used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
how long something has existed
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
(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 "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
pleasantly occupied
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
fearless and daring
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
BrugesnounUS /ˈbruːdʒɪz/
a city in northwestern Belgium that is connected by canal to the North Sea; in the 13th century it was a leading member of the Hanseatic League; the old city (known as the City of Bridges) is a popular tourist attraction
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
canstmodal verbUS /kænst/
an old form of “can”, used with “thou”
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
chessnounUS /tʃes/
weedy annual native to Europe but widely distributed as a weed especially in wheat
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
female equivalent of a count or earl
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
defeatnounUS /dɪˈfiːt/
an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
destructionnounUS /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/
the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
disordernounUS /dɪˈsɔːrdər/
a physical condition in which there is a disturbance of normal functioning
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
frownverbUS /fraʊn/
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
hallsnounUS /hɔːlz/
plural of “hall” — an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
haughtyadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːti/
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
idlesse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
JudithnounUS /ˈdʒuːdəθ/
Jewish heroine in one of the books of the Apocrypha; she saved her people by decapitating the Assyrian general Holofernes
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
lord'snounUS /lɔːrdz/
possessive form of “lord” — terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
subject to death
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading Peace to these trifles!
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
resemblingverbUS /rɪˈzembəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “resemble” — appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
sateverbUS /seɪt/
fill to satisfaction
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
possessing sweep
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Peace to these trifles!
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
thyself
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
Tostig
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
triflesnounUS /ˈtraɪfəlz/
plural of “trifle” — a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate
From this reading Peace to these trifles!
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "That is one way to prevent defeat," said Judith, with a half smile and half frown.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
at the time that
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
in or at the place that
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The Earl and his Countess were playing at chess, (or the game resembling it, which amused the idlesse of that age,) and the Countess had put her lord's game into mortal disorder, when Tostig swept his hand over the board, and the pieces rolled on the floor.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
be the winner in a contest or competition; be victorious
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading "It is the way of the bold and the wise, wife mine," answered Tostig, rising, "let all be destruction where thou thyself canst win not!
in the company of; together with
From this reading Tostig sate in the halls of Bruges, and with him sate Judith, his haughty wife.
