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 HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
arms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
attitudes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
bandage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
belt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
buckle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
Bussy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
carrying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
carved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
ceiling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
DIFFICULT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
DISTINGUISH
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From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
DREAMnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading However, during his fainting fit, this is what Bussy saw, or thought he saw.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
faint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
fainting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, during his fainting fit, this is what Bussy saw, or thought he saw.
falling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
figures
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
fit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, during his fainting fit, this is what Bussy saw, or thought he saw.
flowed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
flowers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
FROMprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
furniture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
handkerchief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
holding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
HoweveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, during his fainting fit, this is what Bussy saw, or thought he saw.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
ITpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
kind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading However, during his fainting fit, this is what Bussy saw, or thought he saw.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
painted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
pass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
REALITY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, during his fainting fit, this is what Bussy saw, or thought he saw.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
shirt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
SOMETIMES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
stepping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
sword
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
tapestry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading However, during his fainting fit, this is what Bussy saw, or thought he saw.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading However, during his fainting fit, this is what Bussy saw, or thought he saw.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HOW IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH A DREAM FROM THE REALITY.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
walls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These figures, in all possible attitudes, holding flowers, carrying arms, seemed to him to be stepping from the walls.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading However, during his fainting fit, this is what Bussy saw, or thought he saw.
whenceadverbUS /wens/
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
wood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He found himself in a room with furniture of carved wood, with a tapestry of figures, and a painted ceiling.
wound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bussy had had time, before falling, to pass his handkerchief under his shirt, and to buckle the belt of his sword over it, so as to make a kind of bandage to the open wound whence the blood flowed, but he had already lost blood enough to make him faint.
