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 It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
advertising
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From this reading There was no need whatever for Denry to spend money on advertising.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
all
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From this reading The first members of the Club did all the advertising and made no charge for doing it.
almost
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From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The first members of the Club did all the advertising and made no charge for doing it.
any
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
appealed
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
charge
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From this reading The first members of the Club did all the advertising and made no charge for doing it.
Club
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From this reading The success was that of his Universal Thrift Club.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
democracy
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
Denry
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From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
device
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The first members of the Club did all the advertising and made no charge for doing it.
district
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
doing
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From this reading The first members of the Club did all the advertising and made no charge for doing it.
enormous
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
failure
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From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The first members of the Club did all the advertising and made no charge for doing it.
Five
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was no need whatever for Denry to spend money on advertising.
force
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
get
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
goods
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
happened
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From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The success was that of his Universal Thrift Club.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
instalments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
large
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
made
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From this reading The first members of the Club did all the advertising and made no charge for doing it.
malady
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From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
members
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
money
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From this reading There was no need whatever for Denry to spend money on advertising.
namely
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From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
nearly
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
neednounUS /need/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was no need whatever for Denry to spend money on advertising.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was no need whatever for Denry to spend money on advertising.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was no need whatever for Denry to spend money on advertising.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
pound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
pounds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
ravages
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From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
shop
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
spend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no need whatever for Denry to spend money on advertising.
subscribing
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
success
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
suffer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
surfeit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no need whatever for Denry to spend money on advertising.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
Thrift
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The success was that of his Universal Thrift Club.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
Towns
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From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
Universal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The success was that of his Universal Thrift Club.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The success was that of his Universal Thrift Club.
weekly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading There was no need whatever for Denry to spend money on advertising.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
worse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I It next happened that Denry began to suffer from the ravages of a malady which is almost worse than failure—namely, a surfeit of success.
worth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This device, by which members after subscribing one pound in weekly instalments could at once get two pounds’ worth of goods at nearly any large shop in the district, appealed with enormous force to the democracy of the Five Towns.
