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 When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
brief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
bright
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
chunky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
controlling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
crowded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
danced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
darkness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
Denver
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
fired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
flood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
Hollis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
late
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
lifetime
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/
Recollections of past events.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
nemesis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
pulling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
put
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
ranch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
response
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
sleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
slipped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
stirred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
Terry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed to him that half a lifetime had been crowded into the brief hours since he was fired on the ranch that morning.
ugly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind everything stirred the ugly face of Denver as a sort of controlling nemesis.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was some time before Terry could sleep, though it was now very late.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When he put out the light and slipped into the bed, the darkness brought a bright flood of memories of the day before him.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
wires
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that the chunky little man had been pulling the wires all the time while he, Terry Hollis, danced in response.
