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 IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
adorned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
aped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
Autumn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.
baked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
became
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
changed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
charms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
city
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
clean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
cold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
completed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
cottages
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
country-town
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
December
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
destroyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
dull
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
early
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
farms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
florid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
foliage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
footnounUS /foot/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
frosts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
grand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
gray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
greatest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
ground
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.
houses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.
ITpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
late
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
magnificent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
making
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
mass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
middle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
nearly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
ominous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
pedestrians
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
placard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
pretentious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
pretty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
quagmires
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
rain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
rows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
ruts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
Sale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.
sharp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
sodden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
streets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.
thoroughly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
thriving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
trodden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
unfinished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
unpaved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
wastenounUS /weɪst/
an empty, uncultivated area of land
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
week
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
year
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.
Yerbury
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
Yerbury's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.