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 It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
accompaniment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
Azuma-zi
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
beat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
big
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
blackleg
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
confusing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
creeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
din
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
driving-wheels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
dull
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
dynamos
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
ear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
eddy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
engineers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
fed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
feet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
floor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
fretful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
gates
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
Holroyd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
inaudible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
intermittent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
jarred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
jerking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
leather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
looser
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
machine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
mere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
months
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
noises
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
note
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
odd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
one's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
panting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
picked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
pistons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
progress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
quiet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
quivered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The floor never felt steady and quiet beneath one’s feet, but quivered and jarred.
ran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
reader
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
reads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
seething
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
send
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
sensesplural nounUS /ˈsɛnsɪz/
powers of perception and awareness
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
shanty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
shed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
slept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
snorting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
spokes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
steady
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
steam-engines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
stir
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
straps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
strike
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
suck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
thread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
thud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
tighter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
tired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
trombone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
tumult
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
unsteady
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a steady stream of din, from which the ear picked out first one thread and then another; there was the intermittent snorting, panting, and seething of the steam-engines, the suck and thud of their pistons, the dull beat on the air as the spokes of the great driving-wheels came round, a note the leather straps made as they ran tighter and looser, and a fretful tumult from the dynamos; and, over all, sometimes inaudible, as the ear tired of it, and then creeping back upon the senses again, was this trombone note of the big machine.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
wooden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for three months, while the big strike of the engineers was in progress, Holroyd, who was a blackleg, and Azuma-zi, who was a mere black, were never out of the stir and eddy of it, but slept and fed in the little wooden shanty between the shed and the gates.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If it were possible we would have the noises of that shed always about the reader as he reads, we would tell all our story to such an accompaniment.
zigzags
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a confusing, unsteady place, and enough to send any one’s thoughts jerking into odd zigzags.
