used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
ardournoun
a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
captivesnounUS /ˈkæptɪvz/
plural of “captive” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
ConstancenounUS /ˈkɑːnstəns/
a lake in southeastern Germany on the northern side of the Swiss Alps; forms part of the Rhine River
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
day'snounUS /deɪz/
possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
determineverbUS /dəˈtɜːrmən/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
one or the other of two
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
Maurice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
meditationsnounUS /ˌmedɪˈteɪʃənz/
plural of “meditation” — continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
meritsnounUS /ˈmerəts/
plural of “merit” — any admirable quality or attribute
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
murmuringnounUS /ˈmɜːrmərɪŋ/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
oppositesnounUS /ˈɑːpəzəts/
plural of “opposite” — a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
OsbornenounUS /ˈɔːzbɔːrn/
English playwright (1929-1994)
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
outlinenounUS /ˈaʊtlaɪn/
the line that appears to bound an object
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
partitionnounUS /pɑːrˈtɪʃən/
a vertical structure that divides or separates (as a wall divides one room from another)
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
ponderingadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːndərɪŋ/
deeply or seriously thoughtful
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
quicknessnounUS /ˈkwɪknəs/
skillful performance or ability without difficulty
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
require as useful, just, or proper
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
sensationsnounUS /senˈseɪʃənz/
plural of “sensation” — an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
Shaksperenoun
English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
term of address for a man
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
strifenounUS /straɪf/
lack of agreement or harmony
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
undressedadjectiveUS /ənˈdrest/
of lumber or stone or hides; not finished or dressed
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
the act of using
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We do require them of you, so to use them As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.--Shakspere.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
which person or people
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The chamber of Sir Osborne Maurice was next to that of Lady Constance de Grey, and from time to time he could hear through the partition the sweet murmuring of her voice, as she spoke to the woman who undressed her.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
but in spite of that
From this reading It was not that he either was in love with Lady Constance, or fancied himself in love with her, though he neither wanted ardour of feeling nor quickness of imagination; and yet he thought over all she said with strange sensations of pleasure, and tried to draw the graceful outline of her figure upon the blank darkness of the night.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You have the captives, Who were the opposites of this day's strife!
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Whatever were the thoughts these sounds called up, the young soldier did not sleep, but lay pondering over his fate, his brain troubled by a host of busy meditations that would not let him rest.
