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 My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
anxiously
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From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
aroused
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From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
cessation
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From this reading Upon the cessation of the rain, a strict frost had succeeded.
changed
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From this reading For the weather had in the meantime changed.
cold
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From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
Colonel
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From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
companions
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From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
criminals
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From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
deaf
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From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
difficulty
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From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
dish
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From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
dreamnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
drunk
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From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
everywhere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
fireside
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the weather had in the meantime changed.
frost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon the cessation of the rain, a strict frost had succeeded.
gentlemannounUS /ˈgentleman/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
glittered
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From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
ice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
icicles
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From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
issuednounUS /issued/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
like
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From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
Major
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
maudlin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
meantimenounUS /ˈmiːntaɪm/
the period of time while something else is happening
From this reading For the weather had in the meantime changed.
moon
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From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
near
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
permanent
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From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
polite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
rain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon the cessation of the rain, a strict frost had succeeded.
say
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From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
scathing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
sheets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
sparkled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
started
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
strict
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon the cessation of the rain, a strict frost had succeeded.
succeeded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon the cessation of the rain, a strict frost had succeeded.
tea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
ten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
thousand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Upon the cessation of the rain, a strict frost had succeeded.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We had a dish of tea by the fireside, and then issued like criminals into the scathing cold of the night.
weather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the weather had in the meantime changed.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he was very deaf and anxiously polite; the Major still maudlin drunk.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
zenith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moon, being young, was already near the zenith when we started, glittered everywhere on sheets of ice, and sparkled in ten thousand icicles.
