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 It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And if there is one thing I cannot stand it is dirt.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
believenounUS /ˈbelieve/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
cabman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Mr. Paine who settled with the cabman.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And if there is one thing I cannot stand it is dirt.
cleaned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
dirt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And if there is one thing I cannot stand it is dirt.
dirty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
disreputable-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
drewnounUS /drew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
easily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading And if there is one thing I cannot stand it is dirt.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And if there is one thing I cannot stand it is dirt.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And if there is one thing I cannot stand it is dirt.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Mr. Paine who settled with the cabman.
lived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Mr. Paine who settled with the cabman.
neighbourhood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And if there is one thing I cannot stand it is dirt.
over-savoury
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
Paine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Mr. Paine who settled with the cabman.
particularly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
passing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
perfectly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
pretty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
settled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Mr. Paine who settled with the cabman.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
stand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And if there is one thing I cannot stand it is dirt.
storeys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
strucknounUS /struck/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was Mr. Paine who settled with the cabman.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And if there is one thing I cannot stand it is dirt.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
twenty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was Mr. Paine who settled with the cabman.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading It had not struck me that we had been passing through an over-savoury neighbourhood; we drew up in front of a perfectly disreputable-looking house.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Not that it was particularly small; there were three storeys; but it looked so dirty.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading It was Mr. Paine who settled with the cabman.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was Mr. Paine who settled with the cabman.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could easily believe that no one had lived in it for twenty years; it was pretty plain that the windows had not been cleaned for quite as long as that.
