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 Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
account
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
arrive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
busy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
certain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
coming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
confidently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
deal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
early
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
exceedingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
excused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
expected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
expectingverbUS /ɪkˈspektɪŋ/
thinking that somebody or something will arrive
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
glad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
insistent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
INSTINCT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
library
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
making
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
minute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
NAGASKI'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
plans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
pointed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
quarter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
received
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
receiving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
Rust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
sank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
sending
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
sent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
softly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
Stanley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
telegrams
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
tillprepositionUS /tɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
visitor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
