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 But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
action
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From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE TIME AND THE HOUR!
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
aught
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From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
Bessie
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From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
Bessie's
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From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
Cadillac
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From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
call
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From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
catch
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From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
chieftain
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From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
companion
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From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
considerable
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From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
Count
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
difficult
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From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
double-action
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
exertion
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From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
feat
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From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
fingers
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From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
firm
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From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
firmer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
hammer
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From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
hand
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From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
Harlan's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
hold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
HOUR
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE TIME AND THE HOUR!
idea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
intention
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
muscles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
muzzle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
obliged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
ordinary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
pattern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
pirate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
position
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
present
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
prevent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
pulling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
raise
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From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
requirednounUS /required/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
revolver
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
slightest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
strained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
strong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
stronger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
succeeded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
sufficiently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
temple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TIME AND THE HOUR!
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
TIMEnounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE TIME AND THE HOUR!
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If the revolver had been an ordinary one, or if the muscles of Bessie Harlan’s fingers had been firmer and stronger, she must have taken her own life then and there, before her companion could have done aught to prevent it.
trigger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
turning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
twice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
weapon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then again, the position in which she was obliged to hold it strained the muscles of the right hand in such a position that the feat of pulling the trigger sufficiently to raise the hammer past the catch was twice difficult.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading The pirate chieftain—or, as we will call him for the present, Count Cadillac—had not the slightest idea of Bessie’s intention until she had succeeded in turning the weapon upon herself, and the muzzle of it was already against her temple.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the weapon was of the double-action pattern; more than that, the action was firm and strong, so that it required a considerable exertion of the muscles of the fingers to work it.
