Chapter XVII

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

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

a narrow street with walls on both sides

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

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

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

Queen of England and Scotland and Ireland; daughter if James II and the last of the Stuart monarchs; in 1707 she was the last English ruler to exercise the royal veto over parliament (1665-1714)

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

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

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

confined by bonds

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

past form of “buckle” — fasten with a buckle or buckles

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

plural of “chairman” — the officer who presides at the meetings of an organization

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

An unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by the walls of a house.

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

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

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

reach, make, or come to a decision about something

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

past form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

(of sounds) repeating by reflection

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

the capital of Scotland; located in the Lothian Region on the south side of the Firth of Forth

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

past form of “emerge” — come out into view, as from concealment

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

an item inserted in a written record

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

more distant in especially space or time

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

at or to or toward the front

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

the act of departing

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

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

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

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

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

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

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

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

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

determine the result of (a competition)

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

a polite name for any woman

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

staying power

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

a long narrow inlet of the sea in Scotland (especially when it is nearly landlocked)

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

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 Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

a cgs unit of magnetic flux equal to the flux perpendicular to an area of 1 square centimeter in a magnetic field of 1 gauss

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

used to form the superlative

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

an organization to gain political power

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

falling in drops or as if falling like rain

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

move upward

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

a car that is closed and that has front and rear seats and two or four doors

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

a particular situation

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

an elevated geological formation

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

in the near future

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

make square

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

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

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

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

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

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

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

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

From this reading SOCIETY LORD BALNILLO looked out of his sedan chair as it emerged from the darkness of a close on the northern slope of the Old Town of Edinburgh.

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

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading It had been raining, and Edinburgh was most noisomely dirty under foot, so Balnillo's regard for his silk-clad legs and the buckled shoes on his slim feet, had made him decide to be carried to his kinswoman's party.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading One side of this place was taken up by the house of Lady Anne Maxwell, for which the judge was bound.

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

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

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

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.

in or at the place that

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

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

From this reading Far down in front of him, where the long alley stopped, a light or two was seen reflected in the black water of the Nor' Loch that lay between the ancient city and the ground on which the new one was so soon to rise.

past form of “widen” — become broader or wider or more extensive

From this reading The shuffling footfalls of his chairmen, echoing off the sides of the covered entry, were drowned in the noise that was going on a little way farther forward, where the close widened out into a square courtyard.