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 I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
absolutely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
arrived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
boyhood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
brother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
clean-shaven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
disgracenounUS /dɪsˈɡreɪs/
shame caused by unacceptable behaviour
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
driven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
eye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
features
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
footstep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
glass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
gravel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
honourable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
instant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
land
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
namenounUS /name/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
native
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
patch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
receipt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
reflection
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
resemblance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
sardonic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
servants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
sitting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
smiled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
study
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
trick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was a clean-shaven man like myself, and the resemblance between us was still so great that, for an instant, I thought it was my own reflection in the glass.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "My brother arrived himself one night not very long after my receipt of the letter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He had a dark patch over his eye, but our features were absolutely the same.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Then he smiled in a sardonic way which had been a trick of his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was the same brother who had driven me from my native land, and brought disgrace upon what had been an honourable name.
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was sitting in my study after the servants had gone to bed, when I heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant later I saw his face looking in at me through the window.
