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 UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
almost
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From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
astonishedadjectiveUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃt/
very surprised
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
back
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From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
birches
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From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
black
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From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
bridge
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From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
brink
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From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
bush
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From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
climbed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
countless
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From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
creek
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From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
creeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
dim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
dully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
dusk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
faint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
farmers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
gathered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
gentlemennounUS /gentlemen/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
grey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
gurgle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
harvest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
hay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
heavy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
HerenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
hired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
hollow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
imperceptible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
lighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
lying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
minute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
near
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
Ontario
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
partly-finished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
persistency
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
prairie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
ravine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
red
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
redwood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
shadowy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
showed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
Silverdale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
sinuously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
slope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
slumber
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
smouldering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
somewhat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
stretched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
stringer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
TEST
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
tired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
tireless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
toiled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
UNDERprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
vibration
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
weeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
wings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound from the hollow behind him but the faint gurgle of the creek and the almost imperceptible vibration of countless minute wings.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The prairie hay was gathered, harvest had not come, and for the last few weeks Witham, with his hired men from the bush of Ontario, had toiled at the bridge with a tireless persistency which had somewhat astonished the gentlemen farmers of Silverdale.
Witham
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER TEST The prairie lay dim and shadowy in the creeping dusk when Witham sat on a redwood stringer near the head of his partly-finished bridge.
wound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birches which climbed the slope to it wound away sinuously, a black wall on either hand, and the prairie lying grey and still stretched back into the silence in front of him.
wrapped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here and there a smouldering fire showed dully red on the brink of the ravine, but the tired men who had lighted them were already wrapped in heavy slumber.
