used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
abasementnoun
a low or downcast state
From this reading Nor could he resist the incense to his pride offered by the clumsy abasement of the pickle-selling baronet.
consider or hold as true
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
Alistair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
(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 Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
attentionsnounUS /əˈtenʃənz/
plural of “attention” — the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
baronetnounUS /ˈberənət/
a member of the British order of honor; ranks below a baron but above a knight
From this reading Nor could he resist the incense to his pride offered by the clumsy abasement of the pickle-selling baronet.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
bogusadjectiveUS /ˈboʊɡəs/
fraudulent; having a misleading appearance
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
bootnounUS /buːt/
footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
classesnounUS /ˈklæsəz/
plural of “class” — a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
clumsyadjectiveUS /ˈklʌmzi/
lacking grace in movement or posture
From this reading Nor could he resist the incense to his pride offered by the clumsy abasement of the pickle-selling baronet.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
complimentsnounUS /ˈkɑːmpləments/
(usually plural) a polite expression of desire for someone's welfare
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
contrastingadjectiveUS /kənˈtræstɪŋ/
strikingly different; tending to contrast
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading In reality they had done more than they knew.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
the 2nd smallest continent (actually a vast peninsula of Eurasia); the British use “Europe” to refer to all of the continent except the British Isles
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
a man of refinement
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
destroyed or killed
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
highest in quality
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
HerbertnounUS /ˈhɜːrbərt/
United States musician and composer and conductor noted for his comic operas (1859-1924)
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
honoursnoun
a university degree with honors
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In reality they had done more than they knew.
incensenounUS /ˌɪnˈsens/
a substance that produces a fragrant odor when burned
From this reading Nor could he resist the incense to his pride offered by the clumsy abasement of the pickle-selling baronet.
IshmaelnounUS /ˈɪʃmil/
(Old Testament) the son of Abraham who was cast out after the birth of Isaac; considered the forebear of 12 Arabian tribes
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
and nothing more
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading In reality they had done more than they knew.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
MediterraneannounUS /ˌmedətərˈeɪniən/
the largest inland sea; between Europe and Africa and Asia
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
a particular point in time
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading In reality they had done more than they knew.
not any; not one
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Nor could he resist the incense to his pride offered by the clumsy abasement of the pickle-selling baronet.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
under a moral obligation to do something
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading Nor could he resist the incense to his pride offered by the clumsy abasement of the pickle-selling baronet.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
pickle-selling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nor could he resist the incense to his pride offered by the clumsy abasement of the pickle-selling baronet.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
pretentiousadjectiveUS /priˈtenʃəs/
making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading Nor could he resist the incense to his pride offered by the clumsy abasement of the pickle-selling baronet.
a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
From this reading In reality they had done more than they knew.
rejectedadjectiveUS /rɪˈdʒektɪd/
rebuffed (by a lover) without warning
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
representativenounUS /ˌreprəˈzentətɪv/
a person who represents others
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
resistverbUS /rɪˈzɪst/
elude, especially in a baffling way
From this reading Nor could he resist the incense to his pride offered by the clumsy abasement of the pickle-selling baronet.
royaltynounUS /ˈrɔɪəlti/
payment to the holder of a patent or copyright or resource for the right to use their property
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
self-respectnounUS /ˌselfrɪˈspekt/
the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
stoopedadjectiveUS /stuːpt/
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
tanglenounUS /ˈtæŋɡəl/
a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In reality they had done more than they knew.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
treatmentnounUS /ˈtriːtmənt/
care provided to improve a situation (especially medical procedures or applications that are intended to relieve illness or injury)
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
TRIUMPHANTadjectiveUS /traɪˈʌmfənt/
joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading Their kindly treatment of him, coming just at the moment when he felt himself a social Ishmael, rejected by all classes in turn, had given him back no small portion of his self-respect.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
unravelling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
waifnounUS /weɪf/
a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
at the time that
From this reading VIRTUE TRIUMPHANT THE Prince and Princess were obliged to confess to each other, when Lord Alistair was gone, that they had failed to find a way of unravelling the tangle of his life.
belonging to which person
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He could not help contrasting the delicate attentions of Prince Herbert, the representative of the greatest House in Europe, and an English gentleman to boot, with the pretentious compliments of the poor waif of royalty from the Mediterranean whose bogus honours he had stooped to accept a day or two before.
