AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "How far from it are we?" asked Jack.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
askedverbUS /æskt/
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "How far from it are we?" asked Jack.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
boysnounUS /bɔɪz/
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But that distance is nothing compared to the rate at which we are traveling.
COMETnounUS /ˈkɑːmət/
(astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
comparedverbUS /kəmˈperd/
past form of “compare” — examine and note the similarities or differences of
From this reading "But that distance is nothing compared to the rate at which we are traveling.
distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading "But that distance is nothing compared to the rate at which we are traveling.
ESCAPINGverbUS /ɪˈskeɪpɪŋ/
-ing form of “escape” — run away from confinement
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading "How far from it are we?" asked Jack.
fascinatedadjectiveUS /ˈfæsəneɪtəd/
having your attention fixated as though by a spell
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "How far from it are we?" asked Jack.
gagenounUS /ɡeɪdʒ/
street names for marijuana
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
gazingverbUS /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
GermannounUS /ˈdʒɜːrmən/
a person of German nationality
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How far from it are we?" asked Jack.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "But that distance is nothing compared to the rate at which we are traveling.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "How far from it are we?" asked Jack.
JacknounUS /dʒæk/
a small worthless amount
From this reading "How far from it are we?" asked Jack.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
ManyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading "Many thousands of miles," replied Mr. Roumann.
milesnounUS /maɪlz/
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading "Many thousands of miles," replied Mr. Roumann.
movingadjectiveUS /ˈmuːvɪŋ/
in motion
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/
a form of address for a man
From this reading "Many thousands of miles," replied Mr. Roumann.
nearnessnoun
the spatial property resulting from a relatively small distance
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
needlenounUS /ˈniːdəl/
the leaf of a conifer
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "But that distance is nothing compared to the rate at which we are traveling.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
ratenounUS /reɪt/
a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit
From this reading "But that distance is nothing compared to the rate at which we are traveling.
repliedverbUS /rɪˈplaɪd/
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "Many thousands of miles," replied Mr. Roumann.
Roumann
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Many thousands of miles," replied Mr. Roumann.
scientistnounUS /ˈsaɪəntɪst/
a person with advanced knowledge of one or more sciences
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
swiftlyadverbUS /ˈswɪftli/
in a swift manner
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
thousandsnounUS /ˈθaʊzəndz/
plural of “thousand” — the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading "Many thousands of miles," replied Mr. Roumann.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "But that distance is nothing compared to the rate at which we are traveling.
toldverbUS /toʊld/
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
travelingnounUS /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/
the act of going from one place to another
From this reading "But that distance is nothing compared to the rate at which we are traveling.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading ESCAPING A COMET The two boys looked at the German scientist.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was gazing, as if fascinated, at the swiftly moving needle of the gage that had told of the nearness of the comet.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "How far from it are we?" asked Jack.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "But that distance is nothing compared to the rate at which we are traveling.
