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 Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
Author
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of “The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet,” “The Gloved Hand,” etc.
aware
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
Boule
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of “The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet,” “The Gloved Hand,” etc.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
Cabinet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of “The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet,” “The Gloved Hand,” etc.
chairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
clothes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
Club
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
coffee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
corner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
crowded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
deep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
delicate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
dining-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
dinner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
dominated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the women who dominated the scene.
donor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
entering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
etc
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of “The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet,” “The Gloved Hand,” etc.
expensive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
eye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
Gloved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of “The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet,” “The Gloved Hand,” etc.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
half-hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
Hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of “The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet,” “The Gloved Hand,” etc.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
humbly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
indolently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
kneeling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
lounge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
lying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
madonna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
mingled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
Mystery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of “The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet,” “The Gloved Hand,” etc.
odours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Author of “The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet,” “The Gloved Hand,” etc.
paid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
painted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
paused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
perfumes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
picture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
pleasantly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
present
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
rising
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
scene
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the women who dominated the scene.
Selden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
shoulders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
Sporting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
strictly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
super-excellent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
surenounUS /sure/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Author of “The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet,” “The Gloved Hand,” etc.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
tobacconounUS /ˈtobacco/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
unobtrusive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
utilitarian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Selden, entering from the dining-room, saw that the lounge was crowded, and he paused for a moment to look about him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were men present, to be sure, but they were as unobtrusive to the eye, as strictly utilitarian, as the donor kneeling humbly in the corner of the picture before the madonna he had paid to have painted.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading It was the women who dominated the scene.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the half-hour between dinner and the Sporting Club, and he was pleasantly aware of the odours of good coffee and super-excellent tobacco, mingled with the delicate and very expensive perfumes rising from the clothes, the hair, the shoulders of the women lying indolently back in the deep chairs.
