used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
adventuressnoun
a woman adventurer
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
betideverbUS /bɪˈtaɪd/
become of; happen to
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
bigamynoun
the state of having two spouses at the same time
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
blasphemynounUS /ˈblæsfəmi/
blasphemous language (expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred)
From this reading It is blasphemy to fear.'
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
crushverbUS /krʌʃ/
come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority
From this reading The lady must depart; if she goes not, the rigours of the law will crush her.
decreeverbUS /dɪˈkriː/
issue a decree
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
departverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrt/
move away from a place into another direction
From this reading The lady must depart; if she goes not, the rigours of the law will crush her.
DUCHESS'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
the male ruler of an empire
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
Empire'snounUS /ˈempaɪərz/
possessive form of “empire” — the domain ruled by an emperor or empress; the region over which imperial dominion is exercised
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading It is blasphemy to fear.'
forbidverbUS /fərˈbɪd/
command against
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
God'snounUS /ɡɑːdz/
possessive form of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading The lady must depart; if she goes not, the rigours of the law will crush her.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
ImperialadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɪriəl/
relating to or associated with an empire
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
infringedverbUS /ˌɪnˈfrɪndʒd/
past form of “infringe” — go against, as of rules and laws
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is blasphemy to fear.'
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is blasphemy to fear.'
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The lady must depart; if she goes not, the rigours of the law will crush her.
the collection of rules imposed by authority
From this reading The lady must depart; if she goes not, the rigours of the law will crush her.
the first of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures comprising the first five books of the Hebrew Bible considered as a unit
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The lady must depart; if she goes not, the rigours of the law will crush her.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
rigours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lady must depart; if she goes not, the rigours of the law will crush her.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
Serenissimus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
carry out
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading THE DUCHESS'S BLACK ROOMS 'In God's hands are all things.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is blasphemy to fear.'
tolerateverbUS /ˈtɑːləreɪt/
put up with something or somebody unpleasant
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
uncompromisingadjectiveUS /ənˈkɑːmprəmaɪzɪŋ/
not making concessions
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading If you take a mistress, well and good--that is not in the power of Emperor to forbid; but you have infringed the Empire's laws by bigamy, Serenissimus, and this we will not tolerate.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading THE Imperial decree was uncompromising: 'She leaves your court, this adventuress, or ill betide her.
