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 As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
ability
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
abject
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
answer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
circumstances
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
completenounUS /complete/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading What, then, was the secret of her complete and humiliating failure?
conform
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
desired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
dinner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
disappointmentnounUS /ˈdisappointment/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
donned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
doubted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
ears
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
exactly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
exultant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
failure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What, then, was the secret of her complete and humiliating failure?
fast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
gave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
gorgeous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
Harold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
hope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
humiliating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What, then, was the secret of her complete and humiliating failure?
immediately
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
impression
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
Martha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
profound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
raiment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading What, then, was the secret of her complete and humiliating failure?
self-abasement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
self-confidence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
shut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
Sonia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
state
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading As for Sonia herself, never had she been in a state of such abject self-abasement.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What, then, was the secret of her complete and humiliating failure?
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She asked herself this question, and immediately tried to shut fast her ears to the answer which her heart gave.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What, then, was the secret of her complete and humiliating failure?
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading She had donned her gorgeous raiment and gone off to that dinner in exultant self-confidence, and had never doubted her ability to conform circumstances to her will, and to make exactly the impression upon Harold which she desired him to have.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Martha saw that there was no hope, so with profound disappointment she gave up, and said no more.
