must, now," he said.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/
many times at short intervals
From this reading "Well, then," she returned, distractedly, "do come often."
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He hurried out to avoid meeting Genevieve.
passedverbUS /pæst/
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "Yes, I really must, now," he said.
recognizeverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading "Well, then," she returned, distractedly, "do come often."
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Yes, I really must, now," he said.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
seekingnounUS /ˈsiːkɪŋ/
the act of searching for something
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Well, then," she returned, distractedly, "do come often."
stairsnounUS /sterz/
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
startledadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtəld/
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
stepsnounUS /steps/
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He passed her, on the public stairs of the house, but he saw that she did not recognize him in the dim light.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "Well, then," she returned, distractedly, "do come often."
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He hurried out to avoid meeting Genevieve.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Late that night he was startled by steps that seemed to be seeking their way up the stairs to his landing, and then by a heavy knock on his door.
WelladverbUS /wel/
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, then," she returned, distractedly, "do come often."
YesnounUS /jes/
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, I really must, now," he said.
