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 My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
Ammersmith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
answer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
bornnounUS /born/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
Brick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
call
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
child
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
difficulty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That’s where the little difficulty was, you see.
drop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
epileptic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
expression
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
fits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
get
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
Guv'nor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Guv’nor!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
leavin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
liked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That’s where the little difficulty was, you see.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
o
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
oughtn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
police
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
purple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That’s where the little difficulty was, you see.
seem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
Street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That’s where the little difficulty was, you see.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
trouble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
violentnounUS /ˈviolent/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My father was never up against the police; epileptic fits is what he went in for--I oughtn’t to have had him for a father; I oughtn’t to have had a mother that liked her drop o’ trouble, leavin’ me what you might call violent from a child.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading That’s where the little difficulty was, you see.
wrong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
yellow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This, by the expression of their eyes, is what the men in yellow seem to hear, and this, by the expression of their eyes, is what they seem to answer:
YoupronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You tell me I did wrong to get in here, brought up like what I was--born in the purple--Brick Street, ’Ammersmith.
