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 question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
advisability
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
Ambassador
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
arduous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
arisen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
arrived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
attending
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
attention
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
betraying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
boots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
closeted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
commodity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
Consulate-General
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
Consulates
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
curse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
depended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
devil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
dispatches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
Downing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
due
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
Embassy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
enemy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
Florence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
gold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
graces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
hereditary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
including
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
King's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
lick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
Livorno
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
London
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
Majesty's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
making
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
matters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
messenger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
midnight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
Ministers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
necessary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
questions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
reducing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
regarding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
requiring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
Rome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
several
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
Street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
various
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
Venice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
Vice-Consulate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A question had arisen in London of the advisability of reducing the Florence Consulate-General to a Vice-Consulate and making Livorno a Consulate-General in its place.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That afternoon he spent at the Embassy attending to dispatches brought from Downing Street by the King's messenger who had arrived in Rome that morning, and who was due to return to London at midnight.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And for gold--always for gold--that most necessary commodity upon which the devil has for ever set his curse.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading For two arduous hours he was closeted with the Ambassador going through the various matters requiring attention, including several questions regarding the Consulates of Florence and Venice.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Those very men--those Ministers who depended upon the King's good graces, and would lick His Majesty's boots, were the same men who were now betraying him and the country into the hands of their hereditary enemy.
