adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
adventuresnounUS /ædˈventʃərz/
plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And if these were well received he purposed to write twelve more.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For never since Chaucer had such poetry been written.
booknounUS /bʊk/
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
CalendarnounUS /ˈkæləndər/
a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
ChaucernounUS /ˈtʃɔːsər/
English poet remembered as author of the Canterbury Tales (1340-1400)
From this reading For never since Chaucer had such poetry been written.
containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
Faerynoun
a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
famousadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪməs/
widely known and esteemed
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And if these were well received he purposed to write twelve more.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
knightnounUS /naɪt/
originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a person honored by the sovereign for personal merit
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
meantverbUS /ment/
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading And if these were well received he purposed to write twelve more.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading For never since Chaucer had such poetry been written.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
OnlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
planverbUS /plæn/
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
poemnounUS /ˈpoʊəm/
a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
poetrynounUS /ˈpoʊətri/
literature in metrical form
From this reading For never since Chaucer had such poetry been written.
publishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/
prepared and printed for distribution and sale
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
purposed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And if these were well received he purposed to write twelve more.
QueennounUS /kwiːn/
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading And if these were well received he purposed to write twelve more.
Shepherd'snounUS /ˈʃepərdz/
possessive form of “shepherd” — a clergyman who watches over a group of people
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
showverbUS /ʃoʊ/
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading For never since Chaucer had such poetry been written.
SPENSER'SnounUS /ˈspensərz/
possessive form of “spenser” — English poet who wrote an allegorical romance celebrating Elizabeth I in the Spenserian stanza (1552-1599)
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading For never since Chaucer had such poetry been written.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading And if these were well received he purposed to write twelve more.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
threenounUS /θriː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
twelvenounUS /twelv/
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
virtuenounUS /ˈvɝː.tʃuː/
Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading SPENSER'S plan for the Faery Queen was a very great one.
welladverbUS /wel/
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading And if these were well received he purposed to write twelve more.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And if these were well received he purposed to write twelve more.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
writeverbUS /raɪt/
produce a literary work
From this reading He meant to write a poem in twelve books, each book containing the adventures of a knight who was to show forth one virtue.
writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading For never since Chaucer had such poetry been written.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Only the first three books were as yet published, but they made him far more famous than the Shepherd's Calendar had done.
