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 There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
besidesprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪdz/
in addition to; as well as
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
bits
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From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
boys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
brothers
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From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
bundles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
burning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
corner
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From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I wish I could see it."
damp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
dull
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
fathers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
fighting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
France
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
furniture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
gunpowder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I wish I could see it."
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading PARIS IN THE SIEGE.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I wish I could see it."
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
lamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
lined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
Lucy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
lying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
mixedverbUS /mɪkst/
involved with or connected to
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
noise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
PARIS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PARIS IN THE SIEGE.
piles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
Prussian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
rattling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
rough-haired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I could see it."
sharp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
SIEGE
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From this reading PARIS IN THE SIEGE.
smell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
steps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
stone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
straw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PARIS IN THE SIEGE.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
thundernounUS /ˈthunder/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
Uncle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
unwholesome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
vaulted-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A little lamp was burning in a corner, piles of straw and bits of furniture were lying about, and upon one of the bundles of straw sat a little rough-haired girl.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading "And Uncle Joe is in France, where the fathers and brothers of those little Prussian boys have been fighting.
whizzing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
wish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I could see it."
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was a thunder and a whizzing in the air and a sharp rattling noise besides; a strange, damp unwholesome smell too, mixed with that of gunpowder; and when Lucy looked up, she found herself down some steps in a dark, dull, vaulted-looking place, lined with stone, however, and open to the street above.
