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 Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
ages
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nearly all the men in the country had gone with the army.
almost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
army
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nearly all the men in the country had gone with the army.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
bodynounUS /body/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
boys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
called
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
company
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
composed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
conscript
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
conscript-officer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nearly all the men in the country had gone with the army.
deserters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
detachment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
entirelynounUS /ˈentirely/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
evaded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
exception
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
farms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
fifty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nearly all the men in the country had gone with the army.
Guard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Nearly all the men in the country had gone with the army.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
hens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
Home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
homes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
hunting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nearly all the men in the country had gone with the army.
Indeed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
known
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
law
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
leader
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
local
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nearly all the men in the country had gone with the army.
Nearly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nearly all the men in the country had gone with the army.
neighborhood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
Oakland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
Occasionally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
overseers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
police
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
refused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
remainednounUS /ˈremained/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
run
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
service
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
seventeen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
stolen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
subject
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
thus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Occasionally, too, later on, a small detachment of men, under a leader known as a "conscript-officer," would come through the country hunting for any men who were subject to the conscript law but who had evaded it, and for deserters who had run away from the army and refused to return.
unprotectedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnprəˈtɛktɪd/
without protection or defence without safety or defence from danger
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
volunteered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading These hens were not the last things stolen from Oakland.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
wholly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Nearly all the men in the country had gone with the army.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, with the exception of a few overseers who remained to work the farms, every man in the neighborhood, between the ages of seventeen and fifty, was in the army.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The country was thus left almost wholly unprotected, and it would have been entirely so but for the "Home Guard," as it was called, which was a company composed of young boys and the few old men who remained at home, and who had volunteered for service as a local guard, or police body, for the neighborhood of their homes.