adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
alcovenounUS /ˈælkoʊv/
a small recess opening off a larger room
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
amazementnounUS /əˈmeɪzmənt/
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The walls were wood-paneled, and the ceiling was oaken beamed.
apartmentnounUS /əˈpɑːrtmənt/
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
basenounUS /beɪs/
installation from which a military force initiates operations
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
beamedverbUS /biːmd/
past form of “beam” — smile radiantly; express joy through one's facial expression
From this reading The walls were wood-paneled, and the ceiling was oaken beamed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
bookshelvesnounUS /ˈbʊkʃelvz/
plural of “bookshelf” — a shelf on which to keep books
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
catacombnounUS /ˈkætəkoʊm/
an underground tunnel with recesses where bodies were buried (as in ancient Rome)
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
causedverbUS /kɑːzd/
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/
the overhead upper surface of a covered space
From this reading The walls were wood-paneled, and the ceiling was oaken beamed.
darknounUS /dɑːrk/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
deepadjectiveUS /diːp/
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
divined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
endnounUS /end/
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
entireadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtaɪər/
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
evidentlyadverbUS /ˈevədəntli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
featurenounUS /ˈfiːtʃər/
a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
formedadjectiveUS /fɔːrmd/
having or given a form or shape
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
furnishverbUS /ˈfɜːrnɪʃ/
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
greatestadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtəst/
highest in quality
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
greennounUS /ɡriːn/
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
illuminationnounUS /ˌɪluːməˈneɪʃən/
a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
keyholenounUS /ˈkiːhoʊl/
the hole where a key is inserted
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
linedadjectiveUS /laɪnd/
bordered by a line of things
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
litteredadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtərd/
filled or scattered with a disorderly accumulation of objects or rubbish
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
oakenadjective
consisting of or made of wood of the oak tree
From this reading The walls were wood-paneled, and the ceiling was oaken beamed.
occupiedadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪd/
held or filled or in use
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
oilnounUS /ɔɪl/
A viscous liquid derived from petroleum or plants, stored in large earthen jars.
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
patternnounUS /ˈpætərn/
a perceptual structure
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
placenounUS /pleɪs/
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
portionnounUS /ˈpɔːrʃən/
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
reading-lamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
rectangularadjectiveUS /rekˈtæŋɡjələr/
having four right angles
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
remaindernounUS /rɪˈmeɪndər/
something left after other parts have been taken away
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
respectsnounUS /rɪˈspekts/
(often used with “pay”) a formal expression of esteem
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
Roon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
roughlyadverbUS /ˈrʌfli/
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
satnounUS /sæt/
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
shadedadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪdɪd/
protected from heat and light with shade or shadow
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
shapenounUS /ʃeɪp/
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
singularadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡjələr/
unusual or striking
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
studynounUS /ˈstʌdi/
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That bookshelves lined the rectangular portion of this strange study I divined, although that end of the place was dark as a catacomb.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
towernounUS /ˈtaʊər/
a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
VannounUS /væn/
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
VictorianounUS /vɪkˈtɔːriə/
queen of Great Britain and Ireland and empress of India from 1837 to 1901; the last Hanoverian ruler of England (1819-1901)
From this reading In the deep alcove formed by the tower sat Van Roon at a littered table, upon which stood an oil reading-lamp, green shaded, of the “Victoria” pattern, to furnish the entire illumination of the apartment.
wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The walls were wood-paneled, and the ceiling was oaken beamed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The walls were wood-paneled, and the ceiling was oaken beamed.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The room in which Van Roon received us was roughly of the shape of an old-fashioned keyhole; one end of it occupied the base of the tower, upon which the remainder had evidently been built.
windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading In many respects it was a singular room, but the feature which caused me the greatest amazement was this:--it had no windows!
wood-paneled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The walls were wood-paneled, and the ceiling was oaken beamed.
