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 cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
affairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
bend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
bent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
bitter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was impossible that a bitter thought should not come into his mind at the sight.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
boy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
Caryl's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
child
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
clungnounUS /clung/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was impossible that a bitter thought should not come into his mind at the sight.
completely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
cost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
curiously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
dancing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
feverish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
filled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
gladness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
hasty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
ideal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
impossible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was impossible that a bitter thought should not come into his mind at the sight.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
intervals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was impossible that a bitter thought should not come into his mind at the sight.
invalid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
kindness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
liked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was impossible that a bitter thought should not come into his mind at the sight.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
motherly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
motoring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was impossible that a bitter thought should not come into his mind at the sight.
noting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
pair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
pang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
pillow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
realised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
Rhoda's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
Robert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
Robert's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
serious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
sharp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
sight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was impossible that a bitter thought should not come into his mind at the sight.
Sir
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
smiled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
smoothed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
son
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
stranger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
tenderness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
tennis-playing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was impossible that a bitter thought should not come into his mind at the sight.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
touch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
travelling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
undertaken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
visits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
watching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading There was a motherly kindness in Rhoda’s every look and touch, as she smoothed the boy’s pillow or smiled at him, that realised completely Sir Robert’s ideal of what a mother ought to be to her child.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It cost him a sharp pang to think that this was just the sort of way in which he should have liked his wife to bend over their invalid son.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Sir Robert was watching the pair curiously: noting the feverish gladness with which the boy clung to Rhoda’s hand, and the tenderness with which she, in return, bent over him.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet it was a stranger in blood who filled this office to the boy, and the visits of Caryl’s mother were hasty affairs, undertaken in the intervals of the serious business of life, motoring, tennis-playing, dancing, travelling.
