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 It was a little twenty-foot yard.
a-whooping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
ahead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
awful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
boys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
break
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
bucks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
Children
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
clear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
crying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
death
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
fence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
full
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
get
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
girls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
heads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
heeling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
Injuns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
jam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a little twenty-foot yard.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
Lots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
mob
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
mush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
nearly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
nigger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
noise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
palings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
raging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
reach
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
road
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
run
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
scared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
screaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
Sherburn's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
skaddle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
soon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
swarmedverbUS /swɔːrmd/
past form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
taking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
tromped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
twenty-foot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a little twenty-foot yard.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They swarmed up towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see.
wenches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
women's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach.
yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a little twenty-foot yard.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
yourselfpronounUS /jərˈself/
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading They swarmed up in front of Sherburn’s palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise.
