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 They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
abandoned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
actual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
adventure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Which meant an amusing adventure.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
amusing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Which meant an amusing adventure.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Which meant an amusing adventure.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
backs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
camp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
canyon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
children
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From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
cinder-strewn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
climbed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
colour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
comic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
corralled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
cured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
curiosities
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
daughter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
delight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
distantadjectiveUS /ˈdɪstənt/
not friendly or close
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
family
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
freeadjectiveUS /friː/
acting without enough restraint or discipline
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
grass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
grew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
Hal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
Hal's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
horde
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
idle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
irresistibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
lying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
meant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Which meant an amusing adventure.
mine-life
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
mountains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
observed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
painted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
pets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
picnic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
picture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
rapture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
rolling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
school
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
seeing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
sliding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
somebody's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
spot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
sunlight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
taking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
vivid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The delight of Hal’s pets at seeing the sunlight was irresistibly comic.
wash
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading They could not be kept from lying down and rolling on their backs in the cinder-strewn street; and when they were corralled in a distant part of the camp where actual grass grew, they abandoned themselves to rapture like a horde of school children at a picnic.
WhichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Which meant an amusing adventure.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he was sliding down again, toward evening, a vivid spot of colour was painted into his picture of mine-life; he found himself in somebody’s back yard, and being observed by somebody’s daughter, who was taking in the family wash.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So Hal had a few free hours; and being still young and not cured of idle curiosities, he climbed the canyon wall to see the mountains.
