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 Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
Archie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
block
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
brain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
committed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
concentrated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
conscious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
controlling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His brain was full of what he wanted to write, but his hand disowned the controlling impulse.
definitely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
delight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
disowned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His brain was full of what he wanted to write, but his hand disowned the controlling impulse.
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
fingers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
friends
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
full
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
grasped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpʌls/
a sudden strong desire to act
From this reading His brain was full of what he wanted to write, but his hand disowned the controlling impulse.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
instantly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
itched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
liquid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
message
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
odd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
outraged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
page
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
paper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
pencil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
put
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
reached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
read
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
removed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
ribs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
scribbling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
sharpened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
sigh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
starved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
tickled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
trembling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
wanted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading There was an odd trembling in his fingers, and his conscious brain was full of what he wanted to say.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Archie thought no more either of his tickled ribs or his outraged hair when his friends had definitely removed themselves, and with a sigh of delight he took up a sharpened pencil and a block of scribbling paper.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
write
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he put his pencil on to the block, and concentrated his mind on that liquid message of the sea that had reached him to-day, he found that his hand had nothing to write.
writing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had grasped something, he thought, this morning, that must instantly be committed to words, before he even read over his last page or two, for his hand starved and itched to be writing.
