adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
acidadjectiveUS /ˈæsəd/
harsh or corrosive in tone
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
advancingadjectiveUS /ədˈvænsɪŋ/
moving forward
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
aguenounUS /ˈeɪɡjuː/
a fit of shivering or shaking
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
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 Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
AlthoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
apprehensionnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃən/
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/
weapons considered collectively
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
barredadjectiveUS /bɑːrd/
preventing entry or exit or a course of action
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
BeadsnounUS /biːdz/
several beads threaded together on a string
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
boltedverbUS /ˈboʊltəd/
past form of “bolt” — move or jump suddenly
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
breakingnounUS /ˈbreɪkɪŋ/
the act of breaking something
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
buriedadjectiveUS /ˈberid/
placed in a grave
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
chairnounUS /tʃer/
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
convulsiveadjectiveUS /kənˈvʌlsɪv/
affected by involuntary jerky muscular contractions; resembling a spasm
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
desknounUS /desk/
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
devourverbUS /dɪˈvaʊər/
destroy completely
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
dismemberedverbUS /dɪˈsmembərd/
past form of “dismember” — separate the limbs from the body
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
droppedverbUS /drɑːpt/
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
dryadjectiveUS /draɪ/
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
easilyadverbUS /ˈiːzəli/
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
evidencenounUS /ˈevədəns/
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
eyedadjectiveUS /aɪd/
having an eye or eyes or eyelike feature especially as specified; often used in combination
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
fearfullyadverb
in fear
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
footfalls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
foreheadnounUS /ˈfɔːrhed/
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/
at or to or toward the front
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
fragmentnounUS /ˈfræɡ.mənt/
A small part broken or separated off something larger.
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
frameverbUS /freɪm/
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
gallowsnounUS /ˈɡæloʊz/
an instrument of execution consisting of a wooden frame from which a condemned person is executed by hanging
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
grislyadjectiveUS /ˈɡrɪzli/
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
highadjectiveUS /haɪ/
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
horridadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəd/
exceedingly bad
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
knewverbUS /nuː/
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
lastadjectiveUS /læst/
immediately past
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
leadingadjectiveUS /ˈliːdɪŋ/
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
lessenedadjectiveUS /ˈlesənd/
impaired by diminution
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
lockedverbUS /lɑːkt/
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
madnessnounUS /ˈmædnəs/
obsolete terms for legal insanity
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
moaningverbUS /ˈmoʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “moan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
mutilatedadjectiveUS /ˈmjuːtəleɪtəd/
having a part of the body crippled or disabled
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
neareradverbUS /ˈnɪrər/
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
nervesnounUS /nɜːrvz/
an uneasy psychological state
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
nitricadjectiveUS /ˈnaɪtrɪk/
of or containing nitrogen
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
overcomeverbUS /ˈoʊvərkʌm/
win a victory over
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
overwroughtadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈrɔːt/
deeply agitated especially from emotion
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
perfectlyadverbUS /ˈpɜːrfəktli/
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
perspirationnounUS /ˌpɜːrspərˈeɪʃən/
salty fluid secreted by sweat glands
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
pressurenounUS /ˈpreʃər/
the force applied to a unit area of surface; measured in pascals (SI unit) or in dynes (cgs unit)
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
rackedverbUS /rækt/
past form of “rack” — go at a rack
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
replacingnounUS /rɪˈpleɪsɪŋ/
the act of furnishing an equivalent person or thing in the place of another
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
sankverbUS /sæŋk/
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
seamsnounUS /siːmz/
plural of “seam” — joint consisting of a line formed by joining two pieces
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
sendverbUS /send/
cause to go somewhere
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
shooknounUS /ʃʊk/
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
shudderverbUS /ˈʃʌdər/
shake, as from cold
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
slenderadjectiveUS /ˈslendər/
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
sobsnounUS /sɑːbz/
plural of “sob” — a dyspneic condition
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
softlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːftli/
with low volume
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
staringadjectiveUS /ˈsterɪŋ/
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
stepnounUS /step/
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
teaknounUS /tiːk/
hard strong durable yellowish-brown wood of teak trees; resistant to insects and to warping; used for furniture and in shipbuilding
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
tearsnounUS /terz/
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
throwingverbUS /ˈθroʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
timesnounUS /taɪmz/
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
tracenounUS /treɪs/
a just detectable amount
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
tremblingnounUS /ˈtrembəlɪŋ/
a shaky motion
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
vatnounUS /væt/
a tax levied on the difference between a commodity's price before taxes and its cost of production
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
weaklyadverbUS /ˈwiːkli/
in a weak or feeble manner or to a minor degree
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
welladverbUS /wel/
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading As he dropped the last grisly fragment of the dismembered and mutilated body into the small vat of nitric acid that was to devour every trace of the horrid evidence which might easily send him to the gallows, the man sank weakly into a chair and throwing his body forward upon his great, teak desk buried his face in his arms, breaking into dry, moaning sobs.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading Although he knew perfectly well whose the advancing footfalls were, he was all but overcome by the madness of apprehension as they came softly nearer and nearer to the barred door.
wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading His slender frame shook, as with ague, and at times was racked by a convulsive shudder.
workshopnounUS /ˈwɜːrkʃɑːp/
small workplace where handcrafts or manufacturing are done
From this reading A sudden step upon the stairway leading to his workshop brought him trembling and wide eyed to his feet, staring fearfully at the locked and bolted door.
wrinkledadjectiveUS /ˈrɪŋkəld/
marked by wrinkles
From this reading Beads of perspiration followed the seams of his high, wrinkled forehead, replacing the tears which might have lessened the pressure upon his overwrought nerves.
