used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
(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 Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
apaceadverbUS /əˈpeɪs/
(poetic, literary) quickly
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading My conquest is--which shall the conquest gain?-- Fidessa, author both of joy and pain!
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
the two together, not just one
From this reading My conquest is--which shall the conquest gain?-- Fidessa, author both of joy and pain!
chokeverbUS /tʃoʊk/
breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
conquestnounUS /ˈkɑːŋkwest/
the act of conquering
From this reading My conquest is--which shall the conquest gain?-- Fidessa, author both of joy and pain!
decaynounUS /dɪˈkeɪ/
the process of gradually becoming inferior
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
despisedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspaɪzd/
treated with dislike or contempt
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
devouredverbUS /dɪˈvaʊərd/
past form of “devour” — destroy completely
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
dothauxiliary verbUS /dɔːθ/
an old form of “does”
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
entangledadjectiveUS /enˈtæŋɡəld/
deeply involved especially in something complicated
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
fairestadjectiveUS /ˈferɪst/
superlative of “fair” — free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
fataladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtəl/
bringing death
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
Fidessa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My conquest is--which shall the conquest gain?-- Fidessa, author both of joy and pain!
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
obtain
From this reading My conquest is--which shall the conquest gain?-- Fidessa, author both of joy and pain!
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
gracesnounUS /ˈɡreɪsɪz/
plural of “grace” — (Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
haplessadjectiveUS /ˈhæpləs/
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
hooksnounUS /hʊks/
large strong hand (as of a fighter)
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
instrumentnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My conquest is--which shall the conquest gain?-- Fidessa, author both of joy and pain!
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
a metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water under standard conditions; now equal to 1,000 cubic centimeters (or approximately 1.75 pints)
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
LInounUS /liː/
a soft silver-white univalent element of the alkali metal group; the lightest metal known; occurs in several minerals
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
held dear
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading My conquest is--which shall the conquest gain?-- Fidessa, author both of joy and pain!
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
provokeverbUS /prəˈvoʊk/
call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
worried and uneasy
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading My conquest is--which shall the conquest gain?-- Fidessa, author both of joy and pain!
showeredverbUS /ˈʃaʊərd/
past form of “shower” — expend profusely; also used with abstract nouns
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
plural of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
snaresnounUS /snerz/
plural of “snare” — something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
threadverbUS /θred/
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
threatenverbUS /ˈθretən/
pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
twiningverbUS /ˈtwaɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “twine” — spin, wind, or twist together
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
undigestedadjective
not thought over and arranged systematically in the mind; not absorbed or assimilated mentally
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
UnhappilyadverbUS /ənˈhæpəli/
in an unpleasant way
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent
From this reading Then my unhappy happiness at first began, Happy in that I loved the fairest fair; Unhappily despised, a hapless man; Thus joy did triumph, triumph did despair.
wanderverbUS /ˈwɑːndər/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Delight, false instrument of my decay, Delight, the nothing that doth all things move, Made me first wander from the perfect way, And fast entangled me in the snares of love.
at the time that
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading L When I the hooks of pleasure first devoured, Which undigested threaten now to choke me, Fortune on me her golden graces showered; O then delight did to delight provoke me!
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading LI Work, work apace, you blessed sisters three, In restless twining of my fatal thread!
