Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

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

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

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

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

a state in south central United States; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

protective covering made of metal and used in combat

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

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

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

a ceremonial dinner party for many people

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

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

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

marked with irregularly shaped spots or blots

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

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

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

widely known and esteemed

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

in a relative manner; by comparison to something else

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

the act of conquering

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

soft silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

plural of “daughter” — a female human offspring

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

plural of “dungeon” — the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

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

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

characterized by charm, good taste, and generosity of spirit

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

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

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

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

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

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

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

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

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

and nothing more

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

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

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

a large city in northwestern England; its port is the country's major outlet for industrial exports

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

of or befitting a lord

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

the world of commercial activity where goods and services are bought and sold

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

relating to or belonging to the Middle Ages

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

the force of workers available

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

a major North American river and the chief river of the United States; rises in northern Minnesota and flows southward into the Gulf of Mexico

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

in large part; mainly or chiefly

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

not any; not one

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

on one occasion

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

plural of “player” — a person who participates in or is skilled at some game

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

fire iron consisting of a metal rod with a handle; used to stir a fire

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

any competition

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

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

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

the formation of reddish-brown ferric oxides on iron by low-temperature oxidation in the presence of water

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

a general conscious awareness

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

plural of “skeleton” — something reduced to its minimal form

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

plural of “stairway” — a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

take away possessions from someone

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

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

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading But in their own opinion they were just as great as if they had possessed these gracious marks of medieval distinction.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

traveled over or through; sometimes used as a combining term

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

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

From this reading Lying along the Arkansas River, a few miles below Little Rock, there is a broad strip of country that was once the domain of a lordly race of men.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading They were not lordly in the sense of conquest; no rusting armor hung upon their walls; no ancient blood-stains blotched their stairways--there were no skeletons in dungeons deep beneath the banquet hall.

a liquor made from fermented mash of grain

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading Their country was comparatively new, but their fathers came mostly from Virginia and their whisky came wholly from Kentucky.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Their cotton brought a high price in the Liverpool market, their daughters were celebrated for beauty, and their sons could hold their own with the poker players that traveled up and down the Mississippi River.