1779
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
chateaunounUS /ʃæˈtoʊ/
an impressive country house (or castle) in France
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
countlessadjectiveUS /ˈkaʊntləs/
too numerous to be counted
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
dovecotesnounUS /ˈdʌvkoʊts/
plural of “dovecote” — a birdhouse for pigeons
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
eminencenounUS /ˈemənəns/
high status importance owing to marked superiority
From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
to or in any or all places
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
fantasticadjectiveUS /fænˈtæstɪk/
ludicrously odd
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
frownedverbUS /fraʊnd/
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
gorgonnounUS /ˈɡɔːrɡən/
(Greek mythology) any of three winged sister monsters and the mortal Medusa who had live snakes for hair; a glance at Medusa turned the beholder to stone
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
high-pitchedadjective
used of sounds and voices; high in pitch or frequency
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Very beautiful indeed was what it looked upon.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
used to form the superlative
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
ornamentalnounUS /ˌɔːrnəˈmentəl/
any plant grown for its beauty or ornamental value
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
having a point
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
roofsnounUS /ruːfs/
plural of “roof” — a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
stablesnounUS /ˈsteɪbəlz/
plural of “stable” — a farm building for housing horses or other livestock
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
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 a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
turretsnounUS /ˈtɜːrəts/
plural of “turret” — a small tower extending above a building
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
precisely as stated
From this reading Very beautiful indeed was what it looked upon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Very beautiful indeed was what it looked upon.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high-pitched roofs and pointed towers, which in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.
