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 It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
believenounUS /ˈbelieve/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
bowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
criednounUS /cried/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "You want to keep me from going on the steamer," I cried.
day's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
excitement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rising in fresh excitement, I struck my hand on the table.
feared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
following
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
freak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
fresh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rising in fresh excitement, I struck my hand on the table.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "You want to keep me from going on the steamer," I cried.
full
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You want to keep me from going on the steamer," I cried.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rising in fresh excitement, I struck my hand on the table.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
intended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
joke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You want to keep me from going on the steamer," I cried.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
league
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
loves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
meditating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
mere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
morrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Rising in fresh excitement, I struck my hand on the table.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
paid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
Rising
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rising in fresh excitement, I struck my hand on the table.
rivalry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
scheme
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
smiling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
steamer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You want to keep me from going on the steamer," I cried.
strucknounUS /struck/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Rising in fresh excitement, I struck my hand on the table.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
supplant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
surmise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rising in fresh excitement, I struck my hand on the table.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
unusual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
want
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You want to keep me from going on the steamer," I cried.
warning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
whim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
wild
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
wilder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What if this man, these men and this woman, were in league with him whose rivalry I feared, and whom I had intended to supplant on the morrow.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was a wild surmise, but was it any wilder than to believe I was held here for a mere whim, a freak, a joke, as this bowing, smiling man before me would have me believe?
wretch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That other wretch who loves her has paid you--" But that other wretch could not know that I was meditating any such unusual scheme, as following him without a full day's warning.
YoupronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You want to keep me from going on the steamer," I cried.
