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 DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
also
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
apparently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
bunch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
camped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
clear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
cut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
DEED
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
denoted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
desert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
deserts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
devoid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
DOauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
end
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
final
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
grade
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
graders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
grown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
headquarters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
Lake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
leading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
Line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
lonely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
loose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
mountains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
north
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
nowhere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
Ogden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
orders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
ordinary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
ourselvespronounUS /aʊərˈselvz/
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
quick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
recurrent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
red-shirted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
Rush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
Salt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
sand-obscured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
Seemingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
sent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
stakes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
sterile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
surveyors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
talk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
thread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
topic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
trail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
wended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I DO THE DEED We had camped well beyond a last bunch of the red-shirted graders, so that the thread of a trail wended before, lonely, sand-obscured, leading apparently nowhere, through this desert devoid of human life.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
westwardadverbUS /ˈwɛstwərd/
toward the west
From this reading Rush orders from headquarters had sent them all westward still, to set their final stakes across other deserts and across the mountains, clear to Ogden at the north end of the Salt Lake itself.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Line stakes of the surveyors denoted the grade; but the surveyors' work was done, here.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Seemingly we had cut loose and were more than ever a world to ourselves.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The country had grown sterile beneath ordinary, if possible; and our thoughts and talk would have been sterile also were it not for that one recurrent topic which kept them quick.
