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 I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
Barring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barring a small dug-out canoe on the river there was nothing moving within sight.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
Bessborough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
Bornean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
bridge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
cabin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had just come up yawning from my cabin.
canoe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barring a small dug-out canoe on the river there was nothing moving within sight.
cargo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
chains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
chimney-pot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had just come up yawning from my cabin.
crewnounUS /crew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
deck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
dug-out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barring a small dug-out canoe on the river there was nothing moving within sight.
early
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
fiery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
flicks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
fog
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
forty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
four
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
Gardens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had just come up yawning from my cabin.
languid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
London
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
Malay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
miles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
mist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
moored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
movements
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
moving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barring a small dug-out canoe on the river there was nothing moving within sight.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I had just come up yawning from my cabin.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Barring a small dug-out canoe on the river there was nothing moving within sight.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
opaline
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
overhauling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
presently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
promised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
rays
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
red
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
rickety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
river
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
roof
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
serang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
sight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barring a small dug-out canoe on the river there was nothing moving within sight.
slight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barring a small dug-out canoe on the river there was nothing moving within sight.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
sounded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
steamer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
subdued
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
sun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barring a small dug-out canoe on the river there was nothing moving within sight.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
turn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
voices
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
wharf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
winches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The serang and the Malay crew were overhauling the cargo chains and trying the winches; their voices sounded subdued on the deck below, and their movements were languid.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Barring a small dug-out canoe on the river there was nothing moving within sight.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
woolly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very early morning, and a slight mist--an opaline mist as in Bessborough Gardens, only without the fiery flicks on roof and chimney-pot from the rays of the red London sun--promised to turn presently into a woolly fog.
yawning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had just come up yawning from my cabin.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had seen him for the first time, some four years before, from the bridge of a steamer moored to a rickety little wharf forty miles up, more or less, a Bornean river.
