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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
awhile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
black
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From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
blood-like
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From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
bony
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From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
certain
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From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
cloudy
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From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
creatures
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From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
dawned
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From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
deep
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From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
delicious
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From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
descendednounUS /ˈdescended/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
Dream-like
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From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
drowsy
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From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
eyes
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From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
fallen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
fancy
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From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
fingers
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From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
flitted
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From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
flutteringverbUS /ˈflʌtərɪŋ/
moving with quick light beats or trembles
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
followed
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From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
gloom
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From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
gradually
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From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
grasping
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From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
hand
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From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
haze
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From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
hovered
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From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
huge
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From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
images
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
lonely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
made
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From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
menace
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From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
middle
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From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
mist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
oblivion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
obscurity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
red
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
shapes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
signs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
stared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
stillness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
stormy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
Strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
sunset
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There followed a long drowsy time of stillness and shadow.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
undefinable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
visible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
vision
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then—very gradually, there dawned upon my sense of vision a cloudy red mist like a stormy sunset, and from the middle of the blood-like haze a huge black hand descended toward me.
warning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I seemed to have fallen in some deep well of delicious oblivion and obscurity.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Dream-like images still flitted before my fancy—these were at first undefinable, but after awhile they took more certain shapes.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strange fluttering creatures hovered about me—lonely eyes stared at me from a visible deep gloom; long white bony fingers grasping at nothing made signs to me of warning or menace.
