Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
altering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
ANdeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
anticipationsplural nounUS /ænˌtɪsəˈpeɪʃənz/
feelings of excitement about something expected to happen
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
attitude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
bachelor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
background
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
confirmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
consciousness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
continually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
die
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
Doolittle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
eligible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
EMBARRASSMENT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
escaping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
expectverbUS /ɪkˈspekt/
to think that something will happen
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
expects
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
fellow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
fifty-five
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
form
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
groundlessness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
husband
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
idea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
James
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
marry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
matrimonial
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
ObservationnounUS /ˈobservation/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
proves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
RICHES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
shadowy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
spinster
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
stands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
survivors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES No human being expects to die and all expect to marry.
waiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the background of the consciousness of the most confirmed bachelor or spinster, stands the shadowy form of the possible wife or the possible husband.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Observation continually proves the groundlessness of one or both of these anticipations, without altering the attitude of the survivors.
yoke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. James Doolittle, at fifty-five, had no idea of escaping the matrimonial yoke.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought of himself always as an eligible young fellow, waiting for the right girl to come along.
