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 "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
Babies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
ByprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
Carey's
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From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
chickens
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From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
chill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
cold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
coming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
copy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
daintily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
dreary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
early
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
east
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
feet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
fell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
flitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
flock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
hopping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
late
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
lifting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
love
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
Mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
Nancy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
October
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
Peter-bird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
petrels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
reading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "No more just now, Peter-bird," she said; "I hear mother coming."
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
skipping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
swallows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
Tom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
Water
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nancy stopped reading and laid down the copy of "Water Babies" on the sitting-room table.
wave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading "By and by there came along a flock of petrels, who are Mother Carey's own chickens....
windnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
winter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a cold, dreary day in late October, with an east wind and a chill of early winter in the air.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading They flitted along like a flock of swallows, hopping and skipping from wave to wave, lifting their little feet behind them so daintily that Tom fell in love with them at once."
