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 It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
accident
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
accidents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
account
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
believenounUS /ˈbelieve/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
bottom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
cases
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
children
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
cliffs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
conjecture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
cottage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
crimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
darkling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
death
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
deaths
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
desire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
easy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
fallen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
family
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
frame
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
hearts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
hideous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
hiding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
Highway
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
horrible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
horror
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
impossible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
Jack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
laborer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
land
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
large
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
lonely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
longer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
lured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
madman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
marsh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
Meirion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
met
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
murdered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
ooze
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
outline
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
passion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
pervert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
picture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
places
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
possessed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
pretend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
prowled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
purposeless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
quarry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
Ripper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
seeking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
sheep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
slipped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
supposition
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is not easy to make any picture of the horror that lay dark on the hearts of the people of Meirion.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
utterly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
variant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
victims
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
watching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
wild
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was no longer possible to believe or to pretend to believe that these men and women and children had met their deaths through strange accidents.
woods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time people said that there must be a madman at large, a sort of country variant of Jack the Ripper, some horrible pervert who was possessed by the passion of death, who prowled darkling about that lonely land, hiding in woods and in wild places, always watching and seeking for the victims of his desire.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It seemed as if it were impossible to frame any conjecture or outline of a conjecture that would account for these hideous and, as it seemed, utterly purposeless crimes.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl and the young laborer might have slipped and fallen over the cliffs, but the woman who lay dead with the dead sheep at the bottom of the quarry, the two men who had been lured into the ooze of the marsh, the family who were found murdered on the Highway before their own cottage door; in these cases there could be no room for the supposition of accident.
