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 The shadows swayed away from me without a word.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading They wandered feebly after me from rope to rope, stumbling and panting.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shadows swayed away from me without a word.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
bunch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Of course, I took the lead in the work myself.
deck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
feebly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered feebly after me from rope to rope, stumbling and panting.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The shadows swayed away from me without a word.
ghosts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
hauled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Of course, I took the lead in the work myself.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
Indeed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
lead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of course, I took the lead in the work myself.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
lot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The shadows swayed away from me without a word.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
miserable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
muscle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading Of course, I took the lead in the work myself.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
panting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered feebly after me from rope to rope, stumbling and panting.
properly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
rope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
sailnounUS /sail/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
shadows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shadows swayed away from me without a word.
sheer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
shipnounUS /ship/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
speaking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
spiritual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
strengthnounUS /ˈstrength/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
stumbling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered feebly after me from rope to rope, stumbling and panting.
swayed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shadows swayed away from me without a word.
task
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The shadows swayed away from me without a word.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They wandered feebly after me from rope to rope, stumbling and panting.
ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They wandered feebly after me from rope to rope, stumbling and panting.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Of course, I took the lead in the work myself.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
wandered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered feebly after me from rope to rope, stumbling and panting.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
weight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Those men were the ghosts of themselves, and their weight on a rope could be no more than the weight of a bunch of ghosts.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, if ever a sail was hauled up by sheer spiritual strength it must have been that sail, for, properly speaking, there was not muscle enough for the task in the whole ship let alone the miserable lot of us on deck.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The shadows swayed away from me without a word.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shadows swayed away from me without a word.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of course, I took the lead in the work myself.
