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 In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
African
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From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
air
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From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
anxiety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
approaching
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From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
asleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
awakened
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From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
bay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
chestnut-tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
compared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
dread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdrɛdfəl/
extremely frightening or unpleasant
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
enemy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
feeble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
fell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
fibre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
FLIGHT
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From this reading FLIGHT.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
forest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
gazed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
grasping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
grass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
ground
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
hoe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
house-dog
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
keen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
leaves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
lion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This sound was the roaring of a lion!
lone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
menageries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
nearly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
nervous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This sound was the roaring of a lion!
often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
possessed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
precarious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
quivering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
reedy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
rent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
roar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
roaring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This sound was the roaring of a lion!
rolled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
roost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
situation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
startnounUS /start/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
terror
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This sound was the roaring of a lion!
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I had heard it often in menageries at home; but there the sound was feeble as the bay of a house-dog when compared to the dread roar, which rolled along the ground and rent the still air of the morning in that lone African forest.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading In this precarious situation I must have been asleep for some hours, when awakened by a dreadful sound, and with a start so nervous that I nearly fell from my roost upon the long, reedy grass below.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading A terror possessed me; yet, grasping my hoe, while quivering in every fibre, I gazed with keen anxiety between the leaves of the chestnut-tree for the approaching enemy.
