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 Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
Arabia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
aver
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
beautiful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
behold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
believenounUS /ˈbelieve/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
dismal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
earthly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
effect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
envied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
experience
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
feet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
form
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
Fountain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
gentlemannounUS /ˈgentleman/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
given
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
greater
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
Heaven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
hidden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
idol
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
impossibility
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
instance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
instant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
joined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
joy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shocks of joy, they tell me, seldom kill.
kill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shocks of joy, they tell me, seldom kill.
knowledge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
knows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
lifetime
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Shocks of joy, they tell me, seldom kill.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
moral
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Shocks of joy, they tell me, seldom kill.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
Ormiston
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
perfect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
perfectly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
physical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
preciousadjectiveUS /ˈpreʃəs/
rare and worth a great deal
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
present
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
repulsive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
safely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
seldom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shocks of joy, they tell me, seldom kill.
shock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
Shocks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shocks of joy, they tell me, seldom kill.
shone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
simply
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
Singing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
sun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
sweeter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
sylph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Shocks of joy, they tell me, seldom kill.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Of my own knowledge I cannot say, for I have had precious little experience of such shocks in my lifetime, Heaven knows; but in the present instance, I can safely aver, they had no such dismal effect on Ormiston.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Shocks of joy, they tell me, seldom kill.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
ugly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
WithprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading With a form so perfect--a form a sylph might have envied--a voice sweeter than the Singing Fountain of Arabia, hands and feet the most perfectly beautiful the sun ever shone on, it was simply a moral and physical impossibility that they could be joined to a repulsive face.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading That that face was ugly, he did not for an instant believe, or, at least, it never would be ugly to him.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing earthly could have given that young gentleman a greater shock of joy than the knowledge he was to behold the long hidden face of his idol.
