used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
(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 Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
amiabilitynounUS /ˌeɪmiəˈbɪləti/
a cheerful and agreeable mood
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
inflected form of “beg” — call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
Belisariusnoun
Byzantine general under Justinian I; he recovered former Roman territories in northern Africa and fought against the Persians
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
the two together, not just one
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
Byzantines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
commodorenounUS /ˈkɑːmədɔːr/
a commissioned naval officer who ranks above a captain and below a rear admiral; the lowest grade of admiral
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
determine the number or amount of
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
defendingadjectiveUS /dɪˈfendɪŋ/
attempting to or designed to prevent an opponent from winning or scoring
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
deprivedadjectiveUS /dɪˈpraɪvd/
marked by deprivation especially of the necessities of life or healthful environmental influences
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
a competitor thought likely to win
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
plural 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 We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
GothicadjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːθɪk/
characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German
From this reading Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
Goths
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
HarbourverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
secretly shelter (as of fugitives or criminals)
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
impendingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpendɪŋ/
close in time; about to occur
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
irresistibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl/
impossible to resist; overpowering
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
ItaliansnounUS /ˌɪˈtæljənz/
plural of “italian” — a native or inhabitant of Italy
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD
From this reading Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
landingnounUS /ˈlændɪŋ/
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
immediately past
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
misledverbUS /mɪˈsled/
inflected form of “mislead” — lead someone in the wrong direction or give someone wrong directions
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
Neapolis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/
impressive in appearance
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
overwhelmverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelm/
overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
plural of “party” — an organization to gain political power
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
a course of conduct
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
a future prospect or potential
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
preventingverbUS /prɪˈventɪŋ/
-ing form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
RavennanounUS /rəˈvenə/
a battle between the French and an alliance of Spaniards and Swiss and Venetians in 1512
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
SicilynounUS /ˈsɪsəli/
the Italian region on the island of Sicily
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
in the near future
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
separate or cause to separate abruptly
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
propel through the air
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both parties.
Totila
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
Totila's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
Valerius
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
past form of “warn” — notify of danger, potential harm, or risk
From this reading He had, in his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged for the power and means of defending Sicily.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
webnounUS /web/
an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
which person or people
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
the basic unit of money in South Korea
From this reading Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon been won by Totila's irresistible amiability.
wovenadjectiveUS /ˈwoʊvən/
made or constructed by interlacing threads or strips of material or other elements into a whole
From this reading We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven about this favourite of the gods.
