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 He drummed with his fingers on the desktop and hunched his shoulders a little.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
best
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
big
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was making a big mistake and he knew it.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
cases
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
circulation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
coast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
copies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
desktop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He drummed with his fingers on the desktop and hunched his shoulders a little.
Detectives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
drummed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He drummed with his fingers on the desktop and hunched his shoulders a little.
far
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
Fenton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
fingers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He drummed with his fingers on the desktop and hunched his shoulders a little.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
headlines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
hell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
Homicide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
hunched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He drummed with his fingers on the desktop and hunched his shoulders a little.
hundreds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
increased
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was making a big mistake and he knew it.
Joseph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
kind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was making a big mistake and he knew it.
lead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
Lieutenant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He drummed with his fingers on the desktop and hunched his shoulders a little.
making
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was making a big mistake and he knew it.
millions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
mistake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was making a big mistake and he knew it.
months
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
newspapers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He drummed with his fingers on the desktop and hunched his shoulders a little.
ones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/
To recall to mind.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
remembering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
sensational
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
shoulders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He drummed with his fingers on the desktop and hunched his shoulders a little.
sink
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
staring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
stayed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
teeth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
tragic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
unusual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
weeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tragic and unusual cases, the sensational ones, the kind that stayed in the headlines for weeks and months and increased the circulation of newspapers from coast to coast by hundreds of millions of copies.
West
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lieutenant of Detectives Joseph Fenton of Homicide West was remembering some of the others.
wishing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat staring down at his best lead so far, the only lead he could really sink his teeth into, wishing to hell he didn't have to remember.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He drummed with his fingers on the desktop and hunched his shoulders a little.
