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 TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She ought to have responded to the telegram at once; she ought to have gone to London by the afternoon train.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She saw it, in the darkness, as an enormity.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She saw it, in the darkness, as an enormity.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She ought to have responded to the telegram at once; she ought to have gone to London by the afternoon train.
attitude
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From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She ought to have responded to the telegram at once; she ought to have gone to London by the afternoon train.
Cannon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
convinced
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From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
darkness
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From this reading She saw it, in the darkness, as an enormity.
door
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From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
enormity
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From this reading She saw it, in the darkness, as an enormity.
few
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From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
Gailey's
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From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have responded to the telegram at once; she ought to have gone to London by the afternoon train.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She ought to have responded to the telegram at once; she ought to have gone to London by the afternoon train.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
Hilda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
ill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
inner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She saw it, in the darkness, as an enormity.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
knocking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
leave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
LONDON
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From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
middle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
Miss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
monstrous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There had been nothing to prevent her!
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have responded to the telegram at once; she ought to have gone to London by the afternoon train.
oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading She ought to have responded to the telegram at once; she ought to have gone to London by the afternoon train.
presence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
prevent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
responded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have responded to the telegram at once; she ought to have gone to London by the afternoon train.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it, in the darkness, as an enormity.
saying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
seconds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
simply
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
sorry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
telegram
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
train
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have responded to the telegram at once; she ought to have gone to London by the afternoon train.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading What had there been to prevent her from knocking at the door of the inner room, and saying to Mr. Cannon, in the presence of no matter whom: "I am very sorry, Mr. Cannon, but I've just had a telegram that mother is ill in London, and I must leave by the next train"?
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
woke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TO LONDON I In the middle of the night Hilda woke up, and within a few seconds she convinced herself that her attitude to Miss Gailey's telegram had been simply monstrous.
