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 AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
BALANCES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There’d be a list of heirs and all their fights;
bornnounUS /born/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There’d be the frowns, the snarls, the sneers and scorn Out of the leavin’s of our dead men born.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There’d be the frowns, the snarls, the sneers and scorn Out of the leavin’s of our dead men born.
divorce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the threats and mutt’rin’s of divorce And all the griefs that spring from Trouble’s source.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
fame
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
FAMILIES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
fights
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be a list of heirs and all their fights;
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There’d be the threats and mutt’rin’s of divorce And all the griefs that spring from Trouble’s source.
frowns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the frowns, the snarls, the sneers and scorn Out of the leavin’s of our dead men born.
gravestun's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
griefs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the threats and mutt’rin’s of divorce And all the griefs that spring from Trouble’s source.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
he'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
heart-aches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sorrows and the heart-aches over rights;
heirs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be a list of heirs and all their fights;
helpnounUS /help/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
honour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
leavin's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the frowns, the snarls, the sneers and scorn Out of the leavin’s of our dead men born.
list
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the frowns, the snarls, the sneers and scorn Out of the leavin’s of our dead men born.
mutt'rin's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the threats and mutt’rin’s of divorce And all the griefs that spring from Trouble’s source.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
Out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the frowns, the snarls, the sneers and scorn Out of the leavin’s of our dead men born.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The sorrows and the heart-aches over rights;
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
publish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
rights
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sorrows and the heart-aches over rights;
roll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
scorn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the frowns, the snarls, the sneers and scorn Out of the leavin’s of our dead men born.
shame
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
snarls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the frowns, the snarls, the sneers and scorn Out of the leavin’s of our dead men born.
sneers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the frowns, the snarls, the sneers and scorn Out of the leavin’s of our dead men born.
sorrows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sorrows and the heart-aches over rights;
source
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the threats and mutt’rin’s of divorce And all the griefs that spring from Trouble’s source.
spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the threats and mutt’rin’s of divorce And all the griefs that spring from Trouble’s source.
STRIKE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There’d be the threats and mutt’rin’s of divorce And all the griefs that spring from Trouble’s source.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
THEIRdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
There'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be a list of heirs and all their fights;
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
threats
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the threats and mutt’rin’s of divorce And all the griefs that spring from Trouble’s source.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
Trouble's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There’d be the threats and mutt’rin’s of divorce And all the griefs that spring from Trouble’s source.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
We'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
WILLARD
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
write
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AND THE WILLARD FAMILIES STRIKE THEIR BALANCES If we could write upon his gravestun’s face A list of what he’d done to help this place, We’d have a roll of honour to his fame, But we should publish all our village shame.
