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 When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
arm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gwen poised herself on the arm of it, and swung one foot.
arm-chair
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From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
begging
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From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
big
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From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
courtesy
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From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
don't
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From this reading “I hope you don’t mean that,” he said.
dragged
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From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
Earl
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From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
England
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From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
entered
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From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
exaggerated
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From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
eyeing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
families
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From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
foolish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, you know this is very foolish,” said Gwen.
foolish-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
footnounUS /foot/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Gwen poised herself on the arm of it, and swung one foot.
forwardnounUS /forward/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
gravely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
Gwen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, you know this is very foolish,” said Gwen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
hastened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I hope you don’t mean that,” he said.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Gwen poised herself on the arm of it, and swung one foot.
hope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I hope you don’t mean that,” he said.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I hope you don’t mean that,” he said.
illustrious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
indeed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Now, you know this is very foolish,” said Gwen.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Gwen poised herself on the arm of it, and swung one foot.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Now, you know this is very foolish,” said Gwen.
library
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
mean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I hope you don’t mean that,” he said.
meet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
nervous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, you know this is very foolish,” said Gwen.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Gwen poised herself on the arm of it, and swung one foot.
oldest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Gwen poised herself on the arm of it, and swung one foot.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Gwen poised herself on the arm of it, and swung one foot.
poised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gwen poised herself on the arm of it, and swung one foot.
repeatednounUS /repeated/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
represented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, you know this is very foolish,” said Gwen.
seated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
Selloyd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
swung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gwen poised herself on the arm of it, and swung one foot.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “I hope you don’t mean that,” he said.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Now, you know this is very foolish,” said Gwen.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, you know this is very foolish,” said Gwen.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading When she entered the library Earl Selloyd had hastened to meet her with exaggerated courtesy, and dragged forward a big arm-chair, begging her to be seated.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Now, you know this is very foolish,” said Gwen.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very foolish, indeed!” she repeated, eyeing gravely the thin, nervous, foolish-looking young man, who, nevertheless, represented one of the oldest and most illustrious families of England.
