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 cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
almost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
alphabet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Keats—John Keats, sir—and Shelley were his favourite bards.
author
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
authors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
bards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keats—John Keats, sir—and Shelley were his favourite bards.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
cadence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
cared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
child's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
doted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
emotion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
empty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
exclusive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
exotic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
favourite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keats—John Keats, sir—and Shelley were his favourite bards.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
genuine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Keats—John Keats, sir—and Shelley were his favourite bards.
honestadjectiveUS /ˈɑnɪst/
truthful and trustworthy
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
intellect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
John
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keats—John Keats, sir—and Shelley were his favourite bards.
Keats
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keats—John Keats, sir—and Shelley were his favourite bards.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
language
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
letters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
loved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
moving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
nearly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
nonepronounUS /nʌn/
not one, and not any
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
novels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
offer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
phrase
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
read
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
reading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/
To recall to mind.
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
richness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
romance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
romantic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
Rossetti
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
Shelley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keats—John Keats, sir—and Shelley were his favourite bards.
sir
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keats—John Keats, sir—and Shelley were his favourite bards.
speech
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
tasteverbUS /teɪst/
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
understandnounUS /understand/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
understood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
unexpected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
vague
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
vain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Keats—John Keats, sir—and Shelley were his favourite bards.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading His honest head was very nearly empty, his intellect like a child’s; and when he read his favourite authors, he can almost never have understood what he was reading.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading I cannot remember if I tried him with Rossetti; but I know his taste to a hair, and if ever I did, he must have doted on that author.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What took him was a richness in the speech; he loved the exotic, the unexpected word; the moving cadence of a phrase; a vague sense of emotion (about nothing) in the very letters of the alphabet: the romance of language.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet the taste was not only genuine, it was exclusive; I tried in vain to offer him novels; he would none of them, he cared for nothing but romantic language that he could not understand.
