Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
alive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
all
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From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
associated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
blankness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
coming
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From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
compass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
day
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From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
death
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From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
face
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From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
figure
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From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
fire
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From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
fortunes
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From this reading Whatever my fortunes might have been, I could scarcely have recalled my sister with much tenderness.
gap
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From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
grave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
ground
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From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
haunted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Whatever my fortunes might have been, I could scarcely have recalled my sister with much tenderness.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
ideas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
kitchen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
knock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
late
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Whatever my fortunes might have been, I could scarcely have recalled my sister with much tenderness.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whatever my fortunes might have been, I could scarcely have recalled my sister with much tenderness.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
perpetual
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From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
possibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
presently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
recalled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whatever my fortunes might have been, I could scarcely have recalled my sister with much tenderness.
road
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
rooms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
scarcely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whatever my fortunes might have been, I could scarcely have recalled my sister with much tenderness.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
seldom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
sister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The figure of my sister in her chair by the kitchen fire, haunted me night and day.
smooth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
strangest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
suggestion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
tenderness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whatever my fortunes might have been, I could scarcely have recalled my sister with much tenderness.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
turn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
unable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
WhateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Whatever my fortunes might have been, I could scarcely have recalled my sister with much tenderness.
whereasconjunctionUS /weˈræz/
in contrast with the fact that
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death and a perpetual suggestion of the sound of her voice or the turn of her face or figure, as if she were still alive and had been often there.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
wonderfulnounUS /ˈwonderful/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading That the place could possibly be, without her, was something my mind seemed unable to compass; and whereas she had seldom or never been in my thoughts of late, I had now the strangest ideas that she was coming towards me in the street, or that she would presently knock at the door.
