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 A MYSTERIOUS TELEGRAM.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
beautiful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
became
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
called
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
Cawdor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
conquer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
court
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
design
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
England
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
fell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
grand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
green
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
hall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
hard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
homes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
hung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
ivy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
LittlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
luxuriant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
magnificent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
MYSTERIOUSadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/
difficult to explain or understand
From this reading A MYSTERIOUS TELEGRAM.
neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
Normans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
originally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
park
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
particular
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
picturesque
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
profusion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
rank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
ruins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
Saxon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
simply
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
stately
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
strongholds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
TELEGRAM
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MYSTERIOUS TELEGRAM.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
towers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Cawdor took rank among the most stately homes of England: it had been originally one of the grand Saxon strongholds, one, too, which the Normans had found hard to conquer.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Cawdor it was called; neither court, hall nor park, simply Cawdor; and there were very few people in England who did not know Cawdor.
wing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little by little the new place was built, not by any particular design; wing after wing, story after story, until it became one of the most picturesque and most magnificent homes in England.
wore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As time wore on the round towers and the keep fell into ruins--picturesque and beautiful ruins, round which the green ivy hung in luxuriant profusion; then the ruins were left standing.
