16
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This glass is falling 16 feet in a second now.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
expectingverbUS /ɪkˈspektɪŋ/
-ing form of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading Naturally I winced, expecting the glass to smash.
fallingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlɪŋ/
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading This glass is falling 16 feet in a second now.
fallsnounUS /fɔːlz/
the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
Gibberne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
glassnounUS /ɡlæs/
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
handnounUS /hænd/
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
heldadjectiveUS /held/
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
hereadverbUS /hiːr/
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
hungverbUS /hʌŋ/
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Naturally I winced, expecting the glass to smash.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This glass is falling 16 feet in a second now.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
latitudesnounUS /ˈlætətuːdz/
plural of “latitude” — the angular distance between an imaginary line around a heavenly body parallel to its equator and the equator itself
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
mid-air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
motionlessadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊʃənləs/
not in physical motion
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
NaturallyadverbUS /ˈnætʃərəli/
as might be expected
From this reading Naturally I winced, expecting the glass to smash.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading This glass is falling 16 feet in a second now.
objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
RoughlyadverbUS /ˈrʌfli/
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
seemverbUS /siːm/
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
smashverbUS /smæʃ/
hit hard
From this reading Naturally I winced, expecting the glass to smash.
smashingnounUS /ˈsmæʃɪŋ/
the act of breaking something into small pieces
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
speakingnounUS /ˈspiːkɪŋ/
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
stirverbUS /stɜːr/
move an implement through
From this reading But so far from smashing it did not even seem to stir; it hung in mid-air--motionless.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “And here,” he said, and opened the hand that held the glass.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading “Roughly speaking,” said Gibberne, “an object in these latitudes falls 16 feet in the first second.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This glass is falling 16 feet in a second now.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Naturally I winced, expecting the glass to smash.
wincedverbUS /wɪnst/
past form of “wince” — draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading Naturally I winced, expecting the glass to smash.
