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 I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
article
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
busy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
Carols
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I said I had been down to hear the Carols.
Christmas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
consciencenounUS /ˈkɑːnʃəns/
the inner sense of right and wrong
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
Constable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
destiny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
deuce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
discovery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
doorstep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I said I had been down to hear the Carols.
dust-pan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
establishment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
expected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
festivities
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
floors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
fullyadverbUS /ˈfʊli/
to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (“full” in this sense is used as a combining form)
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
getting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
ha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I said I had been down to hear the Carols.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
Joe's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
kitchen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
led
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
ourselvespronounUS /aʊərˈselvz/
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
prodigiouslyadverbUS /prəˈdɪdʒəsli/
to an extraordinarily large or impressive degree
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
put
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
ready
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
reaping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
robbery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I said I had been down to hear the Carols.
salutation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
showed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
sister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
sooner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
vigorously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
waiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I fully expected to find a Constable in the kitchen, waiting to take me up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for the festivities of the day, and Joe had been put upon the kitchen doorstep to keep him out of the dust-pan,—an article into which his destiny always led him, sooner or later, when my sister was vigorously reaping the floors of her establishment.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading But not only was there no Constable there, but no discovery had yet been made of the robbery.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “And where the deuce ha’ _you_ been?” was Mrs. Joe’s Christmas salutation, when I and my conscience showed ourselves.
