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 /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading His hair was unkempt; streaks of dried blood zigzagged down his face, and the hair above, she saw, was matted.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
Belman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His hair was unkempt; streaks of dried blood zigzagged down his face, and the hair above, she saw, was matted.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
cave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
certain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
consciousness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
disfigured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
dried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was unkempt; streaks of dried blood zigzagged down his face, and the hair above, she saw, was matted.
effectively
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was unkempt; streaks of dried blood zigzagged down his face, and the hair above, she saw, was matted.
finger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
funnel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was unkempt; streaks of dried blood zigzagged down his face, and the hair above, she saw, was matted.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
hidden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
kindliness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
knelt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
lying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
making
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
matted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was unkempt; streaks of dried blood zigzagged down his face, and the hair above, she saw, was matted.
mouth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
put
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
ragged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
reassuredverbUS /ˌriːəˈʃʊrd/
made less worried or afraid
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
recess
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
recovered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
shirt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
signal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
streaks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was unkempt; streaks of dried blood zigzagged down his face, and the hair above, she saw, was matted.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As she opened her eyes she saw him put his finger to his mouth, as though to signal silence.
torn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
trousers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A man in a torn shirt and ragged trousers was standing by her side, looking down at her.
unkempt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was unkempt; streaks of dried blood zigzagged down his face, and the hair above, she saw, was matted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading /When/ Margaret Belman recovered consciousness she was in the open air, lying in a little recess, effectively hidden from the mouth of the cave.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
whispered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet there was a certain kindliness in his disfigured face which reassured her as he knelt down and, making a funnel of his hands, whispered:
zigzagged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was unkempt; streaks of dried blood zigzagged down his face, and the hair above, she saw, was matted.