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 The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
affected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After all, sixty rupees is what I want.
alive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After all, sixty rupees is what I want.
allow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
Black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
care
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
day's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I didn't stick to that work for long.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
draw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
eat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I didn't stick to that work for long.
freeadjectiveUS /friː/
acting without enough restraint or discipline
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
Fung-Tching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
Gate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I didn't stick to that work for long.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading After all, sixty rupees is what I want.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
liked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
live
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I didn't stick to that work for long.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
money
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
restnounUS /rest/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
rupees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After all, sixty rupees is what I want.
saveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
sixty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After all, sixty rupees is what I want.
sleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
Smoke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
stick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I didn't stick to that work for long.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I didn't stick to that work for long.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I was free of the Gate at any time of the day and night, and could smoke and sleep there when I liked, so I didn't care.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I didn't stick to that work for long.
used
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Black Smoke does not allow of much other business; and even though I am very little affected by it, as men go I couldn't do a day's work now to save my life.
want
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After all, sixty rupees is what I want.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading After all, sixty rupees is what I want.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When old Fung-Tching was alive he used to draw the money for me, give me about half of it to live on (I eat very little), and the rest he kept himself.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I didn't stick to that work for long.
