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 She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The Eurotas was covered with swans, but her Swan was not among them.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
approach
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
blue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
bornnounUS /born/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The Eurotas was covered with swans, but her Swan was not among them.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
certain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it was very certain that the one was no longer there.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
covered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Eurotas was covered with swans, but her Swan was not among them.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
dropped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
egg
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
Eurotas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Eurotas was covered with swans, but her Swan was not among them.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
following
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
garland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
hoped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
leaves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
longer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it was very certain that the one was no longer there.
Lêda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
miraculous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
near
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading But it was very certain that the one was no longer there.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Eurotas was covered with swans, but her Swan was not among them.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But it was very certain that the one was no longer there.
perceived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
recognized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
reeds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
river-side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
shut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
Swan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
swans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Eurotas was covered with swans, but her Swan was not among them.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The Eurotas was covered with swans, but her Swan was not among them.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it was very certain that the one was no longer there.
thousand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would have recognized it from a thousand, and even with her eyes shut would have perceived its approach.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
union
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it was very certain that the one was no longer there.
waited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
water-lily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
weep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she took off her garland of water-lily leaves, dropped it into the stream, let down her hair and began to weep.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Eurotas was covered with swans, but her Swan was not among them.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Lêda hoped that the following night the Swan would come back to her, and she waited for it in the reeds by the river-side near the blue egg which was born of their miraculous union.
