Chapter XXXV · Chapter 35

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading We had made the error of being before our time.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading We had made the error of being before our time.

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

inflected form of “bear” — have

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the chest considered as the place where secret thoughts are kept

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

one who is the object of choice; who is given preference

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

dearly loved

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading We had made the error of being before our time.

divisible by two

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

an act that fails

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

plural of “fetter” — a shackle for the ankles or feet

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

moving swiftly

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

people in general (often used in the plural)

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

brought together in one place

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading We had made the error of being before our time.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

the aggregate of past events

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

the early stage of growth or development

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

plural of “lad” — a boy or man

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

held dear

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading We had made the error of being before our time.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

impressive in appearance

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

not one, and not any

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading We had made the error of being before our time.

above and across; more than

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

having the qualities or effects of a poison

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

cause to go somewhere

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

plural of “shore” — the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

marked by absence of sound

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

not in physical motion

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

in a resolute manner

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

separate or cause to separate abruptly

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading We had made the error of being before our time.

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading And so, my dear children, I come to the end of the history of a failure--a brave failure and a noble one, but a failure none the less.

surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We had made the error of being before our time.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

at the time that

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

in or at the place that

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

which person or people

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading There, within the sound of the bell which from infancy had called them to prayer, beneath the turf over which they had wandered, under the shadow of those Mendip and Quantock Hills which they loved so well, these brave hearts lie still and peaceful, like tired children in the bosom of their mother.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.

a late time of life

From this reading In three more years England was to come to herself, to tear the fetters from her free limbs, and to send James and his poisonous brood flying from her shores even as I was flying then.

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet there came days when folk thought kindly of the lads who had fought so stoutly in the West, and when their limbs, gathered from many a hangman’s pit and waste place, were borne amid the silent sorrow of a nation to the pretty country burial-grounds where they would have chosen to lie.