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 The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
ability
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
actor-half
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not purely perdition for him, or, rather, it was perdition for only one-half of him, the author-half; for the actor-half it was paradise.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
author
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
author-half
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not purely perdition for him, or, rather, it was perdition for only one-half of him, the author-half; for the actor-half it was paradise.
bankruptcy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
beginningnounUS /ˈbeginning/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
brings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
clatter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
Clemens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
crude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
debts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
ears
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
exult
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
firm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
follynounUS /ˈfɑːli/
an action or decision that shows a lack of good judgment
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
hated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
histrionic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
inevitable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
interest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
invokes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
lecturer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
lecturing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
literary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
middle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
misery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
nerves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not purely perdition for him, or, rather, it was perdition for only one-half of him, the author-half; for the actor-half it was paradise.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
one-half
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not purely perdition for him, or, rather, it was perdition for only one-half of him, the author-half; for the actor-half it was paradise.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not purely perdition for him, or, rather, it was perdition for only one-half of him, the author-half; for the actor-half it was paradise.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was not purely perdition for him, or, rather, it was perdition for only one-half of him, the author-half; for the actor-half it was paradise.
paradise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not purely perdition for him, or, rather, it was perdition for only one-half of him, the author-half; for the actor-half it was paradise.
payment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
perdition
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
peril
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
personal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
platform
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
pretend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
public
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
publishing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
purely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not purely perdition for him, or, rather, it was perdition for only one-half of him, the author-half; for the actor-half it was paradise.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not purely perdition for him, or, rather, it was perdition for only one-half of him, the author-half; for the actor-half it was paradise.
re-entered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
reader's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
reputation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
round-the-world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
supportverbUS /səˈpɔːrt/
to provide what someone needs in order to live
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
supposenounUS /ˈsuppose/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
swarming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
takes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
test
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
tour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
triumphs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
undertook
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
unknown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
victorious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
wearing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was this perdition which he re-entered when he undertook that round-the-world lecturing tour for the payment of the debts left to him by the bankruptcy of his firm in the publishing business.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading But I suppose, with the wearing nerves of middle life, he hated more and more the personal swarming of interest upon him, and all the inevitable clatter of the thing.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The author who takes up lecturing without the ability to give histrionic support to the literary reputation which he brings to the crude test of his reader’s eyes and ears, invokes a peril and a misery unknown to the lecturer who has made his first public from the platform.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Clemens was victorious on the platform from the beginning, and it would be folly to pretend that he did not exult in his triumphs there.
