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 Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
April
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Wednesday evening in April, eighteen ninety-two.
Bank
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From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
bookseller's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
Catalogue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
certain
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From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
coming
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From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
compiling
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From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
corner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
cupolas
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From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For it was in the days of his obscurity.
decorated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
Easter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
eighteen
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From this reading It was Wednesday evening in April, eighteen ninety-two.
evening
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From this reading It was Wednesday evening in April, eighteen ninety-two.
façade
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For it was in the days of his obscurity.
four
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
gigantic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
highway
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For it was in the days of his obscurity.
Holiday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was Wednesday evening in April, eighteen ninety-two.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Wednesday evening in April, eighteen ninety-two.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
modern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
narrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
ninety-two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Wednesday evening in April, eighteen ninety-two.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
obscurity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For it was in the days of his obscurity.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
pinkish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
Quarterly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
river
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
shop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
soul
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
south
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
Spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
Strand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
streets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
structure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
terra-cotta
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
topped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was Wednesday evening in April, eighteen ninety-two.
Wednesday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Wednesday evening in April, eighteen ninety-two.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
windnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Spring was coming up on the south wind from the river; spring was in the narrow streets and in the great highway of the Strand, and in a certain bookseller's shop in the Strand.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The shop, a corner one, was part of a gigantic modern structure, with a decorated façade in pinkish terra-cotta, and topped by four pinkish cupolas.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And it was Easter, not to say Bank Holiday, already in the soul of the young man who sat there compiling the Quarterly Catalogue.
