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 Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
actualities
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From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
Bates
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From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
built
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From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
cavernnounUS /ˈkæv.ərn/
A large, vast underground cave, often filled with forgotten ancient treasures.
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
contemporanics
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From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
decade
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From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
desire
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From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
dim
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From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
dinner
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From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
Eliza
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From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
embarrass
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From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
evening
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From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
existence
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From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
eyes
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From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
fed
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From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
fields
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From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
flowers
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From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
forth
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From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
furnished
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From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
gave
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From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
glorify
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From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
goodly
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From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
guests
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
head
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From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
houses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
how
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From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
humdrum
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From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
learned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
led
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
lifetime
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
luxury
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
Marshall
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From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
Marshalls
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From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
nearly
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From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
picked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
possibilities
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
previous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
received
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
retiredverbUS /rɪˈtaɪərd/
went away to a private place
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
served
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
skies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
splendornounUS /ˈsplen.dər/
Magnificent and splendid appearance; grandeur and brilliance.
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
streams
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
Susan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
tables
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She learned how people received, how they set their tables and served them, how they built their houses and furnished them.
thrust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Susan Bates gave the Marshalls a short, plain dinner; she had no desire to glorify herself or to embarrass her guests.
town
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Eliza Marshall learned more of contemporanics in that one evening than she had picked up in the previous decade.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading She learned not only the possibilities but the actualities of splendor and luxury in the town where she had led a retired and humdrum existence for nearly a lifetime.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She now thrust her head forth from her dim old cavern, and fed her eyes on the flowers and fields and skies and goodly streams of the great world outside.
