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 was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
blind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
cause
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
consideration
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
death
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But I did not know how to start upon it.
direction
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
easy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
fingers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
FIRSTnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
form
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
groping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I did not know how to start upon it.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
idea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But I did not know how to start upon it.
knowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
London
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
MOVE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
object
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
occurred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
plans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
purpose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
relinquish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
saveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
search
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
slipped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
solemn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
startnounUS /start/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But I did not know how to start upon it.
story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading But I did not know how to start upon it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE FIRST MOVE My first plans were not easy to form.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I was like a blind man groping for some object which has slipped from his fingers, and not knowing in which direction to search for it first.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I had a great and solemn purpose before me, a purpose which was my first consideration in life, and which nothing but death would cause me to relinquish.
written
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was in London when the idea occurred to me, save for which this story might never have been written.
