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 As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I always had a yearning to be a king.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
ashore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I always had a yearning to be a king.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
disappointmentnounUS /ˈdisappointment/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
finest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
flavor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
Francisco
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
Further
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
gentle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
humor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
hunted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
king
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I always had a yearning to be a king.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
pole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
quaint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
rate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
resignation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
San
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
satisfaction
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
says
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
shaved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
shortly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Further on he says: “I had not shaved since I left San Francisco.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
soon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
striped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
supposenounUS /ˈsuppose/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
touches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I got ashore I hunted up a striped pole, and shortly found one.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading This has something of the flavor of the man we were to know later; the quaint, gentle resignation to disappointment which is one of the finest touches in his humor.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading This may never be, I suppose, but, at any rate, it will always be a satisfaction to me to know that, if I am not a king, I am the next thing to it.
yearning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I always had a yearning to be a king.
