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 rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
almost
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From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
bath
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
bathed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
beds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
believed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
blades
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
bright
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
brothers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
brown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
buds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
catch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
clean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
coming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
cottage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
creation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
dreary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
drops
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
dust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
ears
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
exult
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
fairnounUS /fair/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
falling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
flowers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
fresh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
full
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
gaily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
gladden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
God's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
grass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
green
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
heads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
hearts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
joy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
laugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
leaves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
lift
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
love
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
nobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/
no person; not anyone
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
nodding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
pattering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
perch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
prison-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
rain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
roadside
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
roof
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
shower
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
sing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
sisters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
smiled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
sprang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
steadily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
sweeter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
taking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
talked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The rain was pattering, pattering steadily upon the roof of a little brown cottage that stood alone by the country roadside.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading As the shower came down, the little green blades of grass sprang up to catch the drops; and they seemed almost to laugh and sing, so full of joy were they when they could lift their heads from the dust.
window-seat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little Alice looked out of the windows of the brown cottage, and saw them nodding gaily to her as they were taking their bath; and so she smiled back again, and talked to them from her perch in the window-seat as if they were brothers and sisters, with eyes and ears to see and hear, and hearts to return her love.
winter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There had been a long and dreary winter, and now the bright spring was coming, with its buds and leaves and flowers, to gladden the earth, that had all the time seemed to be dead.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was so much sweeter to be out once more from their prison-house and to exult with all God's fair creation; so they bathed themselves in the falling shower, and made themselves fresh and clean; and nobody would ever have believed that they came out from their dark beds in the earth.
