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 Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
advance
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From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
Armstrong
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From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
await
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
broad
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From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
burden
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From this reading He remembered that landing as he came up with his burden.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
came
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From this reading He remembered that landing as he came up with his burden.
ceased
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From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
closing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
coming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
far
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From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
front
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From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
gave
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From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
green
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
hall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He remembered that landing as he came up with his burden.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
hesitating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He remembered that landing as he came up with his burden.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
ItsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
landing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
lawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
lengthnounUS /leŋθ/
a period of time or extent
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
lit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
melody
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
mullioned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
pause
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
remembered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He remembered that landing as he came up with his burden.
row
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
singer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
softly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
stair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
stairway
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
stepped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He remembered that landing as he came up with his burden.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Armstrong stepped out into the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
undecided
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He remembered that landing as he came up with his burden.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
view
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The melody was coming from the broad stairway, and ceased as the singer seemed to pause on the landing.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading He stood hesitating, undecided whether to advance as far as the head of the stair or await the coming of the girl where he was.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its whole length was lit by a row of mullioned windows, and one of these, being open, gave a view upon the green lawn in front of the house.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He remembered that landing as he came up with his burden.
