Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
amphibian's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
awhile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Then it can carry me back to shore."
build
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Then it can carry me back to shore."
carry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Then it can carry me back to shore."
closed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
concentrating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
constituted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
constriction
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From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
continuednounUS /ˈcontinued/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Only partially was that possible, of course.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
finding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
fish's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
full
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
George
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
Hanlon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
holding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
Humans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Then it can carry me back to shore."
job
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
keeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Then it can carry me back to shore."
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
muscles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
Only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only partially was that possible, of course.
partially
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only partially was that possible, of course.
perhaps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
periods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only partially was that possible, of course.
requirednounUS /required/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
shore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Then it can carry me back to shore."
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
strengthnounUS /ˈstrength/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Then it can carry me back to shore."
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Humans are just not constituted so they can think of only one thing for long periods of time.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Then it can carry me back to shore."
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
use
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
wait
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Only partially was that possible, of course.
wearily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "If I wait here awhile, perhaps the fish's strength will build up again," George Hanlon had thought wearily.
wound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he continued concentrating on the job of keeping those muscles closed around the wound in the amphibian's side, finding it required full use of his mind to think of holding that constriction, and of nothing else.
