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 They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
alive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
Autumn
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From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
balls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
bosoms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
brown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
called
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From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
closed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
dahlias
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
died
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
dim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
distorted
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From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
drawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
Eberwich
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From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
envelope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
forgot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
gave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
handwriting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
hastily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
interest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I remembered it later in the evening, when I wished to recall something to interest my mother.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
lamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
late
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I remembered it later in the evening, when I wished to recall something to interest my mother.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
nervously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
perplexed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
post-office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
put
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
recall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I remembered it later in the evening, when I wished to recall something to interest my mother.
red
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
remembered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I remembered it later in the evening, when I wished to recall something to interest my mother.
rottenness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
scan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
show
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading I remembered it later in the evening, when I wished to recall something to interest my mother.
sprawling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
tear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They called me as I passed the post-office door in Eberwich one evening, and they gave me a letter for my mother.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She looked at the handwriting, and began hastily and nervously to tear open the envelope; she held it away from her in the light of the lamp, and with eyes drawn half closed, tried to scan it.
uneasiness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
warm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading I remembered it later in the evening, when I wished to recall something to interest my mother.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Autumn set in, and the red dahlias which kept the warm light alive in their bosoms so late into the evening died in the night, and the morning had nothing but brown balls of rottenness to show.
wished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I remembered it later in the evening, when I wished to recall something to interest my mother.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The distorted, sprawling handwriting perplexed me with a dim uneasiness; I put the letter away, and forgot it.
