adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
AldernounUS /ˈɔːldər/
wood of any of various alder trees; resistant to underwater rot; used for bridges etc
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
audibleadjectiveUS /ˈɑːdəbəl/
heard or perceptible by the ear
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
BuckverbUS /bʌk/
to strive with determination
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
caughtverbUS /kɑːt/
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
chairnounUS /tʃer/
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
chairsnounUS /tʃerz/
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
CumberlandnounUS /ˈkʌmbərlənd/
English general; son of George II; fought unsuccessfully in the battle of Fontenoy (1721-1765)
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
DaddynounUS /ˈdædi/
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
Dan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
darknounUS /dɑːrk/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
delicateadjectiveUS /ˈdeləkət/
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
eerieadjectiveUS /ˈɪri/
suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
Elkhead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/
destroyed or killed
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
Haines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
hearthnounUS /hɑːrθ/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
Joan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
Kate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
LeenounUS /liː/
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/
held up in the air
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
listenedverbUS /ˈlɪsənd/
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
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 Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
mannernounUS /ˈmænər/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
markverbUS /mɑːrk/
attach a tag or label to
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
musicnounUS /ˈmjuːzɪk/
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
offadverbUS /ɔːf/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
playedadjectiveUS /pleɪd/
(of games) engaged in
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
puppynounUS /ˈpʌpi/
a young dog
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
ranchnounUS /ræntʃ/
farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
retakenverbUS /riˈteɪkən/
inflected form of “retake” — take back by force, as after a battle
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
ridingnounUS /ˈraɪdɪŋ/
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
rosenounUS /roʊz/
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
satnounUS /sæt/
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
soundnounUS /saʊnd/
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
StilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
threadverbUS /θred/
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
threenounUS /θriː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
thrownadjectiveUS /θroʊn/
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
Twenty-fouradjectiveUS /ˈtwentifɔːr/
being four more than twenty
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was no sound audible to the others in the living room; they did not even mark the manner in which she sat up, and then rose to her feet.
whisperedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪspərd/
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading But when she whispered “Daddy Dan!” it brought each of the three out of his chair.
whistlingnounUS /ˈwɪslɪŋ/
the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
From this reading Then they caught it, very far off, very thin and small, a delicate thread of music, an eerie whistling.
wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Twenty-four hours from Alder to Elkhead, and beyond Elkhead to the Cumberland ranch, is long riding and hard riding, but not far after dark on the following night, Joan lifted her head, where she played with the puppy on the hearth, and listened.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Still they heard nothing, and Buck and Lee Haines would have retaken their chairs had not Kate gone to the window and thrown it wide.
