adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
acidadjectiveUS /ˈæsəd/
harsh or corrosive in tone
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
acridadjectiveUS /ˈæk.rɪd/
Having an unpleasantly bitter or pungent taste or smell.
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
agonynounUS /ˈæɡ.ə.ni/
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Locke's case seemed at last hopeless.
BackwardadverbUS /ˈbækwərd/
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
beamnounUS /biːm/
a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
bitnounUS /bɪt/
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
brainnounUS /breɪn/
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
casenounUS /keɪs/
an occurrence of something
From this reading Locke's case seemed at last hopeless.
chancenounUS /tʃæns/
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading With writhing body he swayed far out, and then he saw just one chance.
crueladjectiveUS /ˈkruːəl/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
emissariesnounUS /ˈeməseriz/
plural of “emissary” — someone sent on a mission to represent the interests of someone else
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading With writhing body he swayed far out, and then he saw just one chance.
fataladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtəl/
bringing death
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
fleshnounUS /fleʃ/
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
fumesnounUS /fjuːmz/
gases ejected from an engine as waste products
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
hopelessadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpləs/
without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success
From this reading Locke's case seemed at last hopeless.
hugeadjectiveUS /hjuːdʒ/
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
impossibilitynounUS /ˌɪmpɔːsɪˈbɪlɪti/
incapability of existing or occurring
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
increasedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːst/
made greater in size or amount or degree
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/
and nothing more
From this reading With writhing body he swayed far out, and then he saw just one chance.
keenadjectiveUS /kiːn/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
lastadjectiveUS /læst/
immediately past
From this reading Locke's case seemed at last hopeless.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
LockenounUS /lɑːk/
English empiricist philosopher who believed that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience (1632-1704)
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
Locke's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Locke's case seemed at last hopeless.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading With writhing body he swayed far out, and then he saw just one chance.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading With writhing body he swayed far out, and then he saw just one chance.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
pendulumnounUS /ˈpen.dʒə.ləm/
A weight hung from a fixed point so that it can swing freely, often used in timekeeping.
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
reachverbUS /riːtʃ/
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
ropenounUS /roʊp/
a strong line
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
ropesnounUS /roʊps/
plural of “rope” — a strong line
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading With writhing body he swayed far out, and then he saw just one chance.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Locke's case seemed at last hopeless.
seethingadjectiveUS /ˈsiːðɪŋ/
in constant agitation
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
stupefyingadjective
so surprisingly impressive as to stun or overwhelm
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
suspensenounUS /səˈspens/
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
swayedverbUS /sweɪd/
past form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading With writhing body he swayed far out, and then he saw just one chance.
thrownadjectiveUS /θroʊn/
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
watchedverbUS /wɑːtʃt/
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Backward and forward like a huge pendulum his body swayed, and in an agony of suspense he watched the fatal rope.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The emissaries had thrown the rope over a beam which was far above Locke, and it seemed an impossibility for him to reach it.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The cruel ropes bit into his flesh and increased his agony, while the acrid fumes from the seething acid were slowly stupefying that keen brain of his.
WithprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading With writhing body he swayed far out, and then he saw just one chance.
writhingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪðɪŋ/
moving in a twisting or snake-like or wormlike fashion
From this reading With writhing body he swayed far out, and then he saw just one chance.
