adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
beastsnounUS /biːsts/
plural of “beast” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
bridledverbUS /ˈbraɪdəld/
past form of “bridle” — anger or take offense
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
CaptainnounUS /ˈkæptən/
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
criedverbUS /kraɪd/
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
dawnnounUS /dɔːn/
the first light of day
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/
the first light of day
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading I dressed and left the house, disturbing no one.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
dressedadjectiveUS /drest/
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading I dressed and left the house, disturbing no one.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
footstepsnounUS /ˈfʊtsteps/
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/
destroyed or killed
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
GovernornounUS /ˈɡʌvərnər/
the head of a state government
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
Governor'snounUS /ˈɡʌvərnərz/
possessive form of “governor” — the head of a state government
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
graynounUS /ɡreɪ/
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
groomsnounUS /ɡruːmz/
plural of “groom” — a man participant in his own marriage ceremony
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
headsnounUS /hedz/
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
HurryingadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/
moving with great haste
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
indistinctadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt/
not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
leftnounUS /left/
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading I dressed and left the house, disturbing no one.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading I dressed and left the house, disturbing no one.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I dressed and left the house, disturbing no one.
PercynounUS /ˈpɜːrsi/
United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
saddledadjectiveUS /ˈsædəld/
having a saddle on or being mounted on a saddled animal
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
SHORTLYadverbUS /ˈʃɔːrtli/
for a short time
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
squareverbUS /skwer/
make square
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
voicenounUS /vɔɪs/
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
wakened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
watchverbUS /wɑːtʃ/
look attentively
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Hurrying through the chill dawn, I reached the square not much behind the rapid footsteps of the watch who had wakened me.
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 SHORTLY before daybreak I was wakened by a voice beneath my window.
wishesnounUS /ˈwɪʃɪz/
plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
wrappedadjectiveUS /ræpt/
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading About the Governor's door were horses, saddled and bridled, with grooms at their heads, men and beasts gray and indistinct, wrapped in the fog.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Captain Percy,” it cried, “the Governor wishes you at his house!” and was gone.
