adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
AlbanynounUS /ˈɔːlbəni/
state capital of New York; located in eastern New York State on the west bank of the Hudson river
From this reading "Must go to Albany to-night," Percy explained, a weary note in his voice.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "You are home early," Conny complained in her treble drawl.
brisklyadverbUS /ˈbrɪskli/
in a brisk manner
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
brownounUS /braʊ/
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
complainedverbUS /kəmˈpleɪnd/
past form of “complain” — express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness
From this reading "You are home early," Conny complained in her treble drawl.
Conny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/
placed crosswise
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
drawlnounUS /drɔːl/
a slow speech pattern with prolonged vowels
From this reading "You are home early," Conny complained in her treble drawl.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading "You are home early," Conny complained in her treble drawl.
explainedverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnd/
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading "Must go to Albany to-night," Percy explained, a weary note in his voice.
fingersnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərz/
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
footstepnounUS /ˈfʊtstep/
the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
glancedverbUS /ɡlænst/
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Must go to Albany to-night," Percy explained, a weary note in his voice.
goesnounUS /ɡoʊz/
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading "How goes it, Tom?"
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
HellonounUS /həˈloʊ/
an expression of greeting
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "You are home early," Conny complained in her treble drawl.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
homenounUS /hoʊm/
where you live at a particular time
From this reading "You are home early," Conny complained in her treble drawl.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How goes it, Tom?"
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "You are home early," Conny complained in her treble drawl.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "How goes it, Tom?"
Mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "Must go to Albany to-night," Percy explained, a weary note in his voice.
notenounUS /noʊt/
a brief written record
From this reading "Must go to Albany to-night," Percy explained, a weary note in his voice.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
paddedadjectiveUS /ˈpædɪd/
softened by the addition of cushions or padding
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
PercynounUS /ˈpɜːrsi/
United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
smoothadjectiveUS /smuːð/
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
softlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːftli/
with low volume
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
soundnounUS /saʊnd/
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
stairsnounUS /sterz/
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
tipsnounUS /tɪps/
plural of “tip” — the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
to-night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Must go to Albany to-night," Percy explained, a weary note in his voice.
TomnounUS /tɑːm/
male cat
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
touchedadjectiveUS /tʌtʃt/
having come into contact
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
trebleadjectiveUS /ˈtrebəl/
having or denoting a high range
From this reading "You are home early," Conny complained in her treble drawl.
voicenounUS /vɔɪs/
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Must go to Albany to-night," Percy explained, a weary note in his voice.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
wearyverbUS /ˈwɪri/
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading "Must go to Albany to-night," Percy explained, a weary note in his voice.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Hello, Tom!" he said briskly, and crossed to Conny, whose smooth brow he touched softly with the tips of his fingers.
Woodyard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was the soft sound of a footstep on the padded stairs, and Percy Woodyard glanced into the room.
YoupronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You are home early," Conny complained in her treble drawl.
