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 The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
answer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
Clare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
confessed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
content
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heart fares as its treasure: who would be content his heart should fare as not a few sorts of treasure must?
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
dutynounUS /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
fareverbUS /fer/
to do or succeed in a particular way
From this reading The heart fares as its treasure: who would be content his heart should fare as not a few sorts of treasure must?
fares
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heart fares as its treasure: who would be content his heart should fare as not a few sorts of treasure must?
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heart fares as its treasure: who would be content his heart should fare as not a few sorts of treasure must?
grounded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
head-clerk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The heart fares as its treasure: who would be content his heart should fare as not a few sorts of treasure must?
lad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
one's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
opinion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
pressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
scrupulously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
seem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
SHOE-BLACK
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SHOE-BLACK.
Shotover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading The heart fares as its treasure: who would be content his heart should fare as not a few sorts of treasure must?
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
sorts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heart fares as its treasure: who would be content his heart should fare as not a few sorts of treasure must?
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SHOE-BLACK.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
treasure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heart fares as its treasure: who would be content his heart should fare as not a few sorts of treasure must?
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When pressed to say on what he grounded the opinion, he could only answer that the lad did not seem to have his heart in it.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The heart fares as its treasure: who would be content his heart should fare as not a few sorts of treasure must?
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
wrong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if, to be a man of business, it is not enough to do one’s duty scrupulously, but the very heart must be in it, then is there something wrong with business.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading The head-clerk, while he had not a word against him, as he confessed to Mr. Shotover, yet thought Clare would never make a man of business.
