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 Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
aft
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
altogether
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For this reason, perhaps, they began by being unusually silent.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading For this reason, perhaps, they began by being unusually silent.
BothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading For this reason, perhaps, they began by being unusually silent.
crisis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
cruiser
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
deck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
desired
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From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
direction
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
fight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For this reason, perhaps, they began by being unusually silent.
glance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
happy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
horizon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
leaning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
lives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
living
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
merits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
minutes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
perhaps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For this reason, perhaps, they began by being unusually silent.
present
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
quarter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
rail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
reached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
reality
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
reason
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For this reason, perhaps, they began by being unusually silent.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
silent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For this reason, perhaps, they began by being unusually silent.
speck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
taffrail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
ten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
TheirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For this reason, perhaps, they began by being unusually silent.
tided
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
tiny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both felt that it was a crisis in their lives, that had to be tided over, and knew that, if ever they desired to be happy together, they must fight the next ten minutes on their merits.
unusually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For this reason, perhaps, they began by being unusually silent.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
vanished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They made their way aft to the taffrail, and stood there leaning on the rail, looking at her.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
whenceadverbUS /wens/
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading Their first business when they reached the deck was to glance in the direction whence they had last seen the cruiser.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Then she had been a living and very present reality to them; now she was only a tiny speck upon the horizon, and in a quarter of an hour, or even less, she would have vanished altogether.
