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 There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
adored
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From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
allowed
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From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
always
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
amusing
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
bills
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
cloth-ball
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
company
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
conscientious
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From this reading We were sodden poor, and that is a fact, poor and conscientious, which was worse.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
dog-cart
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From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
economies
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
facings
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
fact
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From this reading We were sodden poor, and that is a fact, poor and conscientious, which was worse.
fifty
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From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
getting
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
go
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
John
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
John's
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
knowing
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
made
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
married
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
more
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
much
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
new
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
once
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From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
ones
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
own
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From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
painted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
pay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
polished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We were sodden poor, and that is a fact, poor and conscientious, which was worse.
practise
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
puddings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
recollection
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From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/
To recall to mind.
From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
rupees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
saveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
smart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
sodden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were sodden poor, and that is a fact, poor and conscientious, which was worse.
sword
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
times
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From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
uniform
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
varnished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And once, I remember, we painted and varnished our own dog-cart, and very smart it looked, to save fifty rupees.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading We had nothing but our pay--John had his company when we were married, but what is that?--and life was made up of small knowing economies, much more amusing in recollection than in practise.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We were sodden poor, and that is a fact, poor and conscientious, which was worse.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading There were times when we had to go without puddings to pay John’s uniform bills, and always I did the facings myself with a cloth-ball to save getting new ones.
worse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were sodden poor, and that is a fact, poor and conscientious, which was worse.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I would have polished his sword, too, if I had been allowed; I adored his sword.
