adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
abackadverbUS /əˈbæk/
having the wind against the forward side of the sails
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He quietly passed into the house and mounted the ramshackle staircase.
audacitynounUS /ɑːˈdæs.ə.t̬i/
A willingness to take bold risks; insolent and daring boldness that defies all authority.
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Everything in the house was filthy beyond words.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
carryverbUS /ˈkæri/
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
EverythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Everything in the house was filthy beyond words.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
fartheradjectiveUS /ˈfɑːrðər/
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
festoons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
filthyadjectiveUS /ˈfɪlθi/
disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter
From this reading Everything in the house was filthy beyond words.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
grimyadjectiveUS /ˈɡraɪmi/
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
hesitateverbUS /ˈhezəteɪt/
pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
hopedverbUS /hoʊpt/
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He quietly passed into the house and mounted the ramshackle staircase.
hungverbUS /hʌŋ/
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Everything in the house was filthy beyond words.
indistinguishableadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbəl/
exactly alike; incapable of being perceived as different
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He quietly passed into the house and mounted the ramshackle staircase.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
looseadjectiveUS /luːs/
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
mountedadjectiveUS /ˈmaʊntəd/
assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support
From this reading He quietly passed into the house and mounted the ramshackle staircase.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
passedverbUS /pæst/
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading He quietly passed into the house and mounted the ramshackle staircase.
patternnounUS /ˈpætərn/
a perceptual structure
From this reading The grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
quietlyadverbUS /ˈkwaɪətli/
with low volume
From this reading He quietly passed into the house and mounted the ramshackle staircase.
ramshackleadjectiveUS /ˈræmʃækəl/
in deplorable condition
From this reading He quietly passed into the house and mounted the ramshackle staircase.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading He quietly passed into the house and mounted the ramshackle staircase.
successfullyadverbUS /səkˈsesfəli/
with success; in a successful manner
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
TAKENadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
Tommy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
wallnounUS /wɔːl/
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 grimy paper, of a pattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from the wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/
the words that are spoken
From this reading TAKEN aback though he was by the man’s words, Tommy did not hesitate.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it was to be hoped it would carry him yet farther.
