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 In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
arm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She showed no signs of confusion or nervousness at his visit.
background
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
card
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
case
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
Claridge's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
cold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
confusion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She showed no signs of confusion or nervousness at his visit.
declined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
descendednounUS /ˈdescended/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
dressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
fairnounUS /fair/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
fraudulent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
hard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
hovering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
invitation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
invited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
jewel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
lips
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
lounge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
maid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
message
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
nervousness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She showed no signs of confusion or nervousness at his visit.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading She showed no signs of confusion or nervousness at his visit.
obeying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She showed no signs of confusion or nervousness at his visit.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
Pekinese
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
perfection
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
promptly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
quarter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
sent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
showed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She showed no signs of confusion or nervousness at his visit.
signs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She showed no signs of confusion or nervousness at his visit.
smile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
suite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
Tallente
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
telephone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour she descended to the lounge, dressed for the street.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
urgent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
visit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She showed no signs of confusion or nervousness at his visit.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Her maid came down and invited him to her suite, an invitation which he promptly declined.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tallente, obeying an urgent telephone message, made his way to Claridge's and sent his card up to his wife.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was hard and cold and fair, with a fraudulent smile upon her lips, dressed to perfection, her maid hovering in the background with a Pekinese under one arm and a jewel case in her other hand.