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 Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
abysses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
answerednounUS /ˈanswered/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “I do not know,” answered Eugene.
appearing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
ask
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
Beauseant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
calculations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
changes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
de
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “I do not know,” answered Eugene.
dressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
enjoyment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
Eugene
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I do not know,” answered Eugene.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
furnished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
henceforward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
hope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I do not know,” answered Eugene.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
insidious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
instinct
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
interest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
introduction
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
involuntary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I do not know,” answered Eugene.
Marechale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
meant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
Mme
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
moralists
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “I do not know,” answered Eugene.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
personal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
phrase
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
pleasure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
prompted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
promptings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
purpose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
rapid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
rhetoric
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
scale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
text
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The “abysses of the human heart,” in the moralists’ phrase, are only insidious thoughts, involuntary promptings of personal interest.
thrill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”
turns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
Vicomtesse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing before the Vicomtesse, dressed as henceforward he always meant to be.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale; those rapid changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “I will go to Mme. de Beauseant and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale.”