adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was just after the hot hour of the afternoon.
afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It was just after the hot hour of the afternoon.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Small boys and girls, returning from school, were beginning to play.
AndrewnounUS /ˈændruː/
(New Testament) disciple of Jesus; brother of Peter; patron saint of Scotland
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
beginningnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
boysnounUS /bɔɪz/
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Small boys and girls, returning from school, were beginning to play.
carenounUS /ker/
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
doorsnounUS /dɔːrz/
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
dropverbUS /drɑːp/
let fall to the ground
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
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 The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
exchangingverbUS /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “exchange” — give to, and receive from, one another
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
flungverbUS /flʌŋ/
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
girlsnounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading Small boys and girls, returning from school, were beginning to play.
greetingsnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋz/
plural of “greeting” — (usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
hillsnounUS /hɪlz/
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
hotadjectiveUS /hɑːt/
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading It was just after the hot hour of the afternoon.
hournounUS /ˈaʊər/
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading It was just after the hot hour of the afternoon.
housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was just after the hot hour of the afternoon.
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/
and nothing more
From this reading It was just after the hot hour of the afternoon.
keptadjectiveUS /kept/
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
mothersnounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
plural of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
newsnounUS /nuːz/
information about recent and important events
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was just after the hot hour of the afternoon.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
patternnounUS /ˈpætərn/
a perceptual structure
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
pickedverbUS /pɪkt/
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
piecesnounUS /ˈpiːsəz/
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
playverbUS /pleɪ/
participate in games or sport
From this reading Small boys and girls, returning from school, were beginning to play.
porchesnounUS /ˈpɔːrtʃəz/
plural of “porch” — a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
ravinenounUS /rəˈviːn/
a deep narrow steep-sided valley (especially one formed by running water)
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
returningadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading Small boys and girls, returning from school, were beginning to play.
schoolnounUS /skuːl/
an educational institution
From this reading Small boys and girls, returning from school, were beginning to play.
shadowsnounUS /ˈʃædoʊz/
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
shoutedadjectiveUS /ˈʃaʊtɪd/
in a vehement outcry
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
SmalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Small boys and girls, returning from school, were beginning to play.
streetnounUS /striːt/
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was just after the hot hour of the afternoon.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
throatnounUS /θroʊt/
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
townnounUS /taʊn/
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was just after the hot hour of the afternoon.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
westnounUS /west/
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The shadows from the hills to the west were beginning to drop across the village; people who had kept to their houses during the early afternoon now appeared on their porches.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Their mothers were at the open doors exchanging shouted pieces of news and greetings, and Andrew picked his way with care along the street.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was a town flung down in the throat of a ravine without care or pattern.
