used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
aislenounUS /aɪl/
a long narrow passage (as in a cave or woods)
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
(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 My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
alternations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
arcadesnounUS /ɑːrˈkeɪdz/
plural of “arcade” — a covered passageway with shops and stalls on either side
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
archesnounUS /ˈɑːrtʃəz/
plural of “arch” — a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
bastioning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
next to; at the side of
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
CathedralnounUS /kəˈθiːdrəl/
any large and important church
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
ColognenounUS /kəˈloʊn/
a commercial center and river port in western Germany on the Rhine River; flourished during the 15th century as a member of the Hanseatic League
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
colossaladjectiveUS /kəˈlɑːsəl/
so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
detailnounUS /dɪˈteɪl/
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
domesnounUS /doʊmz/
plural of “dome” — a concave shape whose distinguishing characteristic is that the concavity faces downward
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
foundationsnounUS /faʊnˈdeɪʃənz/
plural of “foundation” — the basis on which something is grounded
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
frost-work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
fruitsnounUS /fruːts/
plural of “fruit” — the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
galleriesnounUS /ˈɡæləriz/
plural of “gallery” — spectators at a golf or tennis match
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
infiniteadjectiveUS /ˈɪnfənət/
having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
jewelnounUS /ˈdʒuːəl/
a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
jewelledadjective
covered with beads or jewels or sequins
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
labyrinthnounUS /ˈlæbərɪnθ/
complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
set down according to a plan
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
any art that invokes supernatural powers
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
magnificencenoun
splendid or imposing in size or appearance
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
marvellousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrvələs/
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
MilannounUS /məˈlɑːn/
the capital of Lombardy in northern Italy; has been an international center of trade and industry since the Middle Ages
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
minaretsnounUS /ˌmɪnərˈets/
plural of “minaret” — slender tower with balconies
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
mosaicnounUS /moʊˈzeɪɪk/
art consisting of a design made of small pieces of colored stone or glass
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
OOLOREFA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
overawedadjective
overcome by a feeling of awe
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
Peter'snounUS /ˈpiːtərz/
possessive form of “peter” — disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
productnounUS /ˈprɑːdəkt/
commodities offered for sale
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
rapiditynounUS /rəˈpɪdəti/
a rate that is rapid
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
simplicitynounUS /sɪmˈplɪsəti/
the quality of being simple or uncompounded
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
spiresnounUS /spaɪrz/
plural of “spire” — a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
splendournoun
a quality that outshines the usual
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
statued
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
tawdryadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːdri/
tastelessly showy
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
varietynounUS /vərˈaɪəti/
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading The giant forest aisle of Cologne Cathedral, the mosaic splendour that had overawed me within St. Peter’s, the statued frost-work of Milan, seemed to me tawdry beside the colossal domes with their jewelled magnificence and the infinite variety in simplicity of the labyrinth of arcades and galleries and arches.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
in the company of; together with
From this reading From my own experience of bastioning the shore I was able to understand the rapidity with which the foundations had been laid.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading My wonder grew all the more at the marvellous piece of art that now stood upon them; every detail was so complete and so beautiful.
wondrousadjectiveUS /ˈwʌndrəs/
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading OOLOREFA BUT by what magic had this wondrous jewel group of domes and spires and minarets grown upon the platform within these few alternations of sun and dark?
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
a late time of life
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet those were the fruits of a thousand years’ faith and work; this was the product of a few days.
