adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
arisingverbUS /ərˈaɪzɪŋ/
-ing form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
bentnounUS /bent/
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading I bent forward, and the dying light of the match touched that other face.
breezenounUS /briːz/
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
brightnessnounUS /ˈbraɪtnəs/
the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
droppedverbUS /drɑːpt/
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/
in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be
From this reading I bent forward, and the dying light of the match touched that other face.
elmsnounUS /elmz/
plural of “elm” — any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
eyesnounUS /aɪz/
opinion or judgment
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
fingersnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərz/
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
flamenounUS /fleɪm/
A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/
at or to or toward the front
From this reading I bent forward, and the dying light of the match touched that other face.
gentlyadverbUS /ˈdʒentli/
in a gradual manner
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
gleamingnounUS /ˈɡliːmɪŋ/
a flash of light (especially reflected light)
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
handsnounUS /hændz/
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
illuminatedadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈluːməneɪtəd/
provided with artificial light
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
kneesnounUS /niːz/
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
lifenounUS /laɪf/
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading I bent forward, and the dying light of the match touched that other face.
matchverbUS /mætʃ/
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
Nayland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading I bent forward, and the dying light of the match touched that other face.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
pooradjectiveUS /puːr/
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
screenedverbUS /skriːnd/
past form of “screen” — test or examine for the presence of disease or infection
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
sighingverbUS /ˈsaɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
slightnounUS /slaɪt/
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
SmithnounUS /smɪθ/
Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
strikeverbUS /straɪk/
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
sun-baked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I bent forward, and the dying light of the match touched that other face.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
tookverbUS /tʊk/
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
touchedadjectiveUS /tʌtʃt/
having come into contact
From this reading I bent forward, and the dying light of the match touched that other face.
turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/
moved around an axis or center
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
unnaturaladjectiveUS /ənˈnætʃərəl/
not in accordance with or determined by nature; contrary to nature
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
unsteadyadjectiveUS /ənˈstedi/
subject to change or variation
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
victimnounUS /ˈvɪktəm/
an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
wanlyadverb
in a weak or pale or languid manner
From this reading It illuminated wanly the sun-baked face of Nayland Smith, his eyes gleaming with unnatural brightness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A slight breeze was arising and sighing gently through the elms, but, screened by my hands, the flame of the match took life.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We raised the poor victim and turned him over on his back.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading I dropped upon my knees, and with unsteady fingers began to strike a match.
