adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alice turned swiftly.
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 Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
calmverbUS /kɑːm/
make calm or still
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
childnounUS /tʃaɪld/
a young person of either sex
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
concentrationnounUS /ˌkɑːnsənˈtreɪʃən/
the strength of a solution; number of molecules of a substance in a given volume
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘I was—I was talking to Dr Ferguson, mother.’
fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
Ferguson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘I was—I was talking to Dr Ferguson, mother.’
figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ‘I was—I was talking to Dr Ferguson, mother.’
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
inquiredverbUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪərd/
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
inquiringadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪərɪŋ/
given to inquiry
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
moveless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
quietnessnounUS /ˈkwaɪətnəs/
the property of making no sound
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
referringverbUS /rɪˈfɜːrɪŋ/
inflected form of “refer” — make reference to
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
sayingnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋ/
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
stairsnounUS /sterz/
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/
having a supporting base
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
stealthyadjectiveUS /ˈstelθi/
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
surelyadverbUS /ˈʃʊrli/
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
swiftlyadverbUS /ˈswɪftli/
in a swift manner
From this reading Alice turned swiftly.
talkverbUS /tɔːk/
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
talkingnounUS /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading ‘I was—I was talking to Dr Ferguson, mother.’
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ‘I was—I was talking to Dr Ferguson, mother.’
turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Alice turned swiftly.
understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
voicenounUS /vɔɪs/
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
walknounUS /wɔːk/
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
waxworknoun
twining shrub of North America having yellow capsules enclosing scarlet seeds
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading ‘But who—who “can walk and talk in the night?”’ inquired a low stealthy voice out of the quietness behind her.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Her mother was standing at a little distance, with all the calm and moveless concentration of a waxwork figure, looking up at her from the staircase.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading ‘But as I came up the stairs I understood you to be inquiring something of Dr Ferguson, “if,” you were saying, “he can walk and talk in the night”: you surely were not referring to your father, child?
