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 I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
ago
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I want to see them all ranged along goodly shelves.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading I want to see them all ranged along goodly shelves.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
array
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nowhere, to the eye, was broken the array of serried volumes.
backs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
belief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nowhere, to the eye, was broken the array of serried volumes.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
congruously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
crave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
doorless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
edges
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
effect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
evidence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
eye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nowhere, to the eye, was broken the array of serried volumes.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
flush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
foolish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
goodly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I want to see them all ranged along goodly shelves.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
libraries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
mimicked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
Nowhere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nowhere, to the eye, was broken the array of serried volumes.
ocular
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
pasted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
published
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
ranged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I want to see them all ranged along goodly shelves.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I want to see them all ranged along goodly shelves.
seem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
serried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nowhere, to the eye, was broken the array of serried volumes.
shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/
Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.
From this reading I want to see them all ranged along goodly shelves.
spaces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
surrounding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nowhere, to the eye, was broken the array of serried volumes.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I want to see them all ranged along goodly shelves.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I want to see them all ranged along goodly shelves.
volumes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nowhere, to the eye, was broken the array of serried volumes.
want
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I want to see them all ranged along goodly shelves.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nowhere, to the eye, was broken the array of serried volumes.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A few days ago I sat in one of those libraries which seem to be doorless.
whim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Each door was flush with the surrounding shelves; across each the edges of the shelves were mimicked; and in the spaces between these edges the backs of books were pasted congruously with the whole effect.
written
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I crave--it may be a foolish whim, but I do crave--ocular evidence for my belief that those books were written and were published.
