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 For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
aid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “It had been better so!” said Hester Prynne.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “It had been better so!” said Hester Prynne.
borne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
bought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
burden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
burned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
care
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
Chillingworth
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From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
crime
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
earned
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From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
evil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
fee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “It had been better so!” said Hester Prynne.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
Hester
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It had been better so!” said Hester Prynne.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “It had been better so!” said Hester Prynne.
lacked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
miserable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
monarch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
perpetration
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
physician
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
priest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
Prynne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It had been better so!” said Hester Prynne.
richest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
Roger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It had been better so!” said Hester Prynne.
scarlet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “It had been better so!” said Hester Prynne.
spirit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
strengthnounUS /ˈstrength/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
theepronounUS /ðiː/
an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
thinepronounUS /ðaɪn/
an old word for “yours”
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/
an old word for “your”, speaking to one person
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
torments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter.
wasted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest!
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But for my aid his life would have burned away in torments within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine.
