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 THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
age
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
arrival
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
become
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
BEREAVEMENT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
bricks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
châteaunounUS /ʃæˈtoʊ/
A large French country house or castle, often surrounded by expansive estates and private galleries.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
confines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
country-seat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
edifice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
England
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
enlightened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
extremely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
firm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
forest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
forget
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
Gothic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
grandeur
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
guidance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
ill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
living
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
modest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
NevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
overlooked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
raised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
retirement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
returnednounUS /ˈreturned/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
secluded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
seriously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
Serval
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
sight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
sojourn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
solitary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
Spain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
straggling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
tutor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
twenty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
vast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.