Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The air was simply yelling.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
Antananarivo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
ask
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
beach
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
boat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
bodynounUS /body/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
canoe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
clawed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
devil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
dreaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
eat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
egg
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
higher
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
hitting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
holloaed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
hundred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
I'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
Intoshi
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
luckily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
matches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
meant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
pebbles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
phosphorescent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
pitch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/
To recall to mind.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
remembered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I remembered where I was.
restnounUS /rest/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
rolling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
rush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
sand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
simply
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The air was simply yelling.
sleeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I remembered where I was.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
used
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
water
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I was sleeping under the canoe, and the egg was luckily among the sand higher up the beach, and the first thing I remember was a sound like a hundred pebbles hitting the boat at once and a rush of water over my body.
waves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were phosphorescent waves rolling up as if they meant to eat me, and all the rest of the night as black as pitch.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading I’d been dreaming of Antananarivo, and I sat up and holloaed to Intoshi to ask her what the devil was up, and clawed out at the chair where the matches used to be.
yelling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The air was simply yelling.
