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 reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
admitting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
almost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
America
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There, too, was the parrot that Overton had brought from South America.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
annoying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
aroused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
arrival
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
asleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
begonias
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy had brought a telegram, and wanted fifteen cents for carrying it over from the station.
boyhood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading There, too, was the parrot that Overton had brought from South America.
carrying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy had brought a telegram, and wanted fifteen cents for carrying it over from the station.
cents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy had brought a telegram, and wanted fifteen cents for carrying it over from the station.
clungnounUS /clung/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
coming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
commonplace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
dog
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
door-mat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
existence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
feel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
fifteen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy had brought a telegram, and wanted fifteen cents for carrying it over from the station.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The boy had brought a telegram, and wanted fifteen cents for carrying it over from the station.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There, too, was the parrot that Overton had brought from South America.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
gate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
habit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
half-waynounUS /half-way/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
hinge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
jardinières
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
messenger-boy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The boy had brought a telegram, and wanted fifteen cents for carrying it over from the station.
Overton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There, too, was the parrot that Overton had brought from South America.
parrot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There, too, was the parrot that Overton had brought from South America.
piazza
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
porcelain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
porch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
reflections
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
South
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There, too, was the parrot that Overton had brought from South America.
spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
started
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
startling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
station
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy had brought a telegram, and wanted fifteen cents for carrying it over from the station.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
straggling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
suddennounUS /sudden/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
telegram
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy had brought a telegram, and wanted fifteen cents for carrying it over from the station.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There, too, was the parrot that Overton had brought from South America.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
up-stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
wanted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy had brought a telegram, and wanted fifteen cents for carrying it over from the station.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He went in, and was half-way up-stairs when a messenger-boy’s sudden arrival on the front porch aroused the dog and the parrot.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was reflections like these that made it almost startling to open the old gate, which had an annoying habit of coming off one hinge--a habit that had clung to it ever since his boyhood--and to feel that it was admitting him again into the commonplace existence that he had left behind him when he started out.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There were the same old piazza, the same old dog still asleep on the door-mat, the two porcelain jardinières, with the same straggling begonias that he had seen there spring after spring.
