used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
awaitingverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
bedeckedverbUS /bɪˈdekt/
past form of “bedeck” — decorate
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
brinknounUS /brɪŋk/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
Chelsea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
costumenounUS /kɑːˈstuːm/
the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
travel across or pass over
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
deckedverbUS /dekt/
past form of “deck” — be beautiful to look at
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
diamondnounUS /ˈdaɪmənd/
a transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
diamondsnounUS /ˈdaɪməndz/
plural of “diamond” — a transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
dress-sword
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
ebbverbUS /eb/
flow back or recede
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
fadingnounUS /ˈfeɪdɪŋ/
weakening in force or intensity
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
flownounUS /floʊ/
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
fro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
gleamedverbUS /ɡliːmd/
past form of “gleam” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
gleamsnounUS /ɡliːmz/
plural of “gleam” — an appearance of reflected light
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
glistenedverbUS /ˈɡlɪsənd/
past form of “glisten” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
coins made of gold
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
IagonounUS /iˈɑːɡoʊ/
the villain in William Shakespeare's tragedy who tricked Othello into murdering his wife
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/
in an idle manner
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
jewelnounUS /ˈdʒuːəl/
a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
lingeredverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡərd/
past form of “linger” — remain present although waning or gradually dying
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
provided with artificial light
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
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 He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
PIRATESnounUS /ˈpaɪrəts/
plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
pommelverbUS /ˈpɑːməl/
strike, usually with the fist
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
possessing material wealth
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
richlyadverbUS /ˈrɪtʃli/
to an ample degree or in an ample manner
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
not in physical motion
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
strollingverbUS /ˈstroʊlɪŋ/
-ing form of “stroll” — walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
SurreynounUS /ˈsɜːri/
a county in southeastern England on the Thames
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
Surrey's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
swirledverbUS /swɜːrld/
past form of “swirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
THAMESnounUS /temz/
the longest river in England; flows eastward through London to the North Sea
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
tinging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
ToledonounUS /təˈliːdoʊ/
an industrial city in northwestern Ohio on Lake Erie
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
velvetyadjectiveUS /ˈvelvəti/
smooth and soft to sight or hearing or touch or taste
From this reading For some time he had been strolling to and fro on the velvety lawn of my Lord of Surrey's house at Chelsea, as if awaiting a companion.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
water-gate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was richly dressed, and the fading light glistened on many a jewel which bedecked his Court costume.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THAMES PIRATES It was an hour after sunset, and a rich red glow still lingered in the western horizon, tinging the waters of the Thames as they swirled past the water-gate of Surrey House with gleams of scarlet and gold.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading It lit up the diamond cross of S. Iago of Toledo which he wore upon his breast, and gleamed on the diamonds which decked the pommel of the dress-sword which hung at his side.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading A young man stood on the brink of the river idly watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
