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 CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
abrupt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had I indeed gone too far, been too stern and abrupt?
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Had I indeed gone too far, been too stern and abrupt?
any
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From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
armies
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From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
attempt
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From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
bands
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From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Had I indeed gone too far, been too stern and abrupt?
better
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From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
CHALLENGE
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From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
chance
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From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
choice
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From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
Confederate
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From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
conflict
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From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
daylight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
desperate
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From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
direction
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From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
down
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From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
emotions
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From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
err
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From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
exhibit
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From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
far
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had I indeed gone too far, been too stern and abrupt?
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had I indeed gone too far, been too stern and abrupt?
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had I indeed gone too far, been too stern and abrupt?
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
indeed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had I indeed gone too far, been too stern and abrupt?
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
lines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
pickets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
possibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
ravine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
remaining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
renegades
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
slowly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
stern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had I indeed gone too far, been too stern and abrupt?
StillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
stragglers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
surely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
swayed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had I indeed gone too far, been too stern and abrupt?
traverse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
uncertain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
waited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
weaknessnounUS /ˈwiːknəs/
a lack of physical strength
From this reading Still it was surely better to err in this direction than to exhibit weakness, and it was only between these two that I had any choice remaining.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE CHALLENGE I went slowly down stairs, swayed by a conflict of emotions.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What lay between us and our own lines was uncertain--possibly Confederate pickets, surely bands of stragglers, renegades from both armies.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Now that we had waited so long, it would be a desperate chance to attempt to traverse that ravine in daylight.
