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 "How could such a thing have entered any man's mind?"
accidental
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From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
any
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From this reading "How could such a thing have entered any man's mind?"
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
book
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From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
brain
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From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
Caudle
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From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
cause
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From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
doubt
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From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
drops
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From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
entered
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From this reading "How could such a thing have entered any man's mind?"
expansion
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From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
fall
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From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
feed
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From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
gentlewomen
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From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
grow
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From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
happened
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From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
head
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From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How could such a thing have entered any man's mind?"
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
like
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From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
literary
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From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
made
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From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
man's
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From this reading "How could such a thing have entered any man's mind?"
matter
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From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "How could such a thing have entered any man's mind?"
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
night-flower
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
notes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
picture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
pity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
rain
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From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
reproof
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From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
result
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
seed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
seem
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From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
smallest
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From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
soil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
sowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
statue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
subjects
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From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "How could such a thing have entered any man's mind?"
ten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "How could such a thing have entered any man's mind?"
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
train
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
twenty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
unfolding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
various
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
wafted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The result of no train of thought, there is the picture, the statue, the book, wafted, like the smallest seed, into the brain to feed upon the soil, such as it may be, and grow there.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And this was, no doubt, the accidental cause of the literary sowing and expansion--unfolding like a night-flower--of MRS.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There are subjects that seem like rain drops to fall upon a man's head, the head itself having nothing to do with the matter.
wonder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
writer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading It has happened to the writer that two, or three, or ten, or twenty gentlewomen have asked him--and asked in various notes of wonder, pity, and reproof - "What could have made you think of Mrs. Caudle?
