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 At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
breast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
business
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From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
Chancery
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From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
Company
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From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
compartment
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From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
Deposit
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From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
directed
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From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
document
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was only now the document left.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
drive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
engaged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Stepping once more into the street, he found that his taxicab had vanished.
four
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From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Stepping once more into the street, he found that his taxicab had vanished.
happened
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From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
headquarters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
HerenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Stepping once more into the street, he found that his taxicab had vanished.
Lane
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
Laverick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was only now the document left.
locked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
meantimenounUS /ˈmiːntaɪm/
the period of time while something else is happening
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stepping once more into the street, he found that his taxicab had vanished.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was only now the document left.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stepping once more into the street, he found that his taxicab had vanished.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was only now the document left.
ordered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
placed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
pocket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
pocket-book
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
precisely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
quarter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
rush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
safe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
securely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
steady
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
Stepping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stepping once more into the street, he found that his taxicab had vanished.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stepping once more into the street, he found that his taxicab had vanished.
strong-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
summoned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
taxicab
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Stepping once more into the street, he found that his taxicab had vanished.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was only now the document left.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At precisely a quarter past four, nothing having happened in the meantime but a steady rush of business, Laverick ordered a taxicab to be summoned.
unlocked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here at the headquarters of the Safe Deposit Company he engaged a compartment, and down in the strong-room locked up the pocket-book.
vanished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stepping once more into the street, he found that his taxicab had vanished.
walked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He then unlocked his safe, placed the pocket-book securely in his breast pocket, walked through the office, and directed the man to drive to Chancery Lane.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was only now the document left.
