used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
anew
From this reading It was some years before the Towers was visited again.
(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 Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading What did one house or another matter? he said.
attemptsnounUS /əˈtempts/
plural of “attempt” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
Beaufort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beaufort took the common-sense part in these controversies.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was some years before the Towers was visited again.
the particular occupation for which you are trained
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
common-sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beaufort took the common-sense part in these controversies.
controversiesnounUS /ˈkɑːntrəvɜːrsiz/
plural of “controversy” — a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement
From this reading Beaufort took the common-sense part in these controversies.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading What did one house or another matter? he said.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
having unexpected good fortune
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What did one house or another matter? he said.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
ill-omenedadjective
marked by or promising bad fortune
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was some years before the Towers was visited again.
justificationnounUS /ˌdʒʌstəfəˈkeɪʃən/
something (such as a fact or circumstance) that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading What did one house or another matter? he said.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Why should one be ill-omened more than another?
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading What did one house or another matter? he said.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading What did one house or another matter? he said.
OxfordnounUS /ˈɑːksfərd/
a city in southern England to the northwest of London; site of Oxford University
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Beaufort took the common-sense part in these controversies.
resistingverbUS /rɪˈzɪstɪŋ/
-ing form of “resist” — elude, especially in a baffling way
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading What did one house or another matter? he said.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Why should one be ill-omened more than another?
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It was some years before the Towers was visited again.
carry out
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Why should one be ill-omened more than another?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was some years before the Towers was visited again.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Beaufort took the common-sense part in these controversies.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
male cat
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Beaufort took the common-sense part in these controversies.
TowersnounUS /ˈtaʊərz/
plural of “tower” — a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading It was some years before the Towers was visited again.
precisely as stated
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
past form of “visit” — go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading It was some years before the Towers was visited again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was some years before the Towers was visited again.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Tom went to Oxford and had a not very fortunate career there, which gave his mother a certain justification in resisting all attempts to take her back to what she felt to be so ill-omened a house.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why should one be ill-omened more than another?
a late time of life
From this reading It was some years before the Towers was visited again.
