used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
AlfrednounUS /ˈælfrəd/
king of Wessex; defeated the Vikings and encouraged writing in English (849-899)
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
Alfred's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
(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 As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
championnounUS /ˈtʃæmpiən/
someone who has won first place in a competition
From this reading As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
a person who is in charge
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
civilizedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪvəlaɪzd/
having a high state of culture and development both social and technological
From this reading For the ruin of the north made it the sole remaining home of the civilized life of the land.
criticaladjectiveUS /ˈkrɪtɪkəl/
marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws
From this reading Happily for Wessex and for England, the greatest of English kings succeeded to the throne at the most critical moment.
DanishnounUS /ˈdeɪnɪʃ/
a Scandinavian language that is the official language of Denmark
From this reading As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
EgbertnounUS /ˈeɡbərt/
king of Wessex whose military victories made Wessex the most powerful kingdom in England (died in 839)
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading Happily for Wessex and for England, the greatest of English kings succeeded to the throne at the most critical moment.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
highest in quality
From this reading Happily for Wessex and for England, the greatest of English kings succeeded to the throne at the most critical moment.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
HappilyadverbUS /ˈhæpəli/
in a joyous manner
From this reading Happily for Wessex and for England, the greatest of English kings succeeded to the throne at the most critical moment.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading For the ruin of the north made it the sole remaining home of the civilized life of the land.
incalculableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkælkjələbəl/
not able to be computed or enumerated
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
invasionnounUS /ˌɪnˈveɪʒən/
the act of invading; the act of an army that invades for conquest or plunder
From this reading As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
kingdomsnounUS /ˈkɪŋdəmz/
plural of “kingdom” — a domain in which something is dominant
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
plural of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading For the ruin of the north made it the sole remaining home of the civilized life of the land.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading For the ruin of the north made it the sole remaining home of the civilized life of the land.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading For the ruin of the north made it the sole remaining home of the civilized life of the land.
most important element
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
a particular point in time
From this reading Happily for Wessex and for England, the greatest of English kings succeeded to the throne at the most critical moment.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Happily for Wessex and for England, the greatest of English kings succeeded to the throne at the most critical moment.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading For the ruin of the north made it the sole remaining home of the civilized life of the land.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
piratesnounUS /ˈpaɪrəts/
plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
compacted by ironing
From this reading As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
not used up
From this reading For the ruin of the north made it the sole remaining home of the civilized life of the land.
an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading For the ruin of the north made it the sole remaining home of the civilized life of the land.
solenounUS /soʊl/
the underside of footwear or a golf club
From this reading For the ruin of the north made it the sole remaining home of the civilized life of the land.
not in physical motion
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading Happily for Wessex and for England, the greatest of English kings succeeded to the throne at the most critical moment.
successionnounUS /səkˈseʃən/
a following of one thing after another in time
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
the chair of state for a monarch, bishop, etc.
From this reading Happily for Wessex and for England, the greatest of English kings succeeded to the throne at the most critical moment.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As the Danish invasion pressed more and more, Wessex grew to be the champion of all the other kingdoms of England.
UnderprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was farther off from the main points of attack, and had the incalculable advantage of a succession of capable kings: Egbert, Æthelwulf, and—at the time of our story—Alfred.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
WessexnounUS /ˈwesəks/
a Saxon kingdom in southwestern England that became the most powerful English kingdom by the 10th century
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
WinchesternounUS /ˈwɪntʃestər/
a city in southern England; administrative center of Hampshire
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
Æthelwulf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under Æthelwulf, Alfred’s father, Winchester had become the chief city of England; for while the other kingdoms went down before the Northern pirates, Wessex still stood its ground.
