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 a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
adventuring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
again
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
ahead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
arc-lights
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
bad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
beetles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
blotted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
canyons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
city
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
Close
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
constant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
contents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
disgorged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
dispersed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally it dispersed.
Eastern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
eclipsed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
emerged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
engulfed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
fog
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
garment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
ghostlike
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
grey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
ground
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
impenetrable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
Jollity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
London
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
maze
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
mist-hung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
monstrous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
nowhere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
numbers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
Occasionally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally it dispersed.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
outer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
plugged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
roared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
shiny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
side-streets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
soft
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
space
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
squares
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
swathed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
Theatre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
traffic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
turbulent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
vehicles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
viscous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
walked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
walled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
wavering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It engulfed the walled canyons of the city, through which the traffic had roared all day, plugged up the maze of dark side-streets, and blotted out the open squares.
wild
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bad night in London, not wild or turbulent, but swathed to the eyes like an Eastern woman in a soft grey garment of fog.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
wrought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close to the ground it was thick, viscous, impenetrable, so that one could not see a yard ahead, and walked ghostlike, adventuring into a strange world.
yellow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In front of the Jollity Theatre numbers of arc-lights wrought a wavering mist-hung yellow space, into which a constant line of vehicles, like monstrous shiny beetles, emerged from the outer nowhere, disgorged their contents, and were eclipsed again.
