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 This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Deux-Cent-Quarante settlement lay beneath the snow as though it had disappeared.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The Deux-Cent-Quarante settlement lay beneath the snow as though it had disappeared.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
ceased
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From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
chimneys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
coal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
cold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
Deux-Cent-Quarante
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Deux-Cent-Quarante settlement lay beneath the snow as though it had disappeared.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
disappearednounUS /ˈdisappeared/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The Deux-Cent-Quarante settlement lay beneath the snow as though it had disappeared.
dust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
end
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
falling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
frost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
frozen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
houses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
immense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
inky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
intense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Deux-Cent-Quarante settlement lay beneath the snow as though it had disappeared.
layer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
melt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
powdered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
quarry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
roads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
settlement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Deux-Cent-Quarante settlement lay beneath the snow as though it had disappeared.
sheet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
shroud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
single
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
slabs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
smoke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
Snow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
stones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
stretching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The Deux-Cent-Quarante settlement lay beneath the snow as though it had disappeared.
tiles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No smoke came out of the chimneys; the houses, without fire and as cold as the stones in the street, did not melt the thick layer on the tiles.
trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Snow had been falling for two days; since the morning it had ceased, and an intense frost had frozen the immense sheet.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
vision
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
walls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
whiteness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading This black country, with its inky roads and walls and trees powdered with coal dust, was now white, a single whiteness stretching out without end.
wound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was nothing more than a quarry of white slabs in the white plain, a vision of a dead village wound in its shroud.
