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 would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
act
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From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
adopt
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From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
better
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From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
Brenton
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From this reading William Brenton pondered long on the situation.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
certain
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From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
city
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From this reading He stood now in one of the streets of the city so familiar to him.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
doubt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
dreamnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
familiar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood now in one of the streets of the city so familiar to him.
Ferris
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From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
harrowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
HoweveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
known
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading William Brenton pondered long on the situation.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
namely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood now in one of the streets of the city so familiar to him.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading William Brenton pondered long on the situation.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
outlined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
particularly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
perfectly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
plan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
pondered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William Brenton pondered long on the situation.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
situation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William Brenton pondered long on the situation.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He stood now in one of the streets of the city so familiar to him.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He stood now in one of the streets of the city so familiar to him.
streets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood now in one of the streets of the city so familiar to him.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading William Brenton pondered long on the situation.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
true
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
victim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading However, of one thing there was no doubt--namely, that it was particularly harrowing to see what he had seen in his own house.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William Brenton pondered long on the situation.
wiser
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it were true that he was dead, he said to himself, was not the plan outlined for him by Ferris very much the wiser course to adopt?
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He would have known better how to act if he could have been perfectly certain that he was not still the victim of a dream.
