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 Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
abbreviate
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From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
abound
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From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
absurdity
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From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
absurdly
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From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
account
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From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
affairs
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From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
all
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From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
altogether
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From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
angle
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From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
appeared
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From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
approach
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From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
beautiful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
building
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
concave
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From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
convex
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
differentnounUS /ˈdifferent/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
disgustnounUS /dɪsˈɡʌst/
a strong feeling of dislike or sickness caused by something unpleasant
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
distressing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
earth
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From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
elevating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
elongate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
environment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
expressverbUS /ɪkˈspres/
to show or communicate a feeling or idea
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
genius
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
hag
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
half-amused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
Huysmans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
images
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
keener
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
lying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
M
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
means
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
men's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
mirroring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
mirrors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
patient
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
pilgrim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
probably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
race
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
seeing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
shanks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
shuddering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
sky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
spindle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
stranger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
SuchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading No one ever had a keener sense of the distressing absurdity of human affairs than M. Huysmans.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
Trocadero
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Trocadero is not a beautiful building, but to no one else probably has it appeared as an old hag lying on her back and elevating her spindle shanks towards the sky.
unaffected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
unlike
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
vision
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
ways
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
works
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such images of men’s works and ways abound in Huysmans’ books, and they express his unaffected vision of life, his disgust for men and things, a shuddering disgust, yet patient, half-amused.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every man of genius is a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, unlike other men, seeing everything as it were at a different angle, mirroring the world in his mind as in those concave or convex mirrors which elongate or abbreviate absurdly all who approach them.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet we can by no means altogether account for Huysmans by race and environment.