adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
AlladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
animationnounUS /ˌænəˈmeɪʃən/
the condition of living or the state of being alive
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/
eat an early morning meal
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
breathnounUS /breθ/
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
clenchedadjectiveUS /klentʃt/
closed or squeezed together tightly
From this reading One hand was clenched tight over some small object.
closedadjectiveUS /kloʊzd/
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
distantadjectiveUS /ˈdɪstənt/
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading She stood there, white-lipped, unsmiling, staring down the dusty road.
droppedverbUS /drɑːpt/
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading She stood there, white-lipped, unsmiling, staring down the dusty road.
eyesnounUS /aɪz/
opinion or judgment
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/
destroyed or killed
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
handnounUS /hænd/
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading One hand was clenched tight over some small object.
heldadjectiveUS /held/
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
hintnounUS /hɪnt/
an indirect suggestion
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
indrawnadjective
tending to reserve or introspection
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
metverbUS /met/
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
MISSverbUS /mɪs/
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
nonsensicaladjectiveUS /nɑːnˈsensɪkəl/
so unreasonable as to invite derision
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading One hand was clenched tight over some small object.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One hand was clenched tight over some small object.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading One hand was clenched tight over some small object.
quickadjectiveUS /kwɪk/
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
REQUESTverbUS /rɪˈkwest/
express the need or desire for
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
responsenounUS /rɪˈspɑːns/
a result
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
roadnounUS /roʊd/
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading She stood there, white-lipped, unsmiling, staring down the dusty road.
salliesnounUS /ˈsæliz/
plural of “sally” — witty remark
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading One hand was clenched tight over some small object.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading One hand was clenched tight over some small object.
speechlessadjectiveUS /ˈspiːtʃləs/
temporarily incapable of speaking
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
staringadjectiveUS /ˈsterɪŋ/
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading She stood there, white-lipped, unsmiling, staring down the dusty road.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading She stood there, white-lipped, unsmiling, staring down the dusty road.
surprisingadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzɪŋ/
causing surprise or wonder or amazement
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
tightadjectiveUS /taɪt/
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading One hand was clenched tight over some small object.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Her eyes dropped to it from the distant road, and then closed, with a quick, indrawn breath.
unsmilingadjectiveUS /ənˈsmaɪlɪŋ/
not smiling
From this reading She stood there, white-lipped, unsmiling, staring down the dusty road.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
WEST'SnounUS /wests/
possessive form of “west” — the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading MISS WEST’S REQUEST The surprising change in her held me speechless.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
white-lippedadjective
having white lips from fear or terror
From this reading She stood there, white-lipped, unsmiling, staring down the dusty road.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading All the animation of the breakfast table was gone: there was no hint of the response with which, before, she had met my nonsensical sallies.
