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 Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
alien
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
AnotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
arbitrary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
book
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
customs
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From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
detailsnounUS /ˈdetails/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
draft
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From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
dutynounUS /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
examination
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From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
female
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From this reading Mine was a mixed quartet, three gents and a female.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
four
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
gents
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From this reading Mine was a mixed quartet, three gents and a female.
herded
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From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
large
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From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
later
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From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
leave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
looked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
MinepronounUS /maɪn/
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Mine was a mixed quartet, three gents and a female.
mixedverbUS /mɪkst/
involved with or connected to
From this reading Mine was a mixed quartet, three gents and a female.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
officer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
officers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
officials
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
passports
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
permitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
picked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
quartet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mine was a mixed quartet, three gents and a female.
recorded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
reported
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
seated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
selective
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
ship
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
system
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading An officer looked at our passports and recorded details of them in a large book.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mine was a mixed quartet, three gents and a female.
tillprepositionUS /tɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
time
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
unloaded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
usher
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
using
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another usher picked us out, four at a time, for examination, using a system of arbitrary selective draft.
waiting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading No one was permitted to leave the ship till the customs officials and alien officers reported for duty, two hours later.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Then we were unloaded and herded into a waiting-room, where an usher seated us.
