Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
answerednounUS /ˈanswered/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Olive answered quietly, “Every one said it was pleasant.”
anxiety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
ball
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
breakfast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
child
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Poor child!” was the half involuntary sigh; and Mrs. Rothesay drew her daughter to her with deep tenderness.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
curtains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
danced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
daughter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Poor child!” was the half involuntary sigh; and Mrs. Rothesay drew her daughter to her with deep tenderness.
deep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Poor child!” was the half involuntary sigh; and Mrs. Rothesay drew her daughter to her with deep tenderness.
disguisenounUS /dɪsˈɡaɪz/
A means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity.
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
drewnounUS /drew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
early
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Olive answered quietly, “Every one said it was pleasant.”
exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/
apart from; not including
From this reading “No one, except Sara.”
expected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Poor child!” was the half involuntary sigh; and Mrs. Rothesay drew her daughter to her with deep tenderness.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
herspronounUS /hərz/
the one or ones belonging to her
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
invalid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
involuntary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Poor child!” was the half involuntary sigh; and Mrs. Rothesay drew her daughter to her with deep tenderness.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Olive answered quietly, “Every one said it was pleasant.”
love
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
Olive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Olive answered quietly, “Every one said it was pleasant.”
pleasantnounUS /pleasant/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
PoornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Poor child!” was the half involuntary sigh; and Mrs. Rothesay drew her daughter to her with deep tenderness.
quietly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive answered quietly, “Every one said it was pleasant.”
received
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
returnednounUS /ˈreturned/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
Rothesay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
roused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
Sara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “No one, except Sara.”
scarceadjectiveUS /skɛrs/
hard to find or in short supply
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
sigh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Poor child!” was the half involuntary sigh; and Mrs. Rothesay drew her daughter to her with deep tenderness.
talked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
tenderness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Poor child!” was the half involuntary sigh; and Mrs. Rothesay drew her daughter to her with deep tenderness.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
usual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
Well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading “But you,” returned the mother, with an anxiety she could scarce disguise--“who talked to you?--who danced with you?”
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Well, my love, was the ball as pleasant as you expected?” said Mrs. Rothesay, when Olive drew the curtains, and roused her invalid mother to the usual early breakfast, received from no hands but hers.
