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 There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
blade
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable people.
bodynounUS /body/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
bowed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything was bowed down, dejected, oppressed, and broken.
bread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Everything was bowed down, dejected, oppressed, and broken.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
change
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From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far and wide lay a ruined country, yielding nothing but desolation.
crag
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
daily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
dejected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything was bowed down, dejected, oppressed, and broken.
desolation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far and wide lay a ruined country, yielding nothing but desolation.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
dominant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything was bowed down, dejected, oppressed, and broken.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable people.
EverythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things or all the things in a particular situation
From this reading Everything was bowed down, dejected, oppressed, and broken.
Far
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far and wide lay a ruined country, yielding nothing but desolation.
fell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
forth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
fountain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
grain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable people.
grass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable people.
green
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable people.
guard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
hammer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
highway
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
hold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
ignorantadjectiveUS /ˈɪɡnərənt/
lacking knowledge or information about something
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far and wide lay a ruined country, yielding nothing but desolation.
leaf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable people.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
mender
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
miserable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable people.
morsels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Far and wide lay a ruined country, yielding nothing but desolation.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
officers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
oppressedadjectiveUS /əˈprest/
burdened, crushed, or kept down by hardship and unjust power
From this reading Everything was bowed down, dejected, oppressed, and broken.
ordered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
patches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable people.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
prison
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
probably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
reduced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
roads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
ruined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far and wide lay a ruined country, yielding nothing but desolation.
serve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
shrivelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain, was as shrivelled and poor as the miserable people.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
soldiers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
soul
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
stones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading There was a change on the village where the fountain fell, and where the mender of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and his poor reduced body together.
wide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far and wide lay a ruined country, yielding nothing but desolation.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
yielding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far and wide lay a ruined country, yielding nothing but desolation.
yore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of yore; there were soldiers to guard it, but not many; there were officers to guard the soldiers, but not one of them knew what his men would do--beyond this: that it would probably not be what he was ordered.
