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 He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
amateur
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château once became the property of an amateur astronomer.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The château once became the property of an amateur astronomer.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
astronomer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château once became the property of an amateur astronomer.
attended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I once attended a varnishing day with Camille Flammarion.
became
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château once became the property of an amateur astronomer.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
bequeathed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
best
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
bought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
Camille
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This man was Camille Flammarion.
châteaunounUS /ʃæˈtoʊ/
A large French country house or castle, often surrounded by expansive estates and private galleries.
From this reading The château once became the property of an amateur astronomer.
costume
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I once attended a varnishing day with Camille Flammarion.
death
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
dressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
estate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
Flammarion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This man was Camille Flammarion.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
honour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I once attended a varnishing day with Camille Flammarion.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
met
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
never
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
observatory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
occasion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The château once became the property of an amateur astronomer.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château once became the property of an amateur astronomer.
pretty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
property
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The château once became the property of an amateur astronomer.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The château once became the property of an amateur astronomer.
think
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
varnishing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I once attended a varnishing day with Camille Flammarion.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
wanted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This man was Camille Flammarion.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I wanted to do him the honour of going dressed in my best, and so I bought for the occasion a costume which, I think, must have been very pretty.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading I once attended a varnishing day with Camille Flammarion.
wonderful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had an observatory built on it, and on his death he bequeathed this wonderful estate to a man whom he had never met.
