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 TO CETHEGUS, A FRIEND.
abuse
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From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
Africa
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From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
attend
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From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
Barbarians
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From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
burden
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From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
CETHEGUS
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From this reading TO CETHEGUS, A FRIEND.
conquest
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From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
continues
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From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
cowardice
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From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
Empire
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From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
far
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From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
FRIEND
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From this reading TO CETHEGUS, A FRIEND.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
given
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
immediately
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
increase
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From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
list
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From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
matters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
meddle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
merely
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From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
number
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
official
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
pitiable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
power
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
proud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
reasonsnounUS /ˈreasons/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
relinquish
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From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
restored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
Roman
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From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
rulers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
sheer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
subjects
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
swell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
taxation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TO CETHEGUS, A FRIEND.
unbearable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
unfortunates
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
Vandal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
war
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The Vandal war has been given up, and for what pitiable reasons!
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading For so long as this unbearable burden of taxation and abuse of official power continues in the Roman Empire, so long every conquest, every increase in the number of our subjects, will merely swell the list of unfortunates.
wiser
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet if Africa could be restored to the Empire, we ought not to relinquish the proud thought from sheer cowardice!
YoupronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You know that I have thought it far wiser for our rulers to attend to the matters immediately around us than to meddle with the Barbarians.
