AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A whirlwind was upon him.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
BLOWverbUS /bloʊ/
exhale hard
From this reading THE BLOW He never finished the word.
bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
brawnyadjectiveUS /ˈbrɔːni/
(of a person) possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
catapultverbUS /ˈkætəpʌlt/
shoot forth or launch, as if from a catapult
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
clumsyadjectiveUS /ˈklʌmzi/
lacking grace in movement or posture
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
crashingadjectiveUS /ˈkræʃɪŋ/
informal intensifiers
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
defendverbUS /dɪˈfend/
argue or speak in defense of
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
eyesnounUS /aɪz/
opinion or judgment
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
finishedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪnɪʃt/
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading THE BLOW He never finished the word.
fistnounUS /fɪst/
a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
Gwynne's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
handnounUS /hænd/
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE BLOW He never finished the word.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A whirlwind was upon him.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
hurledverbUS /hɜːrld/
past form of “hurl” — throw forcefully
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
Kenneth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
mightyadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪti/
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading THE BLOW He never finished the word.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
raiseverbUS /reɪz/
raise the level or amount of something
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
sixnounUS /sɪks/
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
sledge-hammer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
smote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
squarelyadverbUS /ˈskwerli/
directly and without evasion; not roundabout
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
stonenounUS /stoʊn/
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
struckadjectiveUS /strʌk/
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BLOW He never finished the word.
thirteennounUS /ˈθɜːrˈtiːn/
the cardinal number that is the sum of twelve and one
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Before he could raise a hand to defend himself, Kenneth Gwynne's brawny fist smote him squarely between the eyes.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A whirlwind was upon him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A whirlwind was upon him.
weightnounUS /weɪt/
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading Behind that clumsy blow was the weight of a thirteen stone body, hurled as from a mighty catapult.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading He went down as though struck by a sledge-hammer, crashing to the ground full six feet from where he stood.
whirlwindnounUS /ˈwɜːrlwɪnd/
a more or less vertical column of air whirling around itself as it moves over the surface of the Earth
From this reading A whirlwind was upon him.
wordnounUS /wɜːrd/
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading THE BLOW He never finished the word.
