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 Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
action
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading His eyes were starting from beneath his shaggy, overhanging eyebrows.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
Cain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
consciousness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
dangled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
divination
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
dropped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His lower jaw had dropped.
exposition
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
eyebrows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were starting from beneath his shaggy, overhanging eyebrows.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were starting from beneath his shaggy, overhanging eyebrows.
facile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His lower jaw had dropped.
hardly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His eyes were starting from beneath his shaggy, overhanging eyebrows.
hurried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
identity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
inner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
jaw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His lower jaw had dropped.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
lower
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His lower jaw had dropped.
machinery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
meddling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
muscles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
overhanging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were starting from beneath his shaggy, overhanging eyebrows.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
pivotal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
prognosis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
recognizable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
secrets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
shaggy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were starting from beneath his shaggy, overhanging eyebrows.
Sims's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
starting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were starting from beneath his shaggy, overhanging eyebrows.
suggestive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
Thus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thus dangled before him, his own identity was as recognizable to him as to their divination.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
Tubal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
uncanny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he had had time to think, there might have seemed something uncanny in this facile meddling with the secrets of his inner consciousness, hardly so plain to his own prognosis as in their exposition, but moment by moment he was hurried on.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His eyes were starting from beneath his shaggy, overhanging eyebrows.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Tubal Cain Sims’s head turned from one to the other with a pivotal action which was less suggestive of muscles than of machinery.
