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 "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
age
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
astonishing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
bent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
complication
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
compound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
decrepit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
double
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
dress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
frolic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
fun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
GOLDSMITH
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading GOLDSMITH.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
hung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
leaning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
MASTER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MASTER RANTY.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
oddity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
palsy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
rags
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
RANTY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MASTER RANTY.
rare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
shakingnounUS /ˈshaking/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
sprung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
staff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.