Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

in the past

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

(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 fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

present

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

the two together, not just one

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

plural of “carriage” — a railcar where passengers ride

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

a table linen made from linen with a damask pattern

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

plural of “daughter” — a female human offspring

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

plural of “dish” — a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

provoking horror

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

a man of refinement

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

coins made of gold

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

not one, and not any

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

the local environment

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

plural of “plate” — (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

possessing material wealth

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

superlative of “rich” — possessing material wealth

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

the brightly colored garments of a jockey; emblematic of the stable

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

plural of “sofa” — an upholstered seat for more than one person

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

in or at that place or location

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Now there was a certain lady of rank, who lived very near him, and had two daughters, both of them of very great beauty.

displeasing to the senses

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

precisely as stated

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

in or at the place that

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.

which person or people

From this reading BLUE BEARD There was, some time ago, a gentleman who was very rich.

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading Blue Beard asked her to bestow one of them upon him for a wife, and left it to herself to choose which of the two it should be.

in the company of; together with

From this reading He had fine town and country houses, his dishes and plates were all of gold or silver, his rooms were hung with damask, his chairs and sofas were covered with the richest silks, and his carriages were all gilt with gold in a grand style.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading But it happened that this gentleman had a blue beard, which made him so very frightful and ugly, that none of the ladies, in the parts where he lived, would venture to go into his company.