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 All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
acquaintance
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From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
All
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From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
arrival
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From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
Atwater
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From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
aware
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From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
become
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From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
better
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From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
big
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From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
brief
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From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
building
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
burst
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From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
close-fitting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
competing
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From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
conventionalities
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From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
conversation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
convinced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
drawing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
due
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From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
fastened
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From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
figure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
firm
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From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
floor
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From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
further
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
glimpse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
ground-plan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
handled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
hat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
high
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
incident
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
insight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
jacket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
key
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
knitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
large
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
occupied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
planning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
poring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
refinement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
regard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
roar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
shanter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
shirt-sleeves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
showing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
soaring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
strident
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
tam-o
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
trim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The father he had not seen, his eyes having been fastened on the trim figure of the girl in the close-fitting knitted jacket and tam-o’-shanter hat.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had heard more or less conversation in a high key, and had become aware of a strident voice soaring above the roar of the street, but he was too much occupied with the new arrival to give the incident further thought.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When Joe burst in, Atwater was in his shirt-sleeves, poring over a big drawing, showing the ground-plan of a large office building for which the firm were competing.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading All the way to his office, Joe was planning for a better acquaintance with the girl on the first floor.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had but a glimpse of the mother, but even that brief insight had convinced him that she was a woman of refinement, and must be handled with due regard for the conventionalities of life.
