used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
(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 The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
bladesnounUS /bleɪdz/
plural of “blade” — especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
Bonaparte'snounUS /ˈboʊnəpɑːrts/
possessive form of “bonaparte” — French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
Claverhouse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
Covenanters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
decapitationnounUS /dɪˌkæpɪˈteɪʃən/
execution by cutting off the victim's head
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
remove the dust from
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
EdinburghnounUS /ˈedənbəroʊ/
the capital of Scotland; located in the Lothian Region on the south side of the Firth of Forth
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
set up or found
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
death of a person
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
hangedverbUS /hæŋd/
past form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
hunting-bottle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
inlaidadjectiveUS /ˈɪnleɪd/
adorned by inlays
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
innumerableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnuːmərəbəl/
too numerous to be counted
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
inscriptionnounUS /ˌɪnˈskrɪpʃən/
letters inscribed (especially words engraved or carved) on something
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
Jesu
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
keysnounUS /kiːz/
plural of “key” — metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
martyrnounUS /ˈmɑːrtər/
one who suffers for the sake of principle
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
mobnounUS /mɑːb/
a disorderly crowd of people
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
used to form the superlative
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
paintingnounUS /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/
graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
pistolsnounUS /ˈpɪstəlz/
plural of “pistol” — a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
Porteus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
except for; apart from
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
ScotsnounUS /skɑːts/
the dialect of English used in Scotland
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
ScottnounUS /skɑːt/
award-winning United States film actor (1928-1999)
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
sin-stained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
sleeplessadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpləs/
experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
stoopverbUS /stuːp/
bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
swordsnounUS /sɔːrdz/
plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
a special situation
From this reading In the dining-room, the most curious thing is the painting of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, immediately after decapitation.
thumbikins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
Tolboothnoun
a booth at a tollgate where the toll collector collects tolls
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
torturedadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːrtʃərd/
experiencing intense pain especially mental pain
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
translatedverbUS /trænzˈleɪtɪd/
past form of “translate” — restate (words) from one language into another language
From this reading On the blades of one of these swords is an inscription, thus translated by Scott himself:
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
WaterloonounUS /ˈwɔːtərluː/
a town in central Belgium where in 1815 Napoleon met his final defeat
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
at the time that
From this reading "Dust, when I strike, to dust; from sleepless grave, Sweet Jesu, stoop a sin-stained soul to save."
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
which person or people
From this reading Two great keys of the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, found after the doors were burned by the mob who seized and hanged Captain Porteus; and innumerable other objects of the like kind.
Wishart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The hunting-bottle of James I.; the thumbikins with which the Covenanters were tortured; the iron crown of the martyr Wishart; Bonaparte's pistols, found in his carriage at Waterloo; the pistols of Claverhouse, all of steel, according to the fashion of that time, and inlaid with silver.
