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 had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
acquaintance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
affairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
also
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
barrister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
breakfast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
brighter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
chambers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
change
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
clergyman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
deriving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
drunken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
entered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
existence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
faintness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
food
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
forever
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
gave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
hope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
imperative
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
keys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
lips
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
overcome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
paid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
power
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
recollected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
reeledverbUS /riːld/
moved unsteadily as if about to fall
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
render
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
slight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
thrown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
transacted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
visited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
visits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
walked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I walked towards my home I was overcome with faintness, and I reeled like a drunken man.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
wastenounUS /weɪst/
an empty, uncultivated area of land
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It was well on in the afternoon when I entered my house.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I had been to my chambers, and having transacted some business which the change in my affairs seemed to me to render imperative, I gave up the keys, and turned my back forever upon the brighter side of my existence.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading I had also visited a clergyman and a barrister with whom I had a slight acquaintance; it was waste power, time thrown away, and I must have paid the visits without the least hope of deriving any good from them.
yesterday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I recollected that food had not passed my lips since breakfast yesterday morning.
