adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
affairnounUS /əˈfer/
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
afraidadjectiveUS /əˈfreɪd/
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
aidsnounUS /eɪdz/
a serious (often fatal) disease of the immune system transmitted through blood products especially by sexual contact or contaminated needles
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
AMETHYSTnounUS /ˈæmɪθɪst/
a transparent purple variety of quartz; used as a gemstone
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
anybodypronounUS /ˈenibədi/
any person at all
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
armedadjectiveUS /ɑːrmd/
(used of persons or the military) characterized by having or bearing arms
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
assailantsnounUS /əˈseɪlənts/
plural of “assailant” — someone who attacks
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
besidesprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪdz/
in addition to; as well as
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
branchesnounUS /ˈbræntʃəz/
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
carenounUS /ker/
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading “What do I care?” cried Vallombreuse, flourishing his sword.
centrenounUS /ˈsentər/
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
criedverbUS /kraɪd/
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading “What do I care?” cried Vallombreuse, flourishing his sword.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “What do I care?” cried Vallombreuse, flourishing his sword.
dukenounUS /duːk/
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
flourishingadjectiveUS /ˈflɜːrɪʃɪŋ/
very lively and profitable
From this reading “What do I care?” cried Vallombreuse, flourishing his sword.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
giveverbUS /ɡɪv/
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
HelennounUS /ˈhelən/
(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “What do I care?” cried Vallombreuse, flourishing his sword.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
leastadjectiveUS /liːst/
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
lordnounUS /lɔːrd/
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
lordshipnounUS /ˈlɔːrdʃɪp/
a title used to address any British peer except a duke and extended to a bishop or a judge
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
Malartic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
maskverbUS /mæsk/
hide under a false appearance
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
noblemannounUS /ˈnoʊbəlmən/
a titled peer of the realm
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
pistolsnounUS /ˈpɪstəlz/
plural of “pistol” — a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
placenounUS /pleɪs/
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
protrudingadjectiveUS /proʊˈtruːdɪŋ/
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
putverbUS /pʊt/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
rangedverbUS /reɪndʒd/
past form of “range” — change or be different within limits
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
recognisedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/
provided with a secure reputation
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
renderedverbUS /ˈrendərd/
past form of “render” — cause to become
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
retireverbUS /rɪˈtaɪr/
go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
retreatnounUS /riˈtriːt/
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
RINGverbUS /rɪŋ/
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
safeadjectiveUS /seɪf/
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
seeverbUS /siː/
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
seenverbUS /siːn/
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
sidenounUS /saɪd/
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
swordnounUS /sɔːrd/
a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading “What do I care?” cried Vallombreuse, flourishing his sword.
swordsnounUS /sɔːrdz/
plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
tellverbUS /tel/
express in words
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
threenounUS /θriː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
topmostadjective
at or nearest to the top
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
treenounUS /triː/
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
untenableadjectiveUS /ənˈtenəbəl/
(of theories etc) incapable of being defended or justified
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
Vallombreuse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What do I care?” cried Vallombreuse, flourishing his sword.
wallnounUS /wɔːl/
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 THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
warmadjectiveUS /wɔːrm/
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
welcomeverbUS /ˈwelkəm/
accept gladly
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What do I care?” cried Vallombreuse, flourishing his sword.
whisperedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪspərd/
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE AMETHYST RING The topmost branches of the tree, protruding through the window, rendered the centre of the room untenable, so Malartic and his three aids ranged themselves two and two against the wall on either side of it, armed with pistols and swords—ready to give the assailants a warm welcome.
worldnounUS /wɜːrld/
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading “I am not afraid of anybody in the world—and besides, those who see me will never go away from this to tell of it.”
YoupronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “You had better retire, my lord duke, or else put on a mask,” whispered Malartic to the young nobleman, “so that you may not be seen and recognised in this affair.”
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “But at least your lordship will place this second Helen in some safe retreat.
