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 When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
agents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
belonged
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From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
bewilderednounUS /bewildered/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
bunch
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From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
burned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
classed
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From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
conviction
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From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
determination
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
dreamed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
Empire
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From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
EverybodypronounUS /ˈevribɑːdi/
every person
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
faces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
fools
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
German
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
goblins
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From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
granted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
HELPS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
HIGGINS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
hundred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
idiotic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
imaginenounUS /ˈimagine/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
JIMMIE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
KAISER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
labours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
laughed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
Leesville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
Machine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
mania
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
midst
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
nursery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
preposterous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
regarded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
resentment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
sea-serpents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
Shops
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
spies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
spite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
spy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
stories
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
supportverbUS /səˈpɔːrt/
to provide what someone needs in order to live
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
TakenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
talking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
utmost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
various
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
war
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Everybody seemed to take it for granted that the Empire Machine Shops had been burned by German agents; they just knew it, and by the time the fire was out they had a hundred various stories to support their conviction.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And here suddenly the bewildered little man found himself in the midst of a German spy mania, the like of which he could never have dreamed!
witches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmie heard people talking about German spies, he laughed in their faces, he told them they were a bunch of fools, they belonged in the nursery; for Jimmie classed German spies with goblins, witches and sea-serpents.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading JIMMIE HIGGINS HELPS THE KAISER I Jimmie Higgins regarded with the utmost resentment the determination of the war to come to Leesville, in spite of all his labours to keep it out.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Take the most preposterous thing you could imagine--the most idiotic thing on the face of the earth--take German spies!