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 After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
absence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
active
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
anchor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
arrival
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
B
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
begged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had begged the leniency of a leave for him.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
cruisenounUS /kruːz/
a journey by sea for a particular purpose
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
drive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
dropped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
dutynounUS /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
explained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A letter from his mother partly explained the situation.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had begged the leniency of a leave for him.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
Frolic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
granted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had begged the leniency of a leave for him.
harbor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
Indian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
lad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
learned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
leave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
leniency
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had begged the leniency of a leave for him.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A letter from his mother partly explained the situation.
Mark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
Mark's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
married
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
Merrill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
met
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A letter from his mother partly explained the situation.
New
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
partly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A letter from his mother partly explained the situation.
reader
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
second
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had begged the leniency of a leave for him.
situation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A letter from his mother partly explained the situation.
story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
surprise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
West
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
wicked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
wild
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mark’s father had been a wild, but not wicked, lad, and his mother had married a second time.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Upon his arrival in B---- his mother met him, and upon the drive home he learned the story, which I will now let the reader know.
York
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After her West Indian cruise the Frolic dropped anchor in New York harbor, and, to his surprise, Mark Merrill found a leave of absence granted him from active duty.
