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 From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
affectionate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a brightness in the room that seemed in no other in the house, and the lingering essences in the air of it were as incense to her.
almost
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From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
altar
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From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
became
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
best
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
brightness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a brightness in the room that seemed in no other in the house, and the lingering essences in the air of it were as incense to her.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
chamber
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
change
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
cloths
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
creaturenounUS /ˈcreature/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
darned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
dull
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
dutynounUS /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
embroidering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
empress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
essences
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a brightness in the room that seemed in no other in the house, and the lingering essences in the air of it were as incense to her.
FortunenounUS /ˈfortune/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
furtive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
hangings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
henceforward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a brightness in the room that seemed in no other in the house, and the lingering essences in the air of it were as incense to her.
house-wifely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
incense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a brightness in the room that seemed in no other in the house, and the lingering essences in the air of it were as incense to her.
indeed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
instincts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
lingering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a brightness in the room that seemed in no other in the house, and the lingering essences in the air of it were as incense to her.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
mothers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
natural
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
neatness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was a brightness in the room that seemed in no other in the house, and the lingering essences in the air of it were as incense to her.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
novices
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
nuns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
ordained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a brightness in the room that seemed in no other in the house, and the lingering essences in the air of it were as incense to her.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
outlet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
paid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
patched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
religious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a brightness in the room that seemed in no other in the house, and the lingering essences in the air of it were as incense to her.
sacred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
seem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
service
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
sister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
slight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
soul
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
tattered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
wives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an affectionate, house-wifely creature, who would have made the best of wives and mothers if it had been so ordained by Fortune, and something of her natural instincts found outlet in the furtive service she paid her sister, who became the empress of her soul.
woman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
wonderfulnounUS /ˈwonderful/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She darned and patched the tattered hangings with a wonderful neatness, and the hours she spent at work in the chamber were to her almost as sacred as hours spent at religious duty, or as those nuns and novices give to embroidering altar- cloths.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It did not seem a little change to her, but a great one, though to others it would have seemed slight indeed.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From that time henceforward into the young woman's dull life there came a little change.
