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 Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
afterwards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
ago
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From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Whence it came no one knew, and it spoke an unknown tongue.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
ashore
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From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
bare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
barren
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From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
begged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
BeyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
boats
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
came
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From this reading Whence it came no one knew, and it spoke an unknown tongue.
Catalans
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From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
chiefs
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From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
colony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
commune
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From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
drank
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From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
fifteen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
friends
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From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
granted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
gypsies
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From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
hundred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whence it came no one knew, and it spoke an unknown tongue.
land
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
like
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From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
listening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
LongnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
Marseilles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
months
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/
difficult to explain or understand
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Whence it came no one knew, and it spoke an unknown tongue.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Whence it came no one knew, and it spoke an unknown tongue.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
paces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
promontory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
Provençal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
quitted
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From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
request
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
run
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
sailors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
settled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
Spain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
spoke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whence it came no one knew, and it spoke an unknown tongue.
spot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
sprang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
tonguenounUS /tongue/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
twelve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
understood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
unknown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whence it came no one knew, and it spoke an unknown tongue.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
vessels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The request was granted; and three months afterwards, around the twelve or fifteen small vessels which had brought these gypsies of the sea, a small village sprang up.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
weather-worn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
WhenceadverbUS /wens/
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading Whence it came no one knew, and it spoke an unknown tongue.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Long ago this mysterious colony quitted Spain, and settled on the tongue of land on which it is to this day.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading One of its chiefs, who understood Provençal, begged the commune of Marseilles to give them this bare and barren promontory, where, like the sailors of old, they had run their boats ashore.
wine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond a bare, weather-worn wall, about a hundred paces from the spot where the two friends sat looking and listening as they drank their wine, was the village of the Catalans.
