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 Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
alarmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
amazement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
bankers
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From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
bearer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
communication
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
day
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From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
demoralised
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From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
envelope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
expects
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
failed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
filled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
firm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
footstep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
further
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
Gervase
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
gets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
ill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
imagination
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
initials
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
man
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From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
news
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
NextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
overwhelming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
received
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
road
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
seems
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
trouble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
troubles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
unexpectedly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
unforeseen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
well-known
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
wildest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
wrong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
