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 mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
aching
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From this reading The mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
affection
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From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
all
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From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
avoid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
bungalow
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From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
ceased
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From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
child
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From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
clattering
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From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
convalescence
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From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
degenerated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
describes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
going
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From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
Gracie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
health
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
hid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
hysterical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
induced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
interest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
jerky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
laugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
love
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
marry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
Masters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
meeting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His interest in Gracie induced him not to avoid meeting her on the front.
novelist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
perfect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
PLAYING
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
reached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
road
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
sad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
signposts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
smile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
SPY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
sweet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
usual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
veil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
visits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
warmth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The child was all warmth and affection and love for the man she was going to marry.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It was not what a novelist describes as a sad sweet smile; it had degenerated into an hysterical, jerky, clattering, little laugh.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading PLAYING THE SPY When the child had passed all the signposts on the road of convalescence, had reached perfect health, Masters ceased his visits to the bungalow.
woman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mother hid her aching heart behind a smile: a woman's usual veil.
