used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
AFTERprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading AFTER LONG YEARS.
(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 He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
AmethystnounUS /ˈæmɪθɪst/
a transparent purple variety of quartz; used as a gemstone
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
from appearances alone
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
according with custom or propriety
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
changesnounUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒəz/
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading Great were the changes which time and circumstances had effected there.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading Great were the changes which time and circumstances had effected there.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
being joined in close association
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
CornwallnounUS /ˈkɔːrnwɔːl/
a hilly county in southwestern England
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
Derval
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
DevonshirenounUS /dɪˈvɑːnʃaɪr/
a county in southwestern England
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
effectedadjectiveUS /ɪˈfektɪd/
settled securely and unconditionally
From this reading Great were the changes which time and circumstances had effected there.
elapsedadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæpst/
(of time) having passed or slipped by
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/
past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
freighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
coins made of gold
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Great were the changes which time and circumstances had effected there.
Greville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
HamptonnounUS /ˈhæmptən/
United States musician who was the first to use the vibraphone as a jazz instrument (1913-2002)
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
insensiblyadverb
in a numb manner; without feeling
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
immediately past
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading AFTER LONG YEARS.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
the force of workers available
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
on one occasion
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
the local environment
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
richestadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtʃəst/
superlative of “rich” — possessing material wealth
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
cut with a saw
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
an ability that has been acquired by training
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
disposed of to a purchaser
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
speculateverbUS /ˈspekjəleɪt/
to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
speculatedverbUS /ˈspekjəleɪtɪd/
past form of “speculate” — to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Great were the changes which time and circumstances had effected there.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
up to a particular time
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Great were the changes which time and circumstances had effected there.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
having come into contact
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading From the hour Greville Hampton began to speculate, it seemed as if everything he touched turned to gold.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Great were the changes which time and circumstances had effected there.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Great were the changes which time and circumstances had effected there.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had bought and sold, sold and bought, and speculated, till he was becoming one of the richest men in Devonshire or Cornwall, and all this growing good fortune he somehow insensibly connected with his second marriage, and poor Mary was as completely forgotten, apparently, as if she had never existed.
the basic unit of money in South Korea
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Four years have elapsed since we last saw Derval, and since then the _Amethyst_ had been freighted to so many parts of the world, that he had seen a vast deal of it and won much skill and experience, but had never once been near his home.
a late time of life
From this reading AFTER LONG YEARS.
