used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
AmidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
antiquarianadjective
of or relating to persons who study or deal in antiques or antiquities
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
blindnessnounUS /ˈblaɪndnəs/
the state of being blind or lacking sight
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
past form of “care” — feel concern or interest
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
Cheopsnoun
Egyptian Pharaoh of the 27th century BC who commissioned the Great Pyramid at Giza
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
desperationnounUS /ˌdespərˈeɪʃən/
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
the act of discovering something
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
encounterverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
come together
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
at any time
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
exhaustionnounUS /ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən/
extreme fatigue
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
extremesnounUS /ekˈstriːmz/
plural of “extreme” — the furthest or highest degree of something
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
faminenounUS /ˈfæmən/
an acute insufficiency
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
huenounUS /hjuː/
the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
InquisitionnounUS /ˌɪn.kwɪˈzɪʃ.ən/
A period of prolonged and intensive questioning or investigation.
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
intricateadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəkət/
having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
lineaments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
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 “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
magnanimitynoun
liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
mattedadjective
tangled in a dense mass
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
not any; not one
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
perilnounUS /ˈperəl/
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
a person who is being chased
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
pusillanimitynoun
contemptible fearfulness
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
PyramidsnounUS /ˈpɪrəmɪdz/
plural of “pyramid” — a polyhedron having a polygonal base and triangular sides with a common vertex
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
done under pressure
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
cut with a saw
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
only a very short time before
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
SOUTHEY'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SOUTHEY’S THALABA.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
temporaryadjectiveUS /ˈtempəreri/
not permanent; not lasting
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
terminateverbUS /ˈtɜːrməneɪt/
bring to an end or halt
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
THALABA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SOUTHEY’S THALABA.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
up to a particular time
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
tombnounUS /tuːm/
a place for the burial of a corpse (especially beneath the ground and marked by a tombstone)
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
unitesverbUS /juːˈnaɪts/
third-person singular of “unite” — act in concert or unite in a common purpose or belief
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
vaultnounUS /vɒlt/
An arched structure of masonry forming a ceiling, or a secure subterranean storage room.
From this reading There sat a spirit in the vault, In shape, in hue, in lineaments, like life.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But I had no such peril to encounter,--the floor of the passage was smooth, and the walls were matted, and though I proceeded in darkness, I proceeded in safety; and provided my progress removed me far enough from the pursuit or discovery of the Inquisition, I scarcely cared how it might terminate.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “Amid this temporary magnanimity of despair, this state of mind which unites the extremes of courage and pusillanimity, I saw a faint light.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “I am convinced, that, had the passage been as long and intricate as any that ever an antiquarian pursued to discover the tomb of Cheops in the Pyramids, I would have rushed on in the blindness of my desperation, till famine or exhaustion had compelled me to pause.
