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 THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
Alley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
ankles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
apparatus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
back
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From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
Barrel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
Billy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
cans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
catch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
clamorous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
complicated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
confounding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
diverting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
DREAMnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
enraging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
fastnesses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
feet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
filling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
fishing-line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
follow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
Ford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
function
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
game
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
Gilson's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
involved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
JOE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
KEEKIE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
labyrinth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
mass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
muddy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
passersby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
pedestrians
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
pile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
pulling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
radiators
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
repair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
selected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
sentinel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
shop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
sidewalk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
state
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
strand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
Stretched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
surprises
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
thus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
tin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
tire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
untangled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The involved mass was really not a fishing-line but, in its untangled state, an apparatus for confounding and enraging pedestrians.
untangling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
various
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
vary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
victim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stretched across the sidewalk between two tin cans its function was to catch in the feet of passersby, thus pulling the clamorous cans about the ankles of the victim.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was trying to follow a selected strand through the various fastnesses of the labyrinth.
water
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
wont
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Keekie Joe had always found this game diverting and he was wont to vary its surprises by filling the cans with muddy water.
yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DREAM OF KEEKIE JOE On that night, in the back yard of Billy Gilson's tire repair shop, Keekie Joe, the sentinel of Barrel Alley, sat upon a pile of old Ford radiators, untangling a complicated mass of fishing-line.
