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 In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
absent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
affection
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing but half-ironical affection.
amateur
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
anger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Nothing but half-ironical affection.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
confidencenounUS /ˈconfidence/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
died
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
elicited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
enquiries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
expectverbUS /ɪkˈspekt/
to think that something will happen
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
followed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
further
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
half-ironical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing but half-ironical affection.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
heart-to-heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
Holly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
insufficient
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
Irene
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
Jolly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
Jolly's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
Jolyon's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
June
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/
Recollections of past events.
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
news
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
Office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
Park
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
played
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
reconciliation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
Richmond
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
rupture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
seldom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
single
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
walk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
War
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
weeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No further news had come; enquiries at the War Office elicited nothing; nor could he expect to hear from June and Holly for three weeks at least.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading In these days he felt how insufficient were his memories of Jolly, and what an amateur of a father he had been.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading There was not a single memory in which anger played a part; not one reconciliation, because there had never been a rupture; nor one heart-to-heart confidence, not even when Jolly’s mother died.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading His boy was seldom absent from Jolyon’s mind in the days which followed the first walk with Irene in Richmond Park.
