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 Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
ALONEnounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading HELEN ALONE.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
best
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
breath
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From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
brother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
composure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had sought the door of Paradise, and the door of hell had been opened to her!
doubt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
encouraged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
ereconjunctionUS /er/
an old word for “before”
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
frightful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
garden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
given
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
HELEN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HELEN ALONE.
hell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had sought the door of Paradise, and the door of hell had been opened to her!
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
idea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
Leopold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
madness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She had sought the door of Paradise, and the door of hell had been opened to her!
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Her Poldie on the scaffold!
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had sought the door of Paradise, and the door of hell had been opened to her!
Paradise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had sought the door of Paradise, and the door of hell had been opened to her!
Poldie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her Poldie on the scaffold!
regain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
retreat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
scaffold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her Poldie on the scaffold!
seated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
sought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had sought the door of Paradise, and the door of hell had been opened to her!
suggested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
summer-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
tottered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If the frightful idea which, she did not doubt, had already suggested itself to Leopold, should now be encouraged, there was nothing but black madness before her!
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Helen tottered to a little summer-house in the garden, which had been her best retreat since she had given her room to her brother, and there seated herself to regain breath and composure ere she went to him.
