adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
Anthea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
bat's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
chalkpitnoun
a quarry for chalk
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
creaturenounUS /ˈkriːtʃər/
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
CyrilnounUS /ˈsɪrəl/
Greek missionary; the invention of the Cyrillic alphabet is attributed to him (826-869)
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
earsnounUS /ɪrz/
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
eyesnounUS /aɪz/
opinion or judgment
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
findverbUS /faɪnd/
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
fournounUS /fɔːr/
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
furnounUS /fɜːr/
the dressed hairy coat of a mammal
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
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 It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
happilyadverbUS /ˈhæpəli/
in a joyous manner
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
holidaysnounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪz/
plural of “holiday” — leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
hornsnounUS /hɔːrnz/
plural of “horn” — a noisemaker (as at parties or games) that makes a loud noise when you blow through it
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
ItsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
Jane
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
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 Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
monkey'snounUS /ˈmʌŋkiz/
possessive form of “monkey” — any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians)
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
moveverbUS /muːv/
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
namesnounUS /neɪmz/
verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
onceadverbUS /wʌns/
on one occasion
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
Psammead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
RobertnounUS /ˈrɑːbərt/
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
sand-fairy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
sandpitnoun
a large pit in sandy ground from which sand is dug
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
shapedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪpt/
shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
situatedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪtʃuːeɪtɪd/
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
snail'snounUS /sneɪlz/
possessive form of “snail” — freshwater or marine or terrestrial gastropod mollusk usually having an external enclosing spiral shell
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
spentadjectiveUS /spent/
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
spider's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
telescopesnounUS /ˈteləskoʊps/
plural of “telescope” — a magnifier of images of distant objects
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and it could move them in and out like telescopes.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One day they had the good fortune to find in the sandpit a strange creature.
toldverbUS /toʊld/
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
tubbyadjectiveUS /ˈtʌbi/
short and plump
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
whitenounUS /waɪt/
a Caucasian
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading It told the children—whose names were Cyril, Robert, Anthea, and Jane—that it was a Psammead or sand-fairy.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It had ears like a bat’s ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider’s and covered with thick soft fur—and it had hands and feet like a monkey’s.
