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 Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
afternoons
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From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
Alcott's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
ASconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
beings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mad-cap Gypsy Breynton and pious Elsie Dinsmore were real beings to me.
BENT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
Bible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
Breynton
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From this reading Mad-cap Gypsy Breynton and pious Elsie Dinsmore were real beings to me.
browsings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
Child's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
childhood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
consisted
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From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
convenient
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From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
criednounUS /cried/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How I have cried over the Elsie books and rejoiced over the Gypsy books!
Dinsmore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mad-cap Gypsy Breynton and pious Elsie Dinsmore were real beings to me.
distance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
Elsie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How I have cried over the Elsie books and rejoiced over the Gypsy books!
emotions
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From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
formative
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
getting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
goody-good
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
Gypsy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How I have cried over the Elsie books and rejoiced over the Gypsy books!
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading How I have cried over the Elsie books and rejoiced over the Gypsy books!
heroines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How I have cried over the Elsie books and rejoiced over the Gypsy books!
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
influences
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
largely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
leading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
Mad-cap
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mad-cap Gypsy Breynton and pious Elsie Dinsmore were real beings to me.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Mad-cap Gypsy Breynton and pious Elsie Dinsmore were real beings to me.
Miss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading How I have cried over the Elsie books and rejoiced over the Gypsy books!
periods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
pious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mad-cap Gypsy Breynton and pious Elsie Dinsmore were real beings to me.
post-Mother-Goose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
potent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
read
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
reading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
reads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
real
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mad-cap Gypsy Breynton and pious Elsie Dinsmore were real beings to me.
rejoiced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How I have cried over the Elsie books and rejoiced over the Gypsy books!
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
slip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
Sunday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
Sunday-school
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mad-cap Gypsy Breynton and pious Elsie Dinsmore were real beings to me.
TWIG
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
upper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
upstairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
weep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Mad-cap Gypsy Breynton and pious Elsie Dinsmore were real beings to me.
west
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading My post-Mother-Goose reading consisted largely of the Child’s Bible, later the Bible itself, and the goody-good Sunday-school books, two or three of Miss Alcott’s, and whatever else I could find in my browsings.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
woes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Sunday afternoons I would read by the west window with the door leading upstairs at just a convenient distance, so that when I found my emotions getting the upper hand, I could at one step open the door, slip upstairs and weep in secret over the woes of my little heroines.
youth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “AS TWIG IS BENT” The books one reads in childhood and youth are, of course, among the most potent formative influences of those periods.
