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 As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Grannie pottered about and got the tea.
ached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
Ally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Whatever I do, I mustn't let out that Ally failed in the feather-stitching," she said to herself.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Grannie pottered about and got the tea.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
brave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
caused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
certainly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
darling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
dim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
failed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Whatever I do, I mustn't let out that Ally failed in the feather-stitching," she said to herself.
feather-stitching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Whatever I do, I mustn't let out that Ally failed in the feather-stitching," she said to herself.
given
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Grannie pottered about and got the tea.
Grannie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Grannie pottered about and got the tea.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Whatever I do, I mustn't let out that Ally failed in the feather-stitching," she said to herself.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "Whatever I do, I mustn't let out that Ally failed in the feather-stitching," she said to herself.
misery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
moisture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
mustn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Whatever I do, I mustn't let out that Ally failed in the feather-stitching," she said to herself.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Whatever I do, I mustn't let out that Ally failed in the feather-stitching," she said to herself.
painfully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
pottered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Grannie pottered about and got the tea.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Whatever I do, I mustn't let out that Ally failed in the feather-stitching," she said to herself.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
shook
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
tea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Grannie pottered about and got the tea.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Grannie pottered about and got the tea.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As she did so she shook her old head, and once a dim moisture came to her eyes.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
trouble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
WhateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading "Whatever I do, I mustn't let out that Ally failed in the feather-stitching," she said to herself.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading But Grannie had never thought much of herself, and she was certainly not going to do so to-day when her darling was in such trouble.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Her hand ached so painfully that if she had been less brave she would have sat down and given herself up to the misery which it caused her.
