Chapter XI · Chapter 11

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

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

(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 Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

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

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

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

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

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

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

a fighter (especially one who participates in brawls)

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

(Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100 prominent bishops in the Sacred College who advise the Pope and elect new Popes

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

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

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

a longing for something better than the present situation

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

move deeply

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

past form of “doubt” — consider unlikely or have doubts about

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

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

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

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

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

past form of “grasp” — hold firmly

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

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

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

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

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

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

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

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

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

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

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

plural of “interest” — a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

evidencing the possession of inside information

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

engage in

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

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

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

being nothing more than specified

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

a disorderly crowd of people

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

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

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

being in opposition or having an opponent

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

a city on the Loire river in north central France; site of the siege of Orleans by the English (1428-1429)

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

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

From this reading Pillot to the Rescue.

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

possession of controlling influence

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

refusal to accept some authority or code or convention

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

free from harm or evil

From this reading Pillot to the Rescue.

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

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth

From this reading Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

comparative of “safe” — free from danger or the risk of harm

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

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

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

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

From this reading Pillot to the Rescue.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

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

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

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

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

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

From this reading Pillot to the Rescue.

past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading Between them they had turned Paris into a hot-bed of rebellion and discontent.

lacking stability or fixity or firmness

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

the act of using

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

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

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

(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 Every day now the rumour of Mazarin's defeat grew louder, but, knowing the man well, I doubted if all France could disturb his position.

which person or people

From this reading De Retz, a noisy brawler, stirred up the mob in his own interests; Gaston of Orleans, unstable as water, was a mere shuttle-cock tossed to and fro by any strong man who chose to make use of him; Conde, though a brave and skilful general, already grasped more power than a subject should possess.

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

From this reading And though I felt little personal liking for the Cardinal, it seemed to me that the country was safer in his hands than it would be in the hands of those opposed to him.