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 Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
afar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
beauty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
brother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
circle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
clad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
cradle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
death
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
dirge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
dread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
dreams
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
enter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
grief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
imaginary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
learnt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
Lo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
love
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
meaning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
missed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
namenounUS /name/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
Olive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
poetical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
read
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
Rothesay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
seems
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
shape
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
sorrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
spectre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Her circle of love was so small that it seemed as though the dread spectre could not enter.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
twelve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
wail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading She knew there was such a thing; she read of it in her books; its shadow had passed her by when she missed her little brother from the cradle; but still it had never stood by her side and said, “Lo, I am here!”
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And that other word, which is the dirge of the whole earth--death--was still to her only a name.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She saw it afar off; she thought upon it sometimes in her poetical dreams, which clad the imaginary shape of grief with a strange beauty.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive Rothesay was twelve years old, and she had never learnt the meaning of that word whose very sound seems a wail--sorrow.
