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 The Rexford family was without a servant.
accepted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His choice had fallen on Eliza and she had accepted the place.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
arrangement
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From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
become
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From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
building
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
capital
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
Chellaston
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
choice
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From this reading His choice had fallen on Eliza and she had accepted the place.
chosen
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From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
concerned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
difficult
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From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
Eliza
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
fallen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His choice had fallen on Eliza and she had accepted the place.
family
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From this reading The Rexford family was without a servant.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
hotel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
housekeeper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
knowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
lame
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
large
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
lieutenant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
manager
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
neednounUS /need/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His choice had fallen on Eliza and she had accepted the place.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His choice had fallen on Eliza and she had accepted the place.
procure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
proprietor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
Quebec
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
Rexford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Rexford family was without a servant.
rheumatism
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
Robert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
servant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Rexford family was without a servant.
servants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His choice had fallen on Eliza and she had accepted the place.
shrewdness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
situation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
sorely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Rexford family was without a servant.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
Trenholme
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Rexford family was without a servant.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Robert Trenholme heard of this arrangement he was concerned, knowing how difficult servants were to procure.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The proprietor and manager of that large building, having become lame with rheumatism, had been sorely in need of a lieutenant, or housekeeper, and had chosen one with that shrewdness which had ever been his business capital.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Eliza, the girl they had brought with them from Quebec, had gone to a situation at the Chellaston hotel.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The Rexford family was without a servant.
