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 the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
address
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
arms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
attracting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
beard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
bold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
cheered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
comradesnounUS /ˈkɑːmrædz/
people who share difficult work or danger, especially soldiers
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
cooking-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
couplenounUS /ˈkʌpəl/
two people or things considered together
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
crutched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
ease
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
enormously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
example
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
fat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
fern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
fins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
fish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
followed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
grey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
Heavenly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Heavenly sights rewarded him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
hung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
ill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
instruction
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
investigated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
leg
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
lighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
notice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
pointed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
pots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
Prawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
Prawn's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
profited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
properly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
rewarded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Heavenly sights rewarded him.
Scout
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
Scoutmaster
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
shifting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
sights
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Heavenly sights rewarded him.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
sinewy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
somehow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
sticks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
tillprepositionUS /tɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
tones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
unostentatiously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
visibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And this, too, was the first time that William had ever profited by the instruction of his Scoutmaster or the example of his comrades.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William had never heard any one address The Prawn in these tones, and somehow it cheered him.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Prawn, visibly ill at ease, was shifting from one sinewy leg to the other, while an enormously fat little man with a pointed grey beard and arms like the fins of a fish investigated a couple of pots that hung on properly crutched sticks over the small fire that William had lighted in the cooking-place.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
wriggled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the silence that followed he turned on his face and wriggled unostentatiously through the fern, as a Scout should, till he could see that bold man without attracting The Prawn’s notice.
