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 Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We may struggle as we please, we are not born economists.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/
next to; at the side of
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
bornnounUS /born/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We may struggle as we please, we are not born economists.
Britain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
calamity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
cellar-doors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
chests
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
closed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
crushing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
defeats
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
desertedverbUS /dɪˈzɜːrtɪd/
left a place or vessel without intending to return
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
disastrous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
distresses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
economists
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We may struggle as we please, we are not born economists.
factories
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
figure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
firewoodnounUS /ˈfirewood/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
French
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
girls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
Glasgow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
GreatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
hardly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
homeless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
houses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
imagination
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
Labouring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
lends
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
lively
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
livingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
loiteringverbUS /ˈlɔɪtərɪŋ/
standing or moving slowly without a clear purpose
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
makes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
mankind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
market
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
Moscow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We may struggle as we please, we are not born economists.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
papers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
please
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We may struggle as we please, we are not born economists.
prolonged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
removed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
represented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
retreat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
reverses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
series
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
starving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
street-corners
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
streets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
strikes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
struggle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We may struggle as we please, we are not born economists.
sustained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
throughoutprepositionUS /θruːˈaʊt/
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But I had never taken them home to me or represented these distresses livingly to my imagination.
treatment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
trifling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
turn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A turn of the market may be a calamity as disastrous as the French retreat from Moscow; but it hardly lends itself to lively treatment, and makes a trifling figure in the morning papers.
Tyne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
useless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
vaguely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We may struggle as we please, we are not born economists.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading I had heard vaguely of these reverses; of whole streets of houses standing deserted by the Tyne, the cellar-doors broken and removed for firewood; of homeless men loitering at the street-corners of Glasgow with their chests beside them; of closed factories, useless strikes, and starving girls.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Labouring mankind had in the last years, and throughout Great Britain, sustained a prolonged and crushing series of defeats.
