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 The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
abandoned
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From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
almost
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From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
arches
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From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
azure
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From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
Beacon
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From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
beautiful
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From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
believenounUS /ˈbelieve/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
boarding-houses
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From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
Boston
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From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
bought
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From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
bow
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From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
brick
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From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
broad
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From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
charming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
citizens
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From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
class
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
clean
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From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
Common
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From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
deeply
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From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
doors
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From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
End
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From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
finenounUS /fine/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
floor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
front
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From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
fronts
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From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
gleam
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From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
granite
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From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
Halleck
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From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
hardly
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From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
homes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
house
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From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
houses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
husband
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
like
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From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
lot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
old-fashioned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
once
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From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
OverprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
parlornounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
an old-fashioned sitting room
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
perspective
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
poorer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
quiet
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From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
reached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
red
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
respectable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
Roman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
Rumford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
solid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
steps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
Street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
streets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
succession
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
sunken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
swell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
thoroughfares
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
too
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From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
towers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
transom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
wagon-roofs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
West
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When her husband bought his lot there, Mrs. Halleck could hardly believe that a house on Rumford Street was not too fine for her.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
white-painted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
wholly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rumford Street is one of those old-fashioned thoroughfares at the West End of Boston, which are now almost wholly abandoned to boarding-houses of the poorer class.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the door there is sometimes the bow of a fine transom, and the parlor windows on the first floor of the swell front have the same azure gleam as those of the beautiful old houses which front the Common on Beacon Street.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The red brick houses, with their swell fronts, looking in perspective like a succession of round towers, are reached by broad granite steps, and their doors are deeply sunken within the wagon-roofs of white-painted Roman arches.
worthyadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːr.ði/
Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet they are charming streets, quiet, clean, and respectable, and worthy still to be the homes, as they once were, of solid citizens.
