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 RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
ACTIVITIES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
Arizona
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From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
barren
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
Big
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
birth
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From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
broad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
cattle
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From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They won their living where they could, fiercely from the fierce desert.
deep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
desert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They won their living where they could, fiercely from the fierce desert.
down
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From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
fat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
feed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
feeder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
fierce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They won their living where they could, fiercely from the fierce desert.
fiercely
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From this reading They won their living where they could, fiercely from the fierce desert.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They won their living where they could, fiercely from the fierce desert.
grazed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
grew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
half-wild
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
indelible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
lines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
living
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They won their living where they could, fiercely from the fierce desert.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
maturity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
mountains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
patient
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
places
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
plains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
plodded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
RANCH
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
range
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
retiredverbUS /rɪˈtaɪərd/
went away to a private place
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
season
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
shortened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
slowly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
southeastern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They won their living where they could, fiercely from the fierce desert.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
troughs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading RANCH ACTIVITIES Big as it was, the ranch was only a feeder for the open range.
watering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
Way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Way down in southeastern Arizona its cattle had their birth and grew to their half-wild maturity.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading They won their living where they could, fiercely from the fierce desert.
withered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the broad plains they grazed during the fat season; and as the feed shortened and withered, they retired slowly to the barren mountains.
won
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They won their living where they could, fiercely from the fierce desert.
wornverbUS /wɔːrn/
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading In long lines they plodded to the watering places; and in long, patient lines they plodded their way back again, until deep and indelible troughs had been worn in the face of the earth.
