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 It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
alasexclamationUS /əˈlæs/
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
amative
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From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading I never could find anything when they had departed.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
atmosphere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
confusion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
considerable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
cordially
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From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I never could find anything when they had departed.
dawnedverbUS /dɔːnd/
past form of “dawn” — become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
degree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
den
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
departed
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From this reading I never could find anything when they had departed.
detested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
discovered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
distraction
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
enough
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From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
escape
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From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
eye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
far
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
feel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I never could find anything when they had departed.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
frou-frou
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I never could find anything when they had departed.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
health
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
inroads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
neat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
ordernounUS /order/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
orderly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
periodic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
placed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
presence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
prided
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
proper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
sisters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
skirts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
solicitude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
swish-swish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
valuation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
welcome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
womankind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has dawned upon me that I have never placed a proper valuation upon womankind.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter, though not amative to any considerable degree so far as I have discovered, I was never outside the atmosphere of women until now.
worried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
worse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother and sisters were always about me, and I was always trying to escape them; for they worried me to distraction with their solicitude for my health and with their periodic inroads on my den, when my orderly confusion, upon which I prided myself, was turned into worse confusion and less order, though it looked neat enough to the eye.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But now, alas, how welcome would have been the feel of their presence, the frou-frou and swish-swish of their skirts which I had so cordially detested!
