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 THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
affair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He had been drawn in against his will.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had ceased to be an observer and had become a participant.
become
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been drawn in against his will.
ceased
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had ceased to be an observer and had become a participant.
committed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
decidedly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
dinner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
drawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been drawn in against his will.
dressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
feelings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Yet permitted was scarcely the word, for he seemed to have had no volition in the matter.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
involved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
journalist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
LAMP
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet permitted was scarcely the word, for he seemed to have had no volition in the matter.
nervous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Yet permitted was scarcely the word, for he seemed to have had no volition in the matter.
observer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had ceased to be an observer and had become a participant.
outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
participant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had ceased to be an observer and had become a participant.
permitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
scarcely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet permitted was scarcely the word, for he seemed to have had no volition in the matter.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Yet permitted was scarcely the word, for he seemed to have had no volition in the matter.
Selden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
shaken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
sin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
UNLIT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
unpardonable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
volition
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet permitted was scarcely the word, for he seemed to have had no volition in the matter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
watch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For the first time in his life he had committed what is for a journalist the unpardonable sin--he had permitted his feelings to become involved in an affair which he had set himself to watch from the outside.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading THE UNLIT LAMP It was a decidedly nervous and shaken Selden who dressed for dinner that evening.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading He had been drawn in against his will.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet permitted was scarcely the word, for he seemed to have had no volition in the matter.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet permitted was scarcely the word, for he seemed to have had no volition in the matter.
