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 He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
accidental
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to do accidental damage under the eyes of the sufferers.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
astonishment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
Birdie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
CAUGHT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
check
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
closed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
craving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
damage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to do accidental damage under the eyes of the sufferers.
delighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet mauling and smashing _in se_ were not what delighted the heart of John Fish.
destructive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
died
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He liked to do accidental damage under the eyes of the sufferers.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to do accidental damage under the eyes of the sufferers.
FISH
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
footsteps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
fray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
gazing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
goad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
gradually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet mauling and smashing _in se_ were not what delighted the heart of John Fish.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
Hunnish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Yet mauling and smashing _in se_ were not what delighted the heart of John Fish.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
John
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet mauling and smashing _in se_ were not what delighted the heart of John Fish.
liked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
mauling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Yet mauling and smashing _in se_ were not what delighted the heart of John Fish.
occupants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
se
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet mauling and smashing _in se_ were not what delighted the heart of John Fish.
seconds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
smashing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
stroll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
stupid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
sufferers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He liked to do accidental damage under the eyes of the sufferers.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He liked to do accidental damage under the eyes of the sufferers.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
WASauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Yet mauling and smashing _in se_ were not what delighted the heart of John Fish.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Yet mauling and smashing _in se_ were not what delighted the heart of John Fish.
whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading He was alone, with no check whatever upon his Hunnish craving for mauling and smashing.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading He liked to stroll about a room when its occupants were at home, and goad them gradually into a destructive fray.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading HOW THE FISH WAS CAUGHT Fish stood gazing with stupid astonishment at the closed door for some seconds after the sound of Birdie’s footsteps had died away.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet mauling and smashing _in se_ were not what delighted the heart of John Fish.
