Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
abode
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From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
admittance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I made very many attempts, but in vain, to obtain admittance.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He always refused.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
attempts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I made very many attempts, but in vain, to obtain admittance.
begged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I made very many attempts, but in vain, to obtain admittance.
call
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
CellarsnounUS /ˈselərz/
plural of “cellar” — the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
country
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From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
darkness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
doors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
enable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
entered
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From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
Erik
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From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He always refused.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
lake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
learned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
lover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I made very many attempts, but in vain, to obtain admittance.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I made very many attempts, but in vain, to obtain admittance.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/
difficult to explain or understand
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
NARRATIVE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
obtainverbUS /əbˈteɪn/
to get something, especially through effort
From this reading I made very many attempts, but in vain, to obtain admittance.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
Opera
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
permanent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
PERSIAN'S
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From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
refused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He always refused.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
trap-door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
used
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
vain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I made very many attempts, but in vain, to obtain admittance.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I made very many attempts, but in vain, to obtain admittance.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading the Cellars of the Opera THE PERSIAN'S NARRATIVE It was the first time that I entered the house on the lake.
Watch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading I had often begged the "trap-door lover," as we used to call Erik in my country, to open its mysterious doors to me.
worked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch him as I might, after I first learned that he had taken up his permanent abode at the Opera, the darkness was always too thick to enable me to see how he worked the door in the wall on the lake.
