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 sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
able
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
accident
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the reign of accident was over I must just take up the succession.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
awake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
bareheaded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
dinner-time
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
drop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
empty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last I felt there was only one way of laying the ghost.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
forth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
full
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
ghost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last I felt there was only one way of laying the ghost.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
gusty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
hoped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
hurried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If the reign of accident was over I must just take up the succession.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the reign of accident was over I must just take up the succession.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At last I felt there was only one way of laying the ghost.
laying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last I felt there was only one way of laying the ghost.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
meet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
midnight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading If the reign of accident was over I must just take up the succession.
nearest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
note
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading At last I felt there was only one way of laying the ghost.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last I felt there was only one way of laying the ghost.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading If the reign of accident was over I must just take up the succession.
pillar-box
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
postpone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
reign
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the reign of accident was over I must just take up the succession.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
sallied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
servants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
shouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
sit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
succession
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the reign of accident was over I must just take up the succession.
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If the reign of accident was over I must just take up the succession.
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At last I felt there was only one way of laying the ghost.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last I felt there was only one way of laying the ghost.
thinkingnounUS /thinking/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
tillprepositionUS /tɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
unrest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the reign of accident was over I must just take up the succession.
visit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was to tell him that I shouldn’t be able to be at home in the afternoon as I had hoped and that he must postpone his visit till dinner-time.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was something I couldn’t sit still for thinking of; it kept me awake--at midnight I was full of unrest.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last I felt there was only one way of laying the ghost.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
wrote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sat down and wrote a hurried note which would meet him on his return and which as the servants had gone to bed I sallied forth bareheaded into the empty, gusty street to drop into the nearest pillar-box.
