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 At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
bad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
bare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
beating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
carpets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
chore-boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
doctornounUS /doctor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one wished to sit down, they had to retire to the yard, and repose on a pile of carpets.
dump
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
floors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
furniture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If one wished to sit down, they had to retire to the yard, and repose on a pile of carpets.
half-witted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
house-cleaning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
Huggins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If one wished to sit down, they had to retire to the yard, and repose on a pile of carpets.
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
lawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
making
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
Martha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
moved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
moving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
narrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
Noah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
noon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
outdoors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
patients
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
pile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one wished to sit down, they had to retire to the yard, and repose on a pile of carpets.
repose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one wished to sit down, they had to retire to the yard, and repose on a pile of carpets.
retire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one wished to sit down, they had to retire to the yard, and repose on a pile of carpets.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
scrub-woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
sit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one wished to sit down, they had to retire to the yard, and repose on a pile of carpets.
smell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
soapsuds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
squeeze
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
STOVEPIPE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
STUCK
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
surprisednounUS /surprised/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If one wished to sit down, they had to retire to the yard, and repose on a pile of carpets.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
towel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
upset
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
visits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
vowed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
wet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And from the time the furniture was moved out until it went back, all one could smell or see in the house was soapsuds and bare, wet floors.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
wide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
wished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one wished to sit down, they had to retire to the yard, and repose on a pile of carpets.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
worse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading This the doctor vowed was worse than a fire and as bad as a moving, for Martha never would do one room at a time, but must upset the whole house at once and dump everything outdoors.
wrapped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought there must have been a fire, but when he saw Martha with a towel wrapped around her head, and Mrs. Huggins, the scrub-woman of the village, trying to squeeze a wide table through a narrow door, while Noah, their half-witted chore-boy, was beating carpets on the lawn, he knew it was spring house-cleaning.
yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
ZIP
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ZIP IS STUCK IN THE STOVEPIPE The next day at noon, when Zip came home with the doctor from making his morning visits to his patients, he was surprised to see all the furniture moved out into the side yard.
