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 A DELICATE ERRAND.
Agatha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
barn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
daughters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
delayed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
DELICATE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DELICATE ERRAND.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
driven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
early
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
ERRAND
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DELICATE ERRAND.
evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
explained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
footnounUS /foot/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
frost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
Hastings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
hired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
homestead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
latter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
meal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
partynounUS /party/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
prairie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
railroad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
Saturday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
served
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
settlement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
sharp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
snow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
sprinkle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
Sproatly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
stables
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
supper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
task
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
usually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
waiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The two hired men, whom Mrs. Hastings had not kept waiting, had gone out to some task in the barn or stables.
why
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter two had just driven over from the railroad settlement, as they did now and then, which explained why the meal, which is usually served early in the evening, had been delayed an hour or so.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
Winifred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hastings sat at the head of the table, his wife at the foot with her little daughters, Agatha, Sproatly, and Winifred between them.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was sharp frost outside, and the prairie was white with a thin sprinkle of snow, when a little party sat down to supper in the Hastings homestead one Saturday evening.
