used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)
From this reading 'M. Arthur, come hither,' said she.
attainverbUS /əˈteɪn/
to gain with effort
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
beavernounUS /ˈbiːvər/
the soft brown fur of the beaver
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
the particular occupation for which you are trained
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading 'M. Arthur, come hither,' said she.
confidentadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnfədənt/
having or marked by confidence or assurance
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
intentionally conceived
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
without stop or interruption
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
coquettishlyadverb
in a flirtatious manner
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
distinctionnounUS /dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/
a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
droopedverbUS /druːpt/
past form of “droop” — droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
essaynounUS /eˈseɪ/
an analytic or interpretive literary composition
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
fanverbUS /fæn/
strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher)
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
a competitor thought likely to win
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
featherverbUS /ˈfeðər/
join tongue and groove, in carpentry
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
feathersnounUS /ˈfeðərz/
plural of “feather” — the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
a boy or man
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
foesnounUS /foʊz/
plural of “foe” — an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
gorgeousadjectiveUS /ˈɡɔːrdʒəs/
dazzlingly beautiful
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
hangingsnounUS /ˈhæŋɡɪŋz/
plural of “hanging” — decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
HappilyadverbUS /ˈhæpəli/
in a joyous manner
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
hitheradverbUS /ˈhɪðər/
an old word meaning “to this place”
From this reading 'M. Arthur, come hither,' said she.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
irresolutelyadverb
lacking determination or decisiveness
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
loiterverbUS /ˈlɔɪtər/
be about
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years (1914-1981)
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading 'M. Arthur, come hither,' said she.
title used for a married Frenchwoman
From this reading MADAME OPENS THE TRENCHES.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
OPENSnounUS /ˈoʊpənz/
plural of “open” — a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water
From this reading MADAME OPENS THE TRENCHES.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
plausibleadjectiveUS /ˈplɔːzəbəl/
apparently reasonable and credible, and therefore convincing
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
rapiernounUS /ˈreɪpiər/
a straight sword with a narrow blade and two edges
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading 'M. Arthur, come hither,' said she.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
self-possessedadjective
in full control of your faculties
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading 'M. Arthur, come hither,' said she.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
standardadjectiveUS /ˈstændərd/
conforming to or constituting a standard of measurement or value; or of the usual or regularized or accepted kind
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MADAME OPENS THE TRENCHES.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
tolerablyadverb
in an acceptable (but not outstanding) manner
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
TRENCHESnounUS /ˈtrentʃɪz/
plural of “trench” — a ditch dug as a fortification having a parapet of the excavated earth
From this reading MADAME OPENS THE TRENCHES.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
wherein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Happily for me, I lived in a time, and had before me a career, wherein every brave and handsome fellow could attain fortune and distinction, if he made the essay with a tolerably plausible tongue and a sharp rapier--the tongue for the ladies; the rapier for the foes of the standard he fought under.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And for a minute I continued to loiter between the doorway over which the gorgeous hangings of blue and silver had fallen, and the chair in which sat the beautiful friend of king Louis, playing coquettishly with her fan of feathers.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet, while conscious of this, I stood irresolutely, playing with the somewhat worn feather that drooped from my beaver hat--I was now entirely alone with this brilliant, self-possessed and confident favourite of the king.
