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 The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
arroyos
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From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
automobiles
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From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
big
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From this reading It was a big city, for the West, and swarming with traffic and men.
border
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From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
brick
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From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
broad
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From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
buildings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
city
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From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
coldly
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From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
desert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
dry
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From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
end
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From this reading That line which marked the sudden end of growth and progress was the border of the United States; the desert was Mexico.
far
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From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was a big city, for the West, and swarming with traffic and men.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
Gadsden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
gleaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
growth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That line which marked the sudden end of growth and progress was the border of the United States; the desert was Mexico.
halo
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From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
hundred
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From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a big city, for the West, and swarming with traffic and men.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
lined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
magic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
main
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
marked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That line which marked the sudden end of growth and progress was the border of the United States; the desert was Mexico.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a big city, for the West, and swarming with traffic and men.
Mexico
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
miles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
path
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
plains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
progress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That line which marked the sudden end of growth and progress was the border of the United States; the desert was Mexico.
railroad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
ran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
ridges
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
riding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
rose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
sandy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
saw-toothed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
Sierras
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
silvery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
slow-rolling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
south
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
States
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That line which marked the sudden end of growth and progress was the border of the United States; the desert was Mexico.
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
straight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
suddennounUS /sudden/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That line which marked the sudden end of growth and progress was the border of the United States; the desert was Mexico.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
sun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
swarming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a big city, for the West, and swarming with traffic and men.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That line which marked the sudden end of growth and progress was the border of the United States; the desert was Mexico.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
throbbing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
throw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
traffic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a big city, for the West, and swarming with traffic and men.
United
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That line which marked the sudden end of growth and progress was the border of the United States; the desert was Mexico.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Its broad main street, lined with brick buildings and throbbing with automobiles, ran from the railroad straight to the south until, at a line, it stopped short and was lost in the desert.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a big city, for the West, and swarming with traffic and men.
wastenounUS /weɪst/
an empty, uncultivated area of land
From this reading A hundred miles of desert lay in its path--a waste of broken ridges, dry arroyos, and sandy plains--and then suddenly, as if by magic, the city rose gleaming in the sun.
West
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a big city, for the West, and swarming with traffic and men.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading That line which marked the sudden end of growth and progress was the border of the United States; the desert was Mexico.
winter's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slow-rolling winter's sun rose coldly, far to the south, riding up from behind the saw-toothed Sierras of Mexico to throw a silvery halo on Gadsden, the border city.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a big city, for the West, and swarming with traffic and men.
