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 They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
absurd
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From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
advantage
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From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
almost
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From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
asinine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
awkwardness
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From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
back
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From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
blinking
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From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
cad
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From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
fate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
fatuous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
filled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
finenounUS /fine/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
garden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
gone
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From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
hadn't
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From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading There was a preposterous possibility--yes, he held the strings quite in his hands--of keeping the treasure for himself.
happy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
Harriet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a preposterous possibility--yes, he held the strings quite in his hands--of keeping the treasure for himself.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
horror
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
keeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a preposterous possibility--yes, he held the strings quite in his hands--of keeping the treasure for himself.
knees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
lawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
Maupassant's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
Miss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/
not one and not the other of two
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
particular
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
possibility
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a preposterous possibility--yes, he held the strings quite in his hands--of keeping the treasure for himself.
precautionsplural nounUS /prɪˈkɔʃənz/
actions taken to prevent danger
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
preposterous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a preposterous possibility--yes, he held the strings quite in his hands--of keeping the treasure for himself.
present
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
protect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
put
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a preposterous possibility--yes, he held the strings quite in his hands--of keeping the treasure for himself.
recalled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
resist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
shawl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
smitten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
strings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a preposterous possibility--yes, he held the strings quite in his hands--of keeping the treasure for himself.
sunshine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
task
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was neither fatuous nor asinine, but he had almost to put it to himself as a small task to resist the sense of his absurd advantage with her.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
tragic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
treasure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a preposterous possibility--yes, he held the strings quite in his hands--of keeping the treasure for himself.
usual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
watery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It filled him with horror and awkwardness, made him think of he didn't know what, recalled something of Maupassant's--the smitten "Miss Harriet" and her tragic fate.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she wouldn't hear of his being yet beyond precautions she had gone into the house for a particular shawl that was just the thing for his knees, and, blinking in the watery sunshine, had come back with it across the fine little lawn.
yes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a preposterous possibility--yes, he held the strings quite in his hands--of keeping the treasure for himself.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading They were as usual in the garden, and it hadn't yet been so present to him that if he were only a happy cad there would be a good way to protect her.
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