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 HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
AgainnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
allowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To yield in the matter, and to confirm the happiness of the young people, never occurred to her.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
BEauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
BESSY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
CEASED
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
confirm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To yield in the matter, and to confirm the happiness of the young people, never occurred to her.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
depend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
doubt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
dutynounUS /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
engagement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
happiness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To yield in the matter, and to confirm the happiness of the young people, never occurred to her.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
IMPORTANCE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
LADY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
lives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
love
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To yield in the matter, and to confirm the happiness of the young people, never occurred to her.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
neglected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To yield in the matter, and to confirm the happiness of the young people, never occurred to her.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
occurred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To yield in the matter, and to confirm the happiness of the young people, never occurred to her.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To yield in the matter, and to confirm the happiness of the young people, never occurred to her.
Philip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
proceeding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
PRYOR
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
repeatednounUS /repeated/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
requirednounUS /required/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
resolving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
separate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
spite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading That her duty required her to separate them, in spite of their love, in spite of their engagement, though all the happiness of their lives might depend upon it, she did not in the least doubt.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the old woman was alone she at once went to work in her own mind resolving what should be her course of proceeding.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Again and again she repeated to herself that she would do her duty; and again and again she repeated to herself that in allowing Philip and Bessy to come together she had neglected her duty.
yield
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To yield in the matter, and to confirm the happiness of the young people, never occurred to her.
YOUNG
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW BESSY PRYOR CEASED TO BE A YOUNG LADY OF IMPORTANCE.
