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 Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
acquaintances
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From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
altogether
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From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
always
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From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
amongstprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋst/
surrounded by; in the company of
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
back
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From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
Bohemian
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From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
bronzed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
came
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From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
certain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
circles
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From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
city
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
conscious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
contact
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From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
curious
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From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
devoted
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From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
disappointmentnounUS /ˈdisappointment/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
disciple
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From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
easy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
emptiness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
excellent
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From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
fashionable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
French
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
gambling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
golf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
health
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
holiday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
homes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
inclinations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
Jacob
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
liberal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
London
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
months
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
number
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
occasionally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
patron
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
pleasantnounUS /pleasant/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
prolonged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
purpose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
pursuits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
reputation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
shake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
society
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
summer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
theatres
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
theatrical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasant thing.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
wanting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
watering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
wealthy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
welcome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintances at a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more time to golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at both pursuits.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading He was brought into contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, who occasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was conscious of disappointment.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, but always with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, an emptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He was a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinations towards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongst which he would have been such a welcome disciple.
