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 From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
abnormality
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From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
adjustment
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From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
believed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
believing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
Benny
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From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
brimstone
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From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
childbirth
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From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
committed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
crimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
damnation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
despiteprepositionUS /dɪˈspaɪt/
although something is true; in spite of
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
died
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From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
discuss
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From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
eternal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
fantasy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
feelings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
fiery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
fundamentalist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
given
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
God
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
guilt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
Hell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
innocent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
learn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
literal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
merited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
minister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
original
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
probably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
punished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
punishment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
raised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
seeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
seems
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
sin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
sinner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
society
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
son
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
subnormality
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
taught
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
vengeful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
waiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
wishing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
wonderfully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
you've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
