adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
anxiouslyadverbUS /ˈæŋkʃəsli/
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He will be here presently.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “The train being so late—perhaps he grew tired of waiting.
blinkingadjectiveUS /ˈblɪŋkɪŋ/
closing the eyes intermittently and rapidly
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
brothernounUS /ˈbrʌðər/
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading “I wired my brother,” she replied.
Cajon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
conductornounUS /kənˈdʌktər/
the person who leads a musical group
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
cooladjectiveUS /kuːl/
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
darknounUS /dɑːrk/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
ElnounUS /el/
angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object)
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
emptinessnounUS /ˈemptinəs/
the state of containing nothing
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
grewverbUS /ɡruː/
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading “The train being so late—perhaps he grew tired of waiting.
Hammond
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “The train being so late—perhaps he grew tired of waiting.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
hereadverbUS /hiːr/
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading He will be here presently.
hugeadjectiveUS /hjuːdʒ/
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I wired my brother,” she replied.
impressionnounUS /ˌɪmˈpreʃən/
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading “The train being so late—perhaps he grew tired of waiting.
Madeline
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
meetverbUS /miːt/
come together
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
MexiconounUS /ˈmeksəkoʊ/
a republic in southern North America; became independent from Spain in 1810
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
midnightnounUS /ˈmɪdnaɪt/
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
MissverbUS /mɪs/
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I wired my brother,” she replied.
nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
NewadjectiveUS /nuː/
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/
by chance
From this reading “The train being so late—perhaps he grew tired of waiting.
presentlyadverbUS /ˈprezəntli/
in the near future
From this reading He will be here presently.
ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/
on the contrary
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
repliedverbUS /rɪˈplaɪd/
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “I wired my brother,” she replied.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I wired my brother,” she replied.
silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/
marked by absence of sound
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “The train being so late—perhaps he grew tired of waiting.
spacenounUS /speɪs/
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
starsnounUS /stɑːrz/
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
steppedverbUS /stept/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
stretchingnounUS /ˈstretʃɪŋ/
act of expanding by lengthening or widening
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
there's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading “The train being so late—perhaps he grew tired of waiting.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
trainverbUS /treɪn/
create by training and teaching
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading “The train being so late—perhaps he grew tired of waiting.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
whitenounUS /waɪt/
a Caucasian
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading He will be here presently.
windyadjectiveUS /ˈwɪndi/
abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes
From this reading When Madeline Hammond stepped from the train at El Cajon, New Mexico, it was nearly midnight, and her first impression was of a huge dark space of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars.
wiredadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪərd/
equipped with wire or wires especially for electric or telephone service
From this reading “I wired my brother,” she replied.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Miss, there’s no one to meet you,” said the conductor, rather anxiously.
