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The Return of the Native
The Return of the Native

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for The Return of the Native
Context Illustration Reading 1/43 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.
It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.
It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.
They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.
So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Return of the Native

Chapter VI

Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.
Line 2
It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.
Line 3
It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.
Line 4
They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.
Line 5
So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.”

Dead noun US /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.”

Neither determiner US /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading “It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.”

Silence noun US /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading “So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.”

Throat noun US /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading “Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.”

Throughout preposition US /θruːˈaʊt/

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading “Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.”

Worn verb US /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading “It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.”

All words in this reading · 99

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 Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

accustomed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

blades

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

blowing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

bore

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

brushed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

causes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

colourless

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

combination

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

deadnounUS /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

declivity

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

distinctly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

dried

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

dry

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

ear

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

emerged

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

fourscore

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

fruit

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

heathbells

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

human

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

hundreds

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

individual

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

infinitesimal

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

intermittent

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

just

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

leaves

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

lichen

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

low

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

material

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

Michaelmas

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

minutiæ

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

moss

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

mummied

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

myriads

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

note

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

November

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

now

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

October

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

only

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

originally

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

originated

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

papery

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

past

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

plaintive

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

prickles

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

products

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

purple

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

rains

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

reached

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

realized

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

recitative

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

remain

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

resemblance

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

ruins

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

shrivelled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

skins

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

song

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

sound

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

stems

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

summer

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

suns

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

ten

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

tender

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

throatnounUS /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

ThroughoutprepositionUS /θruːˈaʊt/

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

touch

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

united

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

vegetable

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

washed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They were the mummied heathbells of the past summer, originally tender and purple, now washed colourless by Michaelmas rains, and dried to dead skins by October suns.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading It was the united products of infinitesimal vegetable causes, and these were neither stems, leaves, fruit, blades, prickles, lichen, nor moss.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

whisper

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.

whole

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

winds

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout the blowing of these plaintive November winds that note bore a great resemblance to the ruins of human song which remain to the throat of fourscore and ten.

woman's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So low was an individual sound from these that a combination of hundreds only just emerged from silence, and the myriads of the whole declivity reached the woman’s ear but as a shrivelled and intermittent recitative.

wornverbUS /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading It was a worn whisper, dry and papery, and it brushed so distinctly across the ear that, by the accustomed, the material minutiæ in which it originated could be realized as by touch.