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 It was a Sunday afternoon, not bright, but dull.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was a Sunday afternoon, not bright, but dull.
air
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From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
All
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
almost
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From this reading On the lawn you could almost “have seen the grass grow.”
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
away
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
birds
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From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
bright
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From this reading It was a Sunday afternoon, not bright, but dull.
bursting
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a Sunday afternoon, not bright, but dull.
came
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
clouds
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading On the lawn you could almost “have seen the grass grow.”
day
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
dew-covered
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
down
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
dropping
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
dull
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From this reading It was a Sunday afternoon, not bright, but dull.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
earth
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
faint
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
falls
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
flowers
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
forth
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
freshness
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
full
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From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
gives
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
gladness
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
grass
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From this reading On the lawn you could almost “have seen the grass grow.”
grey
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From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
grow
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From this reading On the lawn you could almost “have seen the grass grow.”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading On the lawn you could almost “have seen the grass grow.”
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a Sunday afternoon, not bright, but dull.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
lawn
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From this reading On the lawn you could almost “have seen the grass grow.”
leaves
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
low
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
marvel
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From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
May-rain
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
merrily
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From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was a Sunday afternoon, not bright, but dull.
odour
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From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the lawn you could almost “have seen the grass grow.”
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
promise
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From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
rain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
rich
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
seen
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From this reading On the lawn you could almost “have seen the grass grow.”
silent
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
singing
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From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
sky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
soft
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
spring
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
summer
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From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
Sunday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a Sunday afternoon, not bright, but dull.
sunshine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
ThroughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
warm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a Sunday afternoon, not bright, but dull.
weeping
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From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading All the long day the low clouds had been dropping freshness down;--the soft May-rain, which falls warm and silent, as if the spring were weeping itself away for very gladness.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through the open window came the faint odour which the earth gives forth during rain--an odour of bursting leaves and dew-covered flowers.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading And though the sky was dull and grey, still the whole air was so full of summer, so rich in the promise of what the next day would be, that you did not marvel to hear the birds singing as merrily as if it had been sunshine.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading On the lawn you could almost “have seen the grass grow.”
