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 river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
appeared
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From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
away
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From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
beauty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Then Burl turned and peered before him.
black
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From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
Bondage
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From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
Burl
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From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
businesses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
caused
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From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
central
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
chain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
channel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
clustered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
colorful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
creatures
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
currents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
darted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
floated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
flying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
foothills
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
fungoid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
glistening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
grew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
heavy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
higher
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
Hills
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then Burl turned and peered before him.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
indefiniteness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
innumerable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
instant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
marsh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
meandered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
meltingnounUS /ˈmelting/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
mist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
morass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
mountain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
mud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
Out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
overhead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
peered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then Burl turned and peered before him.
purposelessly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
rafts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
reassemble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
river
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
slowly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
sped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
split
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
squadron
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
steeper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hills appeared on either side of the stream, which grew higher and steeper, as if the foothills of a mountain chain.
swamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
tribefolk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then Burl turned and peered before him.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
vast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
vessels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
visible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Out of Bondage The mist was heavy and thick, and through it the flying creatures darted upon their innumerable businesses, visible for an instant in all their colorful beauty, then melting slowly into indefiniteness as they sped away.
watched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tribefolk on the clustered rafts watched them as they darted overhead, and for hours the little squadron of fungoid vessels floated slowly through the central channel of the marsh.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The river had split into innumerable currents which meandered purposelessly through the glistening black mud of the swamp, but after a long time they seemed to reassemble, and Burl could see what had caused the vast morass.
