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 A MISSING BRIDEGROOM.
absence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
appearancenounUS /ˈappearance/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
authorities
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
bridal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
BRIDEGROOM
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MISSING BRIDEGROOM.
Central
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
charge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
church
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
completed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
decorators
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
Detective
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
family
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
festive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
florists
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
instructions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
labor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
minutes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
MISSING
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MISSING BRIDEGROOM.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
Nick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
Office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
partynounUS /party/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
returnednounUS /ˈreturned/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
Sanborn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The decorators had completed their labor and the florists had, at last, taken themselves off.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was not long after Nick had returned that the bridal party set out for the church.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Nick returned to the house of Mr. Sanborn, it had already taken on a festive air.
WithinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Within a few minutes three men made their appearance and said that they had come from the Central Detective Office, under the instructions of the authorities, to take charge of the house in the absence of Mr. Sanborn and his family.
