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 The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
American
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
autograph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
big
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
blue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
bonds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
brave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
characteristic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
dining-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
enlightened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
explained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
general
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
lady
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
lap
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
occupied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
prepared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
probably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
propensity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
quality
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
race
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
spirit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
utterance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was enlightened probably not so much by the spirit of the utterance as by some quality of its sound.
volume
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
wait
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
waiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve been waiting half an hour, but I’m prepared to wait all day.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading “I’ve come for his autograph,” she said when I had explained to her that I was under bonds to see people for him when he was occupied.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading I don’t know whether it was this that told me she was American, for the propensity to wait all day is not in general characteristic of her race.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young lady in the dining-room had a brave face, black hair, blue eyes, and in her lap a big volume.
