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 Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading In the cool of that same afternoon they stood on the brow of Dibble Mountain.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
ascent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
belated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
berries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
brow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the cool of that same afternoon they stood on the brow of Dibble Mountain.
cheek
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
cliffs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
cool
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the cool of that same afternoon they stood on the brow of Dibble Mountain.
DIBBLE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
dyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
earnest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
easiest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
eaten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
forwardnounUS /forward/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
goodly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
Gordon's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
haystack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was slow work.
jutting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
MOUNTAIN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
needle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
ornamented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
picked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
purple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
quest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
real
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the cool of that same afternoon they stood on the brow of Dibble Mountain.
shinny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
slender
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
slow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was slow work.
smootch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
Sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
steep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the cool of that same afternoon they stood on the brow of Dibble Mountain.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the cool of that same afternoon they stood on the brow of Dibble Mountain.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the cool of that same afternoon they stood on the brow of Dibble Mountain.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sometimes the ascent was so steep that they found the easiest way was to “shinny” up the slender trees along the mountain side, and step off on to the jutting cliffs.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ON DIBBLE MOUNTAIN The belated quest of the needle in the haystack now went forward in real earnest.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Gordon’s hands were dyed purple from the berries he had picked and eaten along the way, and a goodly smootch ornamented his cheek.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was slow work.