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 Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
Aunt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
bad
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From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
beating
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From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
bolt
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From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
breakfast
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From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
Brunt
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From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
busied
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From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
chance
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From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
cooking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
coward
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From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
dreaded
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From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
Ellen
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From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
five
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From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
FortunenounUS /ˈfortune/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
gradually
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From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
lady
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
Like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
minutes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
Miss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
mysteries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
quietly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
seated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
true
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
Van
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
watched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like a true coward, Ellen could not make up her mind to bolt at once into the thick of the matter, but thought to come to it gradually always a bad way.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What is that, Aunt Fortune?" said she, after she had watched her with a beating heart for about five minutes.
wished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen found the chance she rather dreaded than wished for.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mr. Van Brunt had gone out; the old lady had not left her room, and Miss Fortune was quietly seated by the fire, busied with some mysteries of cooking.
