adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
acknowledgeverbUS /ækˈnɑːlɪdʒ/
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
approachverbUS /əˈproʊtʃ/
move towards
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
arm-chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The laird rose in haste from his arm-chair, and went to the door.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
ascentnounUS /əˈsent/
an upward slope or grade (as in a road)
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
awokeverbUS /əˈwoʊk/
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
bottomnounUS /ˈbɑːtəm/
the lower side of anything
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
candlenounUS /ˈkændəl/
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
carriagenounUS /ˈkærɪdʒ/
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
CASTLEnounUS /ˈkæsəl/
a large and stately mansion
From this reading THE CASTLE INN.
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
causenounUS /kɑːz/
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
conjecturenounUS /kənˈdʒektʃər/
a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
cutverbUS /kʌt/
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
dominionnounUS /dəˈmɪnjən/
dominance or power through legal authority
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
ereconjunctionUS /er/
an old word for “before”
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
FrancenounUS /fræns/
a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
Grizzie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
hastenounUS /heɪst/
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading The laird rose in haste from his arm-chair, and went to the door.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The laird rose in haste from his arm-chair, and went to the door.
hopenounUS /hoʊp/
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
INNnounUS /ɪn/
a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
From this reading THE CASTLE INN.
king'snounUS /kɪŋz/
possessive form of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
lairdnounUS /lerd/
a landowner
From this reading The laird rose in haste from his arm-chair, and went to the door.
lanthern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
learnverbUS /lɜːrn/
gain knowledge or skills
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
lonelyadjectiveUS /ˈloʊnli/
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
noisenounUS /nɔɪz/
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
offadverbUS /ɔːf/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
PerhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/
by chance
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
phenomenonnounUS /fəˈnɑːmənɑːn/
any state or process known through the senses rather than by intuition or reasoning
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
placenounUS /pleɪs/
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
proceededverbUS /prəˈsiːdɪd/
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
profoundadjectiveUS /proʊˈfaʊnd/
showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
rapiditynounUS /rəˈpɪdəti/
a rate that is rapid
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
rattlingnounUS /ˈrætlɪŋ/
a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders)
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
restverbUS /rest/
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
rosenounUS /roʊz/
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The laird rose in haste from his arm-chair, and went to the door.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
sooneradverbUS /ˈsuːnər/
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
suppernounUS /ˈsʌpər/
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
tallownounUS /ˈtæloʊ/
obtained from suet and used in making soap, candles and lubricants
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CASTLE INN.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Perhaps they had cut off the king’s head as they did in France!
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
warmthnounUS /wɔːrmθ/
the sensation caused by heat energy
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The laird rose in haste from his arm-chair, and went to the door.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
wicknounUS /wɪk/
any piece of cord that conveys liquid by capillary action
From this reading But such was the rapidity of the horses’ ascent in the hope of rest, and warmth, and supper, that the carriage was in the close, and rattling up to the door, ere she had got the long wick of the tallow candle to acknowledge the dominion of fire.
winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The noise of their approach, heard from the bottom of the ascent, within the lonely winter castle, awoke profound conjecture, and Grizzie proceeded to light the lanthern that she might learn the sooner what catastrophe could cause such a phenomenon: something awful must have taken place!
