adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
blindnounUS /blaɪnd/
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
cloudverbUS /klaʊd/
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
confinedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnd/
not invading healthy tissue
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
deepadjectiveUS /diːp/
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
DESTRUCTIONnounUS /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/
the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
From this reading THE PROGRESS OF THE DESTRUCTION.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
dyesnounUS /daɪz/
plural of “dye” — a usually soluble substance for staining or coloring e.g. fabrics or hair
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
everadverbUS /ˈevər/
at any time
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/
brought together in one place
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
gloomnounUS /ɡluːm/
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
horribleadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəbəl/
provoking horror
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
huesnounUS /hjuːz/
plural of “hue” — the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
impenetrableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpenətrəbəl/
not admitting of penetration or passage into or through
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
increasenounUS /ˌɪnˈkriːs/
a quantity that is added
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
lessadverbUS /les/
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
lightningsnounUS /ˈlaɪtnɪŋz/
plural of “lightning” — abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
massnounUS /mæs/
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
murkinessnoun
an atmosphere in which visibility is reduced because of a cloud of some substance
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
NorconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE PROGRESS OF THE DESTRUCTION.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
prodigalnounUS /ˈprɑːdɪɡəl/
a recklessly extravagant consumer
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
PROGRESSnounUS /ˈprɑːɡres/
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading THE PROGRESS OF THE DESTRUCTION.
proportionnounUS /prəˈpɔːrʃən/
the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
rainbownounUS /ˈreɪnboʊ/
an arc of colored light in the sky caused by refraction of the sun's rays by rain
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
resembledverbUS /rɪˈzembəld/
past form of “resemble” — appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
rivalled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
scatteredadjectiveUS /ˈskætərd/
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
scorchingadjectiveUS /ˈskɔːrtʃɪŋ/
hot and dry enough to burn or parch a surface
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
settledadjectiveUS /ˈsetəld/
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
solidadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləd/
characterized by good substantial quality
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PROGRESS OF THE DESTRUCTION.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
thickestadjectiveUS /ˈθɪkɪst/
superlative of “thick” — not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading It resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
varyingadjectiveUS /ˈveriɪŋ/
marked by diversity or difference
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
VesuviusnounUS /vəˈsuːviəs/
a volcano in southwestern Italy on the Mediterranean coast; a Plinian eruption in 79 AD buried Pompeii and killed Pliny the Elder; last erupted in 1944
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading But in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire; no rainbow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading THE cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass.
