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 Near a month went by without much doing.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
Babel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
buffer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Near a month went by without much doing.
called
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From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
civil
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From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
copra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
dark
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From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
dirtiest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
doing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Near a month went by without much doing.
dropping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
employment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
enticed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
family
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
feel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
folks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
foreign
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
French
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
Galoshes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
habit
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From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
kind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
languages
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
lonesome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
marriage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
mighty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
month
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Near a month went by without much doing.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Near a month went by without much doing.
muddled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
native
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
Near
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Near a month went by without much doing.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
nonepronounUS /nʌn/
not one, and not any
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
occupation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
pipe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
pound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
priest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
profit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
smokingnounUS /ˈsmoking/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
started
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
store
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
strucknounUS /struck/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
talk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
teach
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
tower
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
Uma
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could talk to Uma, of course, and started to teach me native and French at the same time.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Near a month went by without much doing.
wish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The same night of our marriage Galoshes called round, and made himself mighty civil, and got into a habit of dropping in about dark and smoking his pipe with the family.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Near a month went by without much doing.
worse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
yarned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn’t been for the other occupation I struck out, there wouldn’t have been a pound of copra in the house.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading He was a kind old buffer, though the dirtiest you would wish to see, and he muddled me up with foreign languages worse than the tower of Babel.
