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 One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
affect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
affected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
bag
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
Boston
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
breaking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
career
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
carrying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
city
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
dared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
dark-skinned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
deeds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
delivered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
doubt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
down-town
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
giant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
greatest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
letting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
lives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
McPherson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
mused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
number
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
quickening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
remembered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
Sam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
Sam's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
scholarly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
sermon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
shook
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
speaker
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
started
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
stuck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
Sue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
Sunday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
theatre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
thousands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
travelling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
walking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now walking along the street carrying his travelling bag, he remembered the sermon and the thought and shook his head in doubt.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading “The greatest man is he whose deeds affect the greatest number of lives,” the speaker had said, and the thought had stuck in Sam’s mind.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What I have done here in this city must have affected thousands of lives,” he mused, and felt a quickening of his blood at just letting go of his thoughts as he had not dared do since that day when, by breaking his word to Sue, he had started on his career as a business giant.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sermon was delivered by a small dark-skinned Boston man, and seemed to the young McPherson scholarly and well thought out.
youth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day when the youth Sam McPherson was new in the city he went on a Sunday afternoon to a down-town theatre to hear a sermon.
