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 I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
abominable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
accent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
addressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
affairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
age
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
betwixtprepositionUS /biˈtwɪkst/
an old word for “between”
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
breech
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
cannon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
civilian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
clothes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
colour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
comical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
conceived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
consideration
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
cut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
distance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
dressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
drewnounUS /drew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
eyebrows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
fluency
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
forehead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
French
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
inscrutable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
language
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
marked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
met
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
middle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
mulberry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
near
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
object
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
observing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
piece
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
plainness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
protuberant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
Quakerish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
shortly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
soon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
sparrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
spite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
spoke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
stranger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
surprisednounUS /surprised/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
tufted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
unalarmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
well-to-do
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
