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 Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
actually
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From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
all
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From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
away
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From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
backward
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From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
beauty
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From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
bedecked
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From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
blush
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From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
bridal
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From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
centered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
close
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From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
coming
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From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
crape
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From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
curtains
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From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
DARKNESS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS.
dawn
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From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
day
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From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
death
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From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
drearily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
eastern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
Ester
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
festive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
floating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
folds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
funeral
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
glided
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
grew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
heavy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
impossible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
LifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
LIGHT
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From this reading LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
mirrors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
OUT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS.
plans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
preparations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
raised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
rosy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
seem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
shrouded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
shutting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
sky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
Slowly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
strangelynounUS /ˈstrangely/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
suddennounUS /sudden/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
touched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Life and death, a wedding and a funeral--they had never either of them touched so close to her before; and now the one had suddenly glided backward, and left her heart heavy with the coming of the other.
unreal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
wedding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely the house looked--here a room bedecked in festive beauty for the wedding; there one with shrouded mirrors, and floating folds of crape!
weeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading How strangely unreal, how even impossible did it seem to Ester, as she raised the curtains and looked drearily out upon the dawn, that this was actually the day upon which her thoughts had centered during the last three weeks What a sudden shutting down had there been to all their plans and preparations!
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
wore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Slowly, slowly, the night wore away, and the eastern sky grew rosy with the blush of a new morning--the bridal morning!
