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 After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
arranged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I lay on my back staring straight at the ceiling.
back
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From this reading I lay on my back staring straight at the ceiling.
bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
bold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
bolted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I cannot deny I was nervous--or rather the whole situation was on my nerves.
ceiling
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From this reading I lay on my back staring straight at the ceiling.
clatter
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From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
cunningly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
deny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I cannot deny I was nervous--or rather the whole situation was on my nerves.
devil
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From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
extraordinary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
failed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
frightened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
gun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
intruder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
kick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I lay on my back staring straight at the ceiling.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
locked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
luck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
nerves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
nervous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I cannot deny I was nervous--or rather the whole situation was on my nerves.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But I cannot deny I was nervous--or rather the whole situation was on my nerves.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But I cannot deny I was nervous--or rather the whole situation was on my nerves.
pillow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
placed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I cannot deny I was nervous--or rather the whole situation was on my nerves.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
situation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I cannot deny I was nervous--or rather the whole situation was on my nerves.
sleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
staring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I lay on my back staring straight at the ceiling.
straight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I lay on my back staring straight at the ceiling.
string
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
truthfully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/
except if; if not
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading After a time I went to bed, but not to sleep.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I cannot deny I was nervous--or rather the whole situation was on my nerves.
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I placed my gun under my pillow, locked and bolted the door, and arranged a string cunningly across the open window so that an intruder--unless he had extraordinary luck--could not have failed to kick up a devil of a clatter.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was young, bold, without nerves; so that I think I can truthfully say I was not in the least frightened.
