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 How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
average
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that the average man or woman would have so recognized.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
blow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
bred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
carnivores
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
contact
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
contemptuously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
cooked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
crude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
dealt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
death
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
deep-tongued
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
detailsnounUS /ˈdetails/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
developed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
dreary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
ethics
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
faculties
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
fashion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
fish-eating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
given
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
grunted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
hard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Not that the average man or woman would have so recognized.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
How-ha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
How-ha's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
Indian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
insight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
Jacob
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
January
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
knocker
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
lax
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that the average man or woman would have so recognized.
meat-rending
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
nonepronounUS /nʌn/
not one, and not any
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
NotadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not that the average man or woman would have so recognized.
observing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
perfectly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
presence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
previous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
recognized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
remembering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
response
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
saluted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
school
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
served
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
shaken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
simple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Not that the average man or woman would have so recognized.
soul
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
stolid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
Ten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Not that the average man or woman would have so recognized.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
understood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
vigilant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
visitor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
Welse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading But How-ha's faculties of observing and remembering details had been developed in a hard school where death dealt his blow to the lax and life saluted the vigilant.
whites
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading But long contact with the whites had given her an insight into their way of looking at things, and though she grunted contemptuously in her secret soul, she none the less understood their way perfectly.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How-ha was only an Indian woman, bred of a long line of fish-eating, meat-rending carnivores, and her ethics were as crude and simple as her blood.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Not that the average man or woman would have so recognized.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ten years previous she had cooked for Jacob Welse, and served him in one fashion or another ever since; and when on a dreary January morning she opened the front door in response to the deep-tongued knocker, even her stolid presence was shaken as she recognized the visitor.
