adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading I dined alone that evening in no cheerful frame of mind.
alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
badadjectiveUS /bæd/
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
burning-glass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
ByprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
centernounUS /ˈsɛn.tər/
The middle point or core of an area.
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
cheerfuladjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪrfəl/
being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits
From this reading I dined alone that evening in no cheerful frame of mind.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
constantlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnstəntli/
without variation or change, in every case
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
dinedverbUS /daɪnd/
past form of “dine” — have supper; eat dinner
From this reading I dined alone that evening in no cheerful frame of mind.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
eventsnounUS /ɪˈvents/
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
exasperatedadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzæspəreɪtɪd/
greatly annoyed; out of patience
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
focusnounUS /ˈfoʊkəs/
the concentration of attention or energy on something
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
frameverbUS /freɪm/
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading I dined alone that evening in no cheerful frame of mind.
frenzynounUS /ˈfrenzi/
state of violent mental agitation
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
gamenounUS /ɡeɪm/
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
goadedadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊdɪd/
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I dined alone that evening in no cheerful frame of mind.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I dined alone that evening in no cheerful frame of mind.
inactionnounUS /ˌɪˈnækʃən/
the state of being inactive
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
JohnsonnounUS /ˈdʒɑːnsən/
English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
keptadjectiveUS /kept/
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
lentnounUS /lent/
a period of 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
lurkingverbUS /ˈlɜːrkɪŋ/
-ing form of “lurk” — lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
mindnounUS /maɪnd/
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading I dined alone that evening in no cheerful frame of mind.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading I dined alone that evening in no cheerful frame of mind.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
polonounUS /ˈpoʊloʊ/
Venetian traveler who explored Asia in the 13th century and served Kublai Khan (1254-1324)
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
ponynounUS /ˈpoʊniː/
a range horse of the western United States
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
sightnounUS /saɪt/
an instance of visual perception
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
streetnounUS /striːt/
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/
a special situation
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
TRAP-DOOR
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was on that day that things began to come to a focus, a burning-glass of events that seemed to center on me.
weeknounUS /wiːk/
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There had been a polo game the day before and I had lent a pony, which is always a bad thing to do.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The very sight of Johnson across the street or lurking, always within sight of the house, kept me constantly exasperated.
wrecknounUS /rek/
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading THE TRAP-DOOR By Sunday evening, a week after the wreck, my inaction had goaded me to frenzy.
