aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
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 The other torches had all been quenched.
allowingverbUS /əˈlaʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Behind me, treading as lightly, came Messer Mariani.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
balustradenoun
a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
banqueting-hall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The other torches had all been quenched.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind me, treading as lightly, came Messer Mariani.
betrayverbUS /bɪˈtreɪ/
reveal unintentionally
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
burntadjectiveUS /bɜːrnt/
ruined by overcooking
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Behind me, treading as lightly, came Messer Mariani.
centrenounUS /ˈsentər/
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
circlenounUS /ˈsɜːrkəl/
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
creptverbUS /krept/
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
envelopingadjectiveUS /ɪnˈveləpɪŋ/
surrounding and closing in on or hemming in
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
gainedverbUS /ɡeɪnd/
past form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading Thus we gained the gallery.
gallerynounUS /ˈɡæləri/
spectators at a golf or tennis match
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The other torches had all been quenched.
hallnounUS /hɔːl/
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
intentnounUS /ˌɪnˈtent/
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
leanedverbUS /liːnd/
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
lestconjunctionUS /lest/
in order that something should not happen
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
LETTERnounUS /ˈletər/
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
lightlyadverbUS /ˈlaɪtli/
without good reason
From this reading Behind me, treading as lightly, came Messer Mariani.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
Mariani
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind me, treading as lightly, came Messer Mariani.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Behind me, treading as lightly, came Messer Mariani.
Messer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind me, treading as lightly, came Messer Mariani.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
oakenadjective
consisting of or made of wood of the oak tree
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The other torches had all been quenched.
pitnounUS /pɪt/
A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
quenchedadjective
allayed
From this reading The other torches had all been quenched.
Ramiro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
secureverbUS /sɪˈkjʊr/
get by special effort
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
sightnounUS /saɪt/
an instance of visual perception
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
soundnounUS /saʊnd/
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
stoutadjectiveUS /staʊt/
dependable
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
tapersnounUS /ˈteɪpərz/
plural of “taper” — a convex shape that narrows toward a point
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
ThusadverbUS /ðʌs/
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Thus we gained the gallery.
tiptoeverbUS /ˈtɪptoʊ/
walk on one's toes
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
torchesnounUS /ˈtɔːrtʃɪz/
plural of “torch” — a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading The other torches had all been quenched.
treadingverbUS /ˈtredɪŋ/
-ing form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot
From this reading Behind me, treading as lightly, came Messer Mariani.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading I leaned against the stout oaken balustrade, and looked down into the black pit of the hall, broken in the centre by the circle of light from the two tapers that burnt upon the table.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading THE LETTER On tiptoe I crept down that corridor to the gallery above the banqueting-hall, secure from sight in the enveloping darkness, and intent upon allowing no sound to betray my presence, lest Ramiro should have awakened.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Thus we gained the gallery.
