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 deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
anxiety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
aside
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
begun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
bornnounUS /born/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
commencing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
commissions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
deeply
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
difficulties
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
dull
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
entirelynounUS /ˈentirely/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
execute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
foreign
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
four
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
given
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
importune
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
increasing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
inexplicablenounUS /inexplicable/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
involved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
lack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
mornings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
Neville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
painting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
portrait
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
possessed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
previous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
results
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
returnednounUS /ˈreturned/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
self-confidence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
September
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
studio
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
summer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
technical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
timidity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
unreasoning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
Valerie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
West
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
worried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
