adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Have to be a pretty long ladder,” grumbled Lemuel.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
ain't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And it didn't sound exactly like burglars.”
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
assented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes,” Sibyl assented, “it would.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Have to be a pretty long ladder,” grumbled Lemuel.
burglarsnounUS /ˈbɜːrɡlərz/
plural of “burglar” — a thief who enters a building with intent to steal
From this reading And it didn't sound exactly like burglars.”
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it didn't sound exactly like burglars.”
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
exactlyadverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktli/
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading And it didn't sound exactly like burglars.”
exploredverbUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrd/
past form of “explore” — inquire into
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
flightnounUS /flaɪt/
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/
the act of departing
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
grumbledverbUS /ˈɡrʌmbəld/
past form of “grumble” — show one's unhappiness or critical attitude
From this reading “Have to be a pretty long ladder,” grumbled Lemuel.
half-way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Have to be a pretty long ladder,” grumbled Lemuel.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Yes,” Sibyl assented, “it would.
laddernounUS /ˈlædər/
steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down
From this reading “Have to be a pretty long ladder,” grumbled Lemuel.
Lemuel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Have to be a pretty long ladder,” grumbled Lemuel.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading And it didn't sound exactly like burglars.”
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading “Have to be a pretty long ladder,” grumbled Lemuel.
lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
passverbUS /pæs/
go across or through
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “Have to be a pretty long ladder,” grumbled Lemuel.
reportedadjectiveUS /ˌriːˈpɔːrtɪd/
made known or told about; especially presented in a formal account
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
SibylnounUS /ˈsɪbəl/
a woman who tells fortunes
From this reading “Yes,” Sibyl assented, “it would.
soundnounUS /saʊnd/
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading And it didn't sound exactly like burglars.”
stairsnounUS /sterz/
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
throughoutprepositionUS /θruːˈaʊt/
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Have to be a pretty long ladder,” grumbled Lemuel.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading She followed him half-way up the second flight of stairs, and stood there while he explored the third story throughout.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading “There ain't anything there,” he reported without looking at her, and was about to pass her on the stairs in going down.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Yes,” Sibyl assented, “it would.
YesnounUS /jes/
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes,” Sibyl assented, “it would.
