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 Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
ago
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
bustled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
carried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
centuries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
changed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
comfortable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
communicate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
completely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
Cylindrical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
dared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
dome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
enclosed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
Eric
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
gleaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
haunting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
laughter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
loneliness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
lovely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
merged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
metallic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
Only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
peaceful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
plastic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
plates
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
race
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
ringing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
seasons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
shouting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
Sidenote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
sky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
stars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
starship
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
static
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
tools
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
towered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
transparent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
uncorroded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
waited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only Eric knew the haunting loneliness that had carried the old race to the stars, and he couldn't communicate it, even if he had dared to!_] _The starship waited.
walls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cylindrical walls enclosed it, and a transparent plastic dome held it back from the sky and the stars.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It towered as gleaming and as uncorroded as it had when it was first built, long ago, when men had bustled about it and in it, their shouting and their laughter and the sound of their tools ringing against the metallic plates._ _Now few men ever came to it.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _The world of the new race was peaceful, comfortable, lovely--and completely static.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It waited, while night changed to day and back again, while the seasons merged one into another, and the years, and the centuries.
