used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
admittingverbUS /ædˈmɪtɪŋ/
inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
affectionsnounUS /əˈfekʃənz/
plural of “affection” — a positive feeling of liking
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
aimverbUS /eɪm/
point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
ancestorsnounUS /ˈænsestərz/
plural of “ancestor” — someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
CatholicsnounUS /ˈkæθlɪks/
plural of “catholic” — a member of a Catholic church
From this reading They were Catholics, and never forgot it.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
collectivelyadverbUS /kəˈlektɪvli/
in conjunction with; combined
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
consequentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwəntli/
(sentence connectors) because of the reason given
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
carefully weighed
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
very opposed in nature or character or purpose
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
distinctionnounUS /dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/
a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
divined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The result of such a system may be divined.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
plural of “enemy” — an opposing military force
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
a social unit living together
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
fidelitynounUS /fəˈdeləti/
accuracy with which an electronic system reproduces the sound or image of its input signal
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading They were Catholics, and never forgot it.
a state of high honor
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
the state of being honored
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
honourableadjectiveUS /ˈɑːnərəbəl/
worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
plural of “interest” — a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They were Catholics, and never forgot it.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading The result of such a system may be divined.
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading They were Catholics, and never forgot it.
nobilitynounUS /noʊˈbɪləti/
a privileged class holding hereditary titles
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
patentverbUS /ˈpætənt/
obtain a patent for
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
principlenounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəl/
a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
privilegenounUS /ˈprɪvlədʒ/
a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
proselytismnoun
the practice of proselytizing
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
ProtestantsnounUS /ˈprɑːtəstənts/
plural of “protestant” — an adherent of Protestantism
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
Raby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
on the contrary
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
To recall to mind.
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading The result of such a system may be divined.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
shunnedverbUS /ʃʌnd/
inflected form of “shun” — avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
plural of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The result of such a system may be divined.
confined on all sides
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
From this reading The result of such a system may be divined.
tenetsnounUS /ˈtenəts/
plural of “tenet” — a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were Catholics, and never forgot it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
unitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/
characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity
From this reading The family of Raby must be considered collectively, as each member united in one feeling, and acted on one principle.
unmindfuladjective
not mindful or attentive
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
unsulliedadjectiveUS /ənˈsʌlid/
spotlessly clean and fresh
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They were not bent on proselytism; on the contrary, they rather shunned admitting strangers into their circle: but they never ceased to remember that they belonged to the ancient faith of the land, and looked upon their fidelity to the tenets of their ancestors as a privilege, and a distinction far more honourable than a patent of nobility.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were Catholics, and never forgot it.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Surrounded by Protestants, and consequently, as they believed, by enemies, it was the aim of their existence to keep their honour unsullied; and that each member of the family should act for the good and glory of the whole, unmindful of private interests and individual affections.
