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 He was a social animal.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
according
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
act
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
acted
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From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
animal
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From this reading He was a social animal.
authentic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
clue
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From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
congenial
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From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
creaturenounUS /ˈcreature/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
curacy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
dispositionnounUS /ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/
the way something is arranged or positioned
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
episcopacy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
expectations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
fact
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a social animal.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpʌls/
a sudden strong desire to act
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
independent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
instinctive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
Man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
motive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
naughty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
nursery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
perceived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
present
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
reasonable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
rectory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
responsive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
ruling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
school
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
Scrope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
smiling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
social
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a social animal.
socially
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
spite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That, he saw for the first time, had been the ruling motive of his life; it was the clue to him.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man is not a reasonable creature; he is a socially responsive creature trying to be reasonable in spite of that fact.
university
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
vicarage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a social animal.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading He had an instinctive disposition to act according to the expectations of the people about him, whether they were reasonable or congenial expectations or whether they were not.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the days in the rectory nursery when Scrope had tried to be a good boy on the whole and just a little naughty sometimes until they stopped smiling, through all his life of school, university, curacy, vicarage and episcopacy up to this present moment, he perceived now that he had acted upon no authentic and independent impulse.
