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 It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
accident
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
Africa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
almost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
apparently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
ashore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
athwartnounUS /ˈathwart/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
bend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
bows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
bubblingnounUS /ˈbubbling/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
close
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
crawled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
creeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
crewnounUS /crew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
crossed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
Cumbria
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
deck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
driven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
edge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
failed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
FEELS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
flowed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
forest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
forwardnounUS /forward/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
foulest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
happens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
hatch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
high-arched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
hopped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
hot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
hove-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
insufferably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
iron
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
JEFFERSON
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
leagues
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
list
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
mangrove
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
mire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
negroes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
original
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
roots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
s
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
saveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
sinking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
starboard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
steamer's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
STRAIN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
surfboat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
swing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a bend close by, and her original crew had apparently either failed to swing her round it, which is an accident that sometimes happens in that country, or driven her ashore to save her sinking.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
unpleasantly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
valve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
wearing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
wedged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
Western
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She lay with her bows wedged into the mangrove forest, which crawled on high-arched roots over leagues of bubbling mire to the edge of one of the foulest creeks in Western Africa.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Her iron deck was unpleasantly hot, and the negroes who crossed it between hatch and surfboat hopped.
winch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading JEFFERSON FEELS THE STRAIN The afternoon was wearing through, but it was still almost insufferably hot when Jefferson stood with his hand upon the valve of the _Cumbria_'s forward winch.
yeasty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It flowed, thick and yeasty, beneath the steamer's hove-up side, for she lay with a list to starboard athwart the stream.
