used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
how long something has existed
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
BEREAVEMENTnounUS /bərˈiːvmənt/
state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
bricksnounUS /brɪks/
plural of “brick” — rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
châteaunounUS /ʃæˈtoʊ/
A large French country house or castle, often surrounded by expansive estates and private galleries.
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
confinesnounUS /ˈkɑːnfaɪnz/
a bounded scope
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
country-seat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
edificenounUS /ˈedəfəs/
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
enlightenedadjectiveUS /ˌenˈlaɪtənd/
having knowledge and spiritual insight
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
set up or found
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
destroyed or killed
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
GothicadjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːθɪk/
characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
grandeurnounUS /ɡrænˈduːr/
the quality of being magnificent or splendid or grand
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
guidancenounUS /ˈɡaɪdəns/
something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
and nothing more
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
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 THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
modestadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːdəst/
marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
overlookedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərlʊkt/
not taken into account
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
retirementnounUS /riˈtaɪərmənt/
the state of being retired from one's business or occupation
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
secludedadjectiveUS /sɪˈkluːdɪd/
hidden from general view or use
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
in a serious manner
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
Servalnoun
slender long-legged African wildcat having large untufted ears and tawny black-spotted coat
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
sojournnounUS /ˈsoʊdʒərn/
a temporary stay (e.g., as a guest)
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
SpainnounUS /speɪn/
a parliamentary monarchy in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; a former colonial power
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
stragglingadjective
spreading out in different directions or distributed irregularly
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On my return to Serval, our country-seat, where my father had been living for many long years in retirement, I found him seriously ill.
tutorverbUS /ˈtuːtər/
be a tutor to someone; give individual instruction
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
in or at the place that
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The château, which was extremely secluded and overlooked a straggling village, raised itself in solitary grandeur on the confines of a great forest.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Never in my life will I forget the sight of him on my arrival.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a vast Gothic edifice built of bricks which had become black with age.
a late time of life
From this reading THE BEREAVEMENT I was twenty years old, and had just returned from a long sojourn in England and in Spain, where I had gone under the guidance of my tutor, a good, modest, firm, and enlightened man.
