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 Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
absence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
bear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
client
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
clock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
defensive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
degrees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
depended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
dismayed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
doors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
doubly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
engaged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
following
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
force
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
habit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
happening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
impatience
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
misfortune
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
nature
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
Ogilvy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
passagenounUS /ˈpassage/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
perhaps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
presence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
safety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
shut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
Somerville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
strong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
tendency
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
trembling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
undefended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was not, perhaps, on the face of things, a very strong defensive force, but she had got by degrees into the habit of feeling that safety depended more or less upon her presence.
wait
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
wide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that the little house was quite undefended in her absence, that all the doors and windows which she could not bear to have shut were now standing wide open to let misfortune come in.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mr Somerville was engaged with another client, and it was a long time before Mrs Ogilvy could see him.
wondering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to wait, trembling with impatience, and dismayed by the passage of time, following the hands of the clock with her eyes, wondering what perhaps might be happening at home.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She might have perhaps a little tendency that way by nature, to think that her little world depended upon her, and that nothing went quite right when she was away; but this feeling was doubly strong now.
