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 newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
account
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
acted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They acted as if the occasion of public interest was a fire.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They acted as if the occasion of public interest was a fire.
ASKING
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
authorities
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The authorities began to be concerned.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The authorities began to be concerned.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The authorities began to be concerned.
besieged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
columns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
concerned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The authorities began to be concerned.
crowd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Throughout the night the crowd increased in the street.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
England
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They acted as if the occasion of public interest was a fire.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They acted as if the occasion of public interest was a fire.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
increased
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Throughout the night the crowd increased in the street.
interest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They acted as if the occasion of public interest was a fire.
Islington
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
lack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
news
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
newspapers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Throughout the night the crowd increased in the street.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
number
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
occasion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They acted as if the occasion of public interest was a fire.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
public
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They acted as if the occasion of public interest was a fire.
quest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
representatives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Throughout the night the crowd increased in the street.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They acted as if the occasion of public interest was a fire.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
ThroughoutprepositionUS /θruːˈaʊt/
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading Throughout the night the crowd increased in the street.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
useless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They acted as if the occasion of public interest was a fire.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE ASKING In the morning the thoughts of England were turned towards that house in Islington: and no small number of its people were on their way to it.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The newspapers besieged it with their representatives--on a useless quest, though their columns did not lack news on that account.