adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
Alick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
Alick's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading His father, who is Alick, is pretending to be in a panic lest James should make this move.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
befittingadjectiveUS /bɪˈfɪtɪŋ/
appropriate to
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
caughtverbUS /kɑːt/
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
dambrod
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
destructionnounUS /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/
the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
ecstasynounUS /ˈekstəsi/
a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading His father, who is Alick, is pretending to be in a panic lest James should make this move.
fingersnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərz/
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
grinsnounUS /ɡrɪnz/
plural of “grin” — a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
handnounUS /hænd/
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
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 James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
heartlesslyadverb
in a heartless manner
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
instinctnounUS /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
JamesnounUS /dʒeɪmz/
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
lestconjunctionUS /lest/
in order that something should not happen
From this reading His father, who is Alick, is pretending to be in a panic lest James should make this move.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
luringverbUS /ˈlʊrɪŋ/
-ing form of “lure” — provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
makeverbUS /meɪk/
engage in
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
makesnounUS /meɪks/
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
moveverbUS /muːv/
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
occasionnounUS /əˈkeɪʒən/
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
onceadverbUS /wʌns/
on one occasion
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
panicnounUS /ˈpænɪk/
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading His father, who is Alick, is pretending to be in a panic lest James should make this move.
peepverbUS /piːp/
look furtively
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
piecenounUS /piːs/
a separate part of a whole
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
plainadjectiveUS /pleɪn/
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
playverbUS /pleɪ/
participate in games or sport
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
poisedadjectiveUS /pɔɪzd/
marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
porridgenounUS /ˈpɔːrədʒ/
soft food made by boiling oatmeal or other meal or legumes in water or milk until thick
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
pretendingnounUS /priˈtendɪŋ/
the act of giving a false appearance
From this reading His father, who is Alick, is pretending to be in a panic lest James should make this move.
raisesnounUS /ˈreɪzəz/
plural of “raise” — the amount a salary is increased
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
readverbUS /red/
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
rednounUS /red/
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
ScotchnounUS /skɑːtʃ/
a slight surface cut (especially a notch that is made to keep a tally)
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
seeverbUS /siː/
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
self-preservationnoun
preservation of yourself from harm; a natural or instinctive tendency
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading His father, who is Alick, is pretending to be in a panic lest James should make this move.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/
happening unexpectedly
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
tellsnounUS /telz/
plural of “tell” — a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading His father, who is Alick, is pretending to be in a panic lest James should make this move.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
touchesnounUS /ˈtʌtʃəz/
plural of “touch” — the event of something coming in contact with the body
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
unholyadjectiveUS /ənˈhoʊli/
not hallowed or consecrated
From this reading This time Alick is caught: the unholy ecstasy on his face tells as plain as porridge that he has been luring James to destruction.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading James grins heartlessly, and his fingers are about to close on the ‘man’ when some instinct of self-preservation makes him peep once more.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading His father, who is Alick, is pretending to be in a panic lest James should make this move.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading James with his hand poised--for if he touches a piece he has to play it, Alick will see to that--raises his red head suddenly to read Alick’s face.
WylienounUS /ˈwaɪli/
United States poet (1885-1928)
From this reading James Wylie is about to make a move on the dambrod, and in the little Scotch room there is an awful silence befitting the occasion.
