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 There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
ask
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
begged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
chat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
chatting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
David
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
directlynounUS /ˈdirectly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
dozen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
drawing-room
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From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
drinking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
Duchess
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
gave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
groups
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
hesitated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
imperiously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
partynounUS /party/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
please
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
sitting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
sugar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
sulky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now don't look sulky, please," she begged, as she gave him her left hand.
tea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
They'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
threshold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
tongs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
true
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
turn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They'll all go directly, and if they don't I shall turn them out.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
waved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were a dozen people sitting around, drinking tea and chatting in little groups.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The Duchess waved her sugar tongs imperiously, and David, who had hesitated upon the threshold of her drawing-room, made his way towards her.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "This is not a tea party, and it is quite true that I did ask you to come and have a chat with me alone, but I couldn't keep these people away.
