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 Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
abiding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
Anthony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
Anthony's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
beginningnounUS /ˈbeginning/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
capital
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
Cardew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
Civil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
dollars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
dreamed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But he had never dreamed of steel.
epoch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.
faith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
finding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
foundations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
future
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
greatness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But he had never dreamed of steel.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
hundred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
infancy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
investment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
iron
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
iron-master
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
location
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
monthly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But he had never dreamed of steel.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
pay-roll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
Pittsburgh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
Shortly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
steel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.
War
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
year
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.