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 I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
actually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
affairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
assured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
attended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
bear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
better
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
boxes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
decided
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first day I saw only the father.
feel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The first day I saw only the father.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first day I saw only the father.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
pretences
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
properly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
rebuffnounUS /rɪˈbʌf/
an unkind refusal of a friendly offer or request
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
repacked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first day I saw only the father.
second
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
storehouse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
Vincent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I went to that house the next day to see that the boxes were properly repacked, and I actually went the next day to see if the right boxes had gone into the country, and the others back to the storehouse.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There were affairs of my own which should have been attended to, and I ought to have gone home and attended to them, but I could not bear to do so.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The second day it was the mother who assured me that everything had been properly attended to.
wish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I began to feel that if I did not wish a decided rebuff I would better not make any more pretences of business at the Vincent house.
