adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
boltsnounUS /boʊlts/
plural of “bolt” — a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading He drew the rusty bolts, flung open the great door.
brainnounUS /breɪn/
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nicholas had never seen the sun, that he could recollect.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He drew the rusty bolts, flung open the great door.
drewnounUS /druː/
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading He drew the rusty bolts, flung open the great door.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
fellverbUS /fel/
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
feltverbUS /felt/
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
flungverbUS /flʌŋ/
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading He drew the rusty bolts, flung open the great door.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He drew the rusty bolts, flung open the great door.
greyadjectiveUS /ɡreɪ/
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
griefnounUS /ɡriːf/
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Nicholas had never seen the sun, that he could recollect.
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 Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Nicholas had never seen the sun, that he could recollect.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
InvoluntarilyadverbUS /ˌɪnvoʊˈlʌntərɪli/
against your will
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
leavingnounUS /ˈliːvɪŋ/
the act of departing
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Nicholas had never seen the sun, that he could recollect.
NicholasnounUS /ˈnɪkələs/
a bishop in Asia Minor who is associated with Santa Claus (4th century)
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading He drew the rusty bolts, flung open the great door.
pangnounUS /pæŋ/
a sudden sharp feeling
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
raynounUS /reɪ/
a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
recollectverbUS /ˌrekəˈlekt/
recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Nicholas had never seen the sun, that he could recollect.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
rustyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌsti/
covered with or consisting of rust
From this reading He drew the rusty bolts, flung open the great door.
seenverbUS /siːn/
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Nicholas had never seen the sun, that he could recollect.
streamingadjectiveUS /ˈstriːmɪŋ/
exuding a bodily fluid in profuse amounts
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
stretchedadjectiveUS /stretʃt/
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
sunnounUS /sʌn/
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Nicholas had never seen the sun, that he could recollect.
sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/
the rays of the sun
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Nicholas had never seen the sun, that he could recollect.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
vanishedadjectiveUS /ˈvænɪʃt/
having passed out of existence
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Involuntarily he stretched his hands towards it, felt a pang of grief when it vanished, leaving only the grey light.
whirlverbUS /wɜːrl/
turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading Nicholas tried to think, but his brain was in a whirl.
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 A ray of sunshine streaming through the window fell across the dusty room.
