used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
united by being of the same opinion
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
carpenternounUS /ˈkɑːrpəntər/
a woodworker who makes or repairs wooden objects
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
climbverbUS /klaɪm/
go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
a small house with a single story
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
elementsnounUS /ˈeləmənts/
violent or severe weather (viewed as caused by the action of the four elements)
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
a social unit living together
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
fragmentsnounUS /ˈfræɡmənts/
plural of “fragment” — a piece broken off or cut off of something else
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
ground-level
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading WILLIE'S NEST IN THE RUINS.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
and nothing more
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
NESTnounUS /nest/
a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading WILLIE'S NEST IN THE RUINS.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
on one occasion
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
projectingadjectiveUS /prəˈdʒektɪŋ/
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
roostverbUS /ruːst/
sit, as on a branch
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
RUINSnounUS /ˈruːənz/
plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading WILLIE'S NEST IN THE RUINS.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
stairnounUS /ster/
support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
not in physical motion
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WILLIE'S NEST IN THE RUINS.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
the upper part of anything
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
vaultnounUS /vɒlt/
An arched structure of masonry forming a ceiling, or a secure subterranean storage room.
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
vaultedadjectiveUS /ˈvɔːltɪd/
having a hemispherical vault or dome
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
weather-tight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I have said there were still a few vaulted places on the ground-level used by the family.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
Willie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
WILLIE'SnounUS /ˈwɪliz/
possessive form of “willies” — feelings of uneasiness
From this reading WILLIE'S NEST IN THE RUINS.
windingadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪndɪŋ/
marked by repeated turns and bends
From this reading In a corner outside, and now open to the elements, had once been a small winding stone stair, which led to the room above, on the few broken fragments of which, projecting from the two sides of the corner, it was just possible to climb, and so reach the top of the vault.
wood-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The vault over the wood-house was perfectly sound and weather-tight, and, therefore, as Willie and the carpenter agreed, quite safe to roost upon.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading The spot he had fixed upon was in the part of the ruins next the cottage, not many yards from the back door of it.
