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this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
acres
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
agreements
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From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
algebra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
all
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
annotated
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From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
attempts
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From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
back
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From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
best
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From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
bills
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From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
bits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
blue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
compositions
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From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
days
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
deposited
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
dexterously
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From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
diaries
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
dismal
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
documents
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
drafts
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From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
early
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
Empire
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From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
encumbering
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
essay
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From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
extra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
faded
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From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
family
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
filled
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From this reading "I filled the furnace seven times," he said to me, laconically.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
fortnight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
furnace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I filled the furnace seven times," he said to me, laconically.
furniture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
generations
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
give
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From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
grandfather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
heavily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
individual
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From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
ineffable
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From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
inserted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
intellectual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
interested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
laconically
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From this reading "I filled the furnace seven times," he said to me, laconically.
leaving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
married
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I filled the furnace seven times," he said to me, laconically.
means
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From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
memoranda
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
occupied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
once
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
out-of-date
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From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
paper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
papers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
parlornounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
an old-fashioned sitting room
From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/
the main matter or purpose being discussed
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
post-school
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
problems
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
quit-claim
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From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
Raymond
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
Raymond's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
receipted
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From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
received
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From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
refused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
said
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From this reading "I filled the furnace seven times," he said to me, laconically.
Second
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From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
sediment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
seven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I filled the furnace seven times," he said to me, laconically.
several
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From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
sheaves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
sheepskin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
signature
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
six
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
slowly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
stress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
style
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
suburban
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
times
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I filled the furnace seven times," he said to me, laconically.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
tonic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
Virgil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There were several faded agreements with the signature of the ineffable individual who had married into the family, had received a quit-claim to those suburban acres, and had then, at a point of stress, refused to give them back.
worked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were drafts of Raymond's early compositions--his first attempts at the essay and the short story; there was an ancient, heavily annotated Virgil (only six books), and there was a sheepskin algebra in which he had taken, by himself, a post-school course as a means of intellectual tonic, with extra problems dexterously worked out and inserted on bits of blue paper....
worst
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were sheaves of old receipted bills--among them one for the set of parlor furniture in the best (or the worst) style of the Second Empire.
youthful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I Before leaving his house for good and all, Raymond spent a dismal fortnight in going over old papers--out-of-date documents which once had interested his father and grandfather, books, diaries and memoranda which had occupied his own youthful days: the slowly deposited, encumbering sediment of three generations, long in one place.
