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 To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
affair
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From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
Allonby
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From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
any
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From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
conversation
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From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
critic
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From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
cup
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From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
drift
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From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
Effie
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From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
entertainment
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From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
EvennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/
apart from; not including
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
extravagances
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From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
fate
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From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
find
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From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
finenounUS /fine/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
garden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
hand
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From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
happiness
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From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
holds
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From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
idea
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From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
importance
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From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
individual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
kind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
ladies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
large
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
lives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
mar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
mean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
meant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
partner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
partynounUS /party/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
passive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
philosophical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
predestined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
purpose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
severe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
tea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
tennis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
thus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
unconcerned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
uninterested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
unoccupied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
