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 As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The step he had taken was not only irreparable but irrevocable; he could not go back.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
bowed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
brain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
cleared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The step he had taken was not only irreparable but irrevocable; he could not go back.
dragged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
effects
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
excitement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
extent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
faced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
Falconer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
flung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The step he had taken was not only irreparable but irrevocable; he could not go back.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
import
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
irreparable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The step he had taken was not only irreparable but irrevocable; he could not go back.
irreparably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
irrevocable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The step he had taken was not only irreparable but irrevocable; he could not go back.
kissed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
laboured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
lips
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
love
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
loved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
Maude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
paced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
reaction
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
realise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
ruined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
sacrifice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
sounded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
spoken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
Stafford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
suppressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
terriblenounUS /ˈterrible/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
tragedy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hours dragged along as Stafford faced the tragedy of his life.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
wine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading As he paced the room or flung himself into a chair, with his head bowed in his hands, the effects of the wine he had taken, the suppressed excitement under which he had laboured, passed away, and in the reaction his brain cleared and he began to realise the terrible import of the step he had taken, the extent of the sacrifice he had made.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had asked Maude Falconer to be his wife, he had spoken words which must have sounded to her as words of love, he had kissed her lips.
wreckedadjectiveUS /rɛkt/
destroyed or damaged by shipwreck
From this reading His own life was wrecked and ruined irreparably; not only his own, but that of the girl he loved.
