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 One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
all
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From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
always
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
Arkansas
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
bar-room
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From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
belt
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
boot
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
bowie
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
ByprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
called
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
carried
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
caused
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From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
company
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From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
content
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From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
crowded
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From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
day
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From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
die
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From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
discomfort
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From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
drunk
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
escaping
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From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
fight
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
forever
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From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
knew
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From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
knife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
meandered
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From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
men
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From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
monotonous
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From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
music
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
ordernounUS /order/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
particular
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
person's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
profanity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
projecting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
quarreling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
revolvers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
rid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
ruffian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
sameness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
singing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
sledge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
song
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
stalwart
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From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
stifling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
suffering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The other man was a stalwart ruffian called "Arkansas," who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.
Swede
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
ThroughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
tiresome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
torture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
twenty-five
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
variation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading By day we were all crowded into one small, stifling bar-room, and so there was no escaping this person's music.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
whisky-guzzling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Through all the profanity, whisky-guzzling, "old sledge" and quarreling, his monotonous song meandered with never a variation in its tiresome sameness, and it seemed to me, at last, that I would be content to die, in order to be rid of the torture.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.
