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 It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
Amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "Am I awake or dreaming?"
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
awake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Am I awake or dreaming?"
Basil's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
certain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
death
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
determinedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtɜrmɪnd/
having firmly decided to do something
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
difficulty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
dreaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Am I awake or dreaming?"
effort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
endeavoured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
floating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Am I awake or dreaming?"
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
impressions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
marshal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Am I awake or dreaming?"
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
recall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
rescued
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
state
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
succeeded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
travelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
Two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
unconscious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
used
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
walls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was the thought that passed through Basil's mind as he opened his eyes.
weak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
weeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two weeks had passed since he had been rescued from death; and for the most of that time he had been unconscious.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But certain floating impressions were his, which now, as his eyes travelled round the walls of the room in which he lay, he endeavoured to recall.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not without difficulty that he succeeded, but after long and determined--if in his weak state such a word may be used--effort, these impressions began to marshal themselves.