Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
3
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
action
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
alternate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
better
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
brink
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
chaos
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
compared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
confused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
d
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
discomfort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
dreamnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
ever-returning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
existence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
fancies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
fever
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
fits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
hesitation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I say human existence, I mean my own!
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
March
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
mean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I say human existence, I mean my own!
mournful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading When I say human existence, I mean my own!
neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/
not one and not the other of two
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I say human existence, I mean my own!
poet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
repenting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
repose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
restlessness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I say human existence, I mean my own!
seek
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
sleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
starts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
stop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
suddennounUS /sudden/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
thirdnounUS /third/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
thirds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
thirst
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
Two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
vain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
wake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
wasted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesitation, and the last third in repenting.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We can neither sleep nor wake; we seek in vain for repose, and we stop short on the brink of action.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What alternate fits of restlessness and sleep! what discomfort! what sudden starts! what ever-returning thirst! what a chaos of mournful and confused fancies!
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When I say human existence, I mean my own!
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading March 3d A poet has said that life is the dream of a shadow: he would better have compared it to a night of fever!
