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 almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
agonynounUS /ˈæɡ.ə.ni/
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
almost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
Arranstoun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
awful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He must be thankful for that.
become
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
best
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
circumstances
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
discovery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
fiendish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
Fordyce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
friendship
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
future
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
happiness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
Heronac
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
intended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
irony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
kindly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
leave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
Lord
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
Michael
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
motive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
pain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
punished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
robbed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
Sabine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
savednounUS /saved/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
terriblenounUS /ˈterrible/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
thankful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must be thankful for that.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
thus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
truth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.