Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
Areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
became
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
bound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
cause
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
cheer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
courage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
daughters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
dinner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
discontented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
displeasure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
eldest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
frightened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
given
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
gladly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
gloomy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
grief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘What secret grief is troubling you?
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ‘What secret grief is troubling you?
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
lengthnounUS /leŋθ/
a period of time or extent
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
lie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
lives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
LooknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
purpose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
ruin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading ‘What secret grief is troubling you?
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
shed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
smooth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
subjects
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
summoned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
troubling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘What secret grief is troubling you?
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading ‘What secret grief is troubling you?
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.
wrinkles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading ‘What secret grief is troubling you?
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure?
yourspronounUS /jʊrz/
the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to
From this reading To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.’
