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 JOHNSON AS A LITERARY DICTATOR.
also
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
anecdotes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
ASconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading JOHNSON AS A LITERARY DICTATOR.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
becomes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
Boswell's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
brief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
brilliance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
competent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
DICTATOR
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JOHNSON AS A LITERARY DICTATOR.
difficult
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The task, however, is a difficult one.
distinctly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
easy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
familiar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
gems
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
greatest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading The task, however, is a difficult one.
inevitable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The task, however, is a difficult one.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
JOHNSON
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JOHNSON AS A LITERARY DICTATOR.
Johnson's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
LITERARY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JOHNSON AS A LITERARY DICTATOR.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
lose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
narrative
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
observer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The task, however, is a difficult one.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/
the main matter or purpose being discussed
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
reached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
remains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
selection
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
setting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
task
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The task, however, is a difficult one.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It is easy enough to make a selection of the gems of Boswell's narrative; but it is also inevitable that, taken from their setting, they should lose the greatest part of their brilliance.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
twenty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
visible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We have now reached the point at which Johnson's life becomes distinctly visible through the eyes of a competent observer.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The last twenty years are those which are really familiar to us; and little remains but to give some brief selection of Boswell's anecdotes.
