adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
apartmentnounUS /əˈpɑːrtmənt/
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
breathnounUS /breθ/
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
bunchnounUS /bʌntʃ/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
clickverbUS /klɪk/
move or strike with a noise
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
closedadjectiveUS /kloʊzd/
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
darknounUS /dɑːrk/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
desknounUS /desk/
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/
using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
elevatorsnounUS /ˈeləveɪtərz/
plural of “elevator” — lifting device consisting of a platform or cage that is raised and lowered mechanically in a vertical shaft in order to move people from one floor to another in a building
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
encounteringverbUS /enˈkaʊntərɪŋ/
-ing form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
fingersnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərz/
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
fleshnounUS /fleʃ/
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
getverbUS /ɡet/
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
graspverbUS /ɡræsp/
hold firmly
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
gropingadjectiveUS /ˈɡroʊpɪŋ/
acting with uncertainty or hesitance or lack of confidence
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
handnounUS /hænd/
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/
only a very short time before
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
HarryverbUS /ˈheri/
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
hotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/
a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
hurledverbUS /hɜːrld/
past form of “hurl” — throw forcefully
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
insideadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪd/
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
InsteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
Jimmie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
jointlyadverbUS /ˈdʒɔɪntli/
in collaboration or cooperation
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
KentnounUS /kent/
a county in southeastern England on the English Channel; formerly an Anglo-Saxon kingdom, it was the first to be colonized by the Romans
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
keynounUS /kiː/
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
key-hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
lackedverbUS /lækt/
past form of “lack” — be without
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
lockverbUS /lɑːk/
fasten with a lock
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
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 The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
metalnounUS /ˈmetəl/
any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
mindnounUS /maɪnd/
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
nextadjectiveUS /nekst/
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
ninenounUS /naɪn/
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
noiselesslyadverb
without a sound
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
noticeableadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəsəbəl/
capable or worthy of being noticed
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
occupiedadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪd/
held or filled or in use
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
pausingverbUS /ˈpɔːzɪŋ/
-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
PhilipnounUS /ˈfɪləp/
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
ranverbUS /ræn/
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
retainedadjectiveUS /rɪˈteɪnd/
continued in your keeping or use or memory
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
rightadverbUS /raɪt/
precisely, exactly
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
RochesternounUS /ˈrɑːtʃestər/
a city in western New York; a center of the photographic equipment industry
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
Rochester'snounUS /ˈrɑːtʃestərz/
possessive form of “rochester” — a city in western New York; a center of the photographic equipment industry
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
runverbUS /rʌn/
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
SaratoganounUS /ˌserəˈtoʊɡə/
a species of large fish found in Australian rivers
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/
chosen in preference to another
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
slippingadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpɪŋ/
moving as on a slippery surface
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
StartledadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtəld/
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
steppedverbUS /stept/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
switchverbUS /swɪtʃ/
change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
swungverbUS /swʌŋ/
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
takeverbUS /teɪk/
carry out
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
Turnbull
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/
moved around an axis or center
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
twentynounUS /ˈtwenti/
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Startled as he was, Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the hand tightly; the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave back.
waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Kent had already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had found in Rochester's desk at the office, and slipping it into the key-hole of the outer door, he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark apartment.
warmadjectiveUS /wɔːrm/
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping fingers closed over warm flesh.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable, and Kent, pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the staircase, stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light switch.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel, and not waiting to take one of the elevators, ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester.
