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 "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
altogether
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading Martin saw some shelves filled with English books.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
Candide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
chimerical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
collections
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
dozen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
dramatic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
English
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martin saw some shelves filled with English books.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
filled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martin saw some shelves filled with English books.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
French
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
huge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
imaginenounUS /ˈimagine/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
Italian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
Martin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martin saw some shelves filled with English books.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/
not one and not the other of two
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
opens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
page
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
pins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
Pococurante
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
rakers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
repliednounUS /replied/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
rubbish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martin saw some shelves filled with English books.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
Senator
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
Seneca
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
sermons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/
Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.
From this reading Martin saw some shelves filled with English books.
shown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
single
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martin saw some shelves filled with English books.
Spanish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
systems
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
theology
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
thousand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
useful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
volumes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There might be," said Pococurante, "if only one of those rakers of rubbish had shown how to make pins; but in all these volumes there is nothing but chimerical systems, and not a single useful thing."
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Martin saw some shelves filled with English books.
works
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And what dramatic works I see here," said Candide, "in Italian, Spanish, and French."
worth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
Yes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes," replied the Senator, "there are three thousand, and not three dozen of them good for anything.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading As to those collections of sermons, which altogether are not worth a single page of Seneca, and those huge volumes of theology, you may well imagine that neither I nor any one else ever opens them."
