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 They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
branch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
brook
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
chin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
Cissy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
cold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
coverlet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
doorstep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
dreamily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
elbows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
empty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But they wasn't no good huntin' no more, and the kittles was empty.
fireplace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But they wasn't no good huntin' no more, and the kittles was empty.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
hills
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
huntin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But they wasn't no good huntin' no more, and the kittles was empty.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
Kentucky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
kettles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
kittles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But they wasn't no good huntin' no more, and the kittles was empty.
knees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
lived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
log
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
lot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
Maw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But they wasn't no good huntin' no more, and the kittles was empty.
Nary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
nightsnounUS /naɪts/
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading But they wasn't no good huntin' no more, and the kittles was empty.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
packing-box
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
palms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
Paw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
purty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
read
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
sing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
sit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
sitting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
song-ballads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
tales
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
TheirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had lived on a branch--a brook--in the Kentucky hills.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Nary one of us could read," Cissy said dreamily, sitting on the packing-box doorstep with elbows on knees and chin on palms.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But they wasn't no good huntin' no more, and the kittles was empty.
weave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
weep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
whittle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
winter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Their house was log, said Cissy, with a fireplace where Maw had her kettles and where the whole lot of them could sit when winter nights were cold, and Paw could whittle and Maw weave a coverlet.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "But Paw could tell purty tales and Maw could sing song-ballads that would make you weep.
