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 COMPLICATIONS For a week Forbes' spirits were fitful.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
Agatha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had it not been for Agatha, Forbes' depression might easily have become serious.
all
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From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
arm's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
become
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had it not been for Agatha, Forbes' depression might easily have become serious.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Had it not been for Agatha, Forbes' depression might easily have become serious.
bring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
COMPLICATIONS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COMPLICATIONS For a week Forbes' spirits were fitful.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
cream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
Delivery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
depression
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had it not been for Agatha, Forbes' depression might easily have become serious.
disappointmentnounUS /ˈdisappointment/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
easily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had it not been for Agatha, Forbes' depression might easily have become serious.
empty-handed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
failed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
fitful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COMPLICATIONS For a week Forbes' spirits were fitful.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading COMPLICATIONS For a week Forbes' spirits were fitful.
Forbes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COMPLICATIONS For a week Forbes' spirits were fitful.
FreeadjectiveUS /friː/
acting without enough restraint or discipline
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had it not been for Agatha, Forbes' depression might easily have become serious.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
Howard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Had it not been for Agatha, Forbes' depression might easily have become serious.
lengthnounUS /leŋθ/
a period of time or extent
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
MorningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Had it not been for Agatha, Forbes' depression might easily have become serious.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
offerings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
peas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
porch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
restnounUS /rest/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
returnednounUS /ˈreturned/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
rode
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
Rural
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
serious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had it not been for Agatha, Forbes' depression might easily have become serious.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
shelling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
spare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
spirits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COMPLICATIONS For a week Forbes' spirits were fitful.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
variety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
week
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COMPLICATIONS For a week Forbes' spirits were fitful.
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each afternoon Howard rode to the village, and though he never returned empty-handed, he might as well have done so, since he failed to bring the right letter.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading COMPLICATIONS For a week Forbes' spirits were fitful.
whipping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Morning after morning, the Rural Free Delivery brought a variety of offerings, and disappointment along with the rest.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading She spent with him all the time she could spare, even shelling peas and whipping cream upon the porch within arm's length of his chair.
