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 was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
abound
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From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
all
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From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
almost
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From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
begun
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From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
better
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From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
blackguard
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From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
blush
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From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
buckramed
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From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
carried
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From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
celebrate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
children
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
clerical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
cloth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
conscious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
crewnounUS /crew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
crisis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
decorum
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
Denying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
Dimmesdale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
dissolute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
drunken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
forborne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
freak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
habit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
heaven-defying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
horrible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
improper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpʌls/
a sudden strong desire to act
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
jests
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
knot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
latter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
longed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
ludicrous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
Main
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
met
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
ministernounUS /ˈmɪnəstər/
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
natural
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
oaths
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
partly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
playing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
principle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
Puritan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
recreate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
road
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
safely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
sailors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
satisfactory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
seaman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
shake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
ship's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
solid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
Spanish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
stop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
talk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
tarry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
tasteverbUS /teɪst/
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
teach
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
temptation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was not so much a better principle, as partly his natural good taste, and still more his buckramed habit of clerical decorum, that carried him safely through the latter crisis.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
unworthy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denying himself this freak, as unworthy of his cloth, he met a drunken seaman, one of the ship’s crew from the Spanish Main.
valiantly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
victory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
volley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Before the minister had time to celebrate his victory over this last temptation, he was conscious of another impulse, more ludicrous, and almost as horrible.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
wicked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
wickedness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading And here, since he had so valiantly forborne all other wickedness, poor Mr. Dimmesdale longed at least to shake hands with the tarry blackguard, and recreate himself with a few improper jests, such as dissolute sailors so abound with, and a volley of good, round, solid, satisfactory, and heaven-defying oaths!
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was—we blush to tell it—it was to stop short in the road, and teach some very wicked words to a knot of little Puritan children who were playing there, and had but just begun to talk.
