Chapter I · Chapter 1

later than; following

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

(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 All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

on the far side of; further than

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

the childhood of a boy

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

small dark geese that breed in the north and migrate southward

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

in a close relation or position in time or space

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

past form of “compare” — examine and note the similarities or differences of

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

people in general (often used in the plural)

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

brought together in one place

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

(of animals) fully developed

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

prudent

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

past form of “honour” — bestow honor or rewards upon

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

a book of the Old Testament that tells the history of Israel under the leaders known as judges

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

past form of “last” — persist for a specified period of time

From this reading And that life lasted but three years.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

held dear

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

the state of being a man; manly qualities

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

the force of workers available

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

of no legal significance (as having been previously decided)

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

having no living or known mother

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

above and across; more than

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading I had grown from boyhood to manhood in my father's great hall, on the little hill of Cannington that looks out over the mouth of the river Parret to the blue hills beyond.

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

a county in southwestern England on the Bristol Channel

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

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 The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

a feudal lord or baron

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

in or at that place or location

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading And that life lasted but three years.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

marked by no noteworthy or significant events

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

(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 And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after.

at the time that

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading The whole of my story seems to me to begin on the day when I stood, closely guarded, before my judges, in the great circle of the people at the Folk Moot of the men of Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent.

in a wise manner

From this reading And there, when I was but two-and-twenty and long motherless, I succeeded him as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too might die loved and honoured as he died.

a late time of life

From this reading And that life lasted but three years.