Chapter I

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

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

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

(usually followed by “to”) naturally disposed toward

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

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

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

protected with battlements or parapets with indentations or embrasures for shooting through

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

plural of “battlement” — a rampart built around the top of a castle with regular gaps for firing arrows or guns

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

a youthful male person

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

long pod containing small beans and sweetish edible pulp; used as animal feed and source of a chocolate substitute

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

courtesy towards women

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

A large French country house or castle, often surrounded by expansive estates and private galleries.

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

past form of “claim” — assert or affirm strongly; state to be true or existing

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

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

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

plural of “court” — an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

plural of “crevice” — a long narrow depression in a surface

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

-ing form of “crumble” — fall apart

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

the process of gradually becoming inferior

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

performance of moral or religious acts

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

all of the offspring of a given progenitor

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

command with authority

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

imprisonment (especially for a long time)

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

a person who is markedly small

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

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

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

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

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

opinion or judgment

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

capable of reproducing

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

secured with bastions or fortifications

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

unflinching in battle or action

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

plural of “gradient” — a graded change in the magnitude of some physical quantity or dimension

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

free from evil or guilt

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

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

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

a close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

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

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

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 As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

appealing to the emotions as well as the eye

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

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

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

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 The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

tall leafy-stemmed Eurasian perennial with white flowers; widely naturalized; often placed in genus Chrysanthemum

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

structure built of stone or brick by a mason

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

equally distant from the extremes

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

plural of “minstrel” — a singer of folk songs

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

preside over

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

impressive in appearance

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

plural of “olive” — small ovoid fruit of the European olive tree; important food and source of oil

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

on one occasion

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

and nothing more

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

plural of “owl” — nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

being or affecting only a part; not total

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

the time that has elapsed

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

European garden herb with purple-tinged flowers and leaves that are sometimes used for salads

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

pitted with cell-like cavities (as a honeycomb)

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

a former province of southeastern France; now administered with Cote d'Azur

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

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

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

the act of putting something in working order again

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

a relationship between two lovers

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

plural of “rook” — (chess) the piece that can move any number of unoccupied squares in a direction parallel to the sides of the chessboard

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

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

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

term of address for a man

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

an elevated geological formation

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

a quality that outshines the usual

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

make square

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

plural of “stand” — a support or foundation

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

a strongly fortified defensive structure

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

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

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

past form of “terrace” — provide (a house) with a terrace

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

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

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

in or at that place or location

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

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

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

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

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

plural of “tower” — a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

From this reading The battlemented towers were in ruin, the roof in many places had fallen in; only the square block, containing the old living-rooms, had been kept in a moderate state of repair.

plural of “tradition” — an inherited pattern of thought or action

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

a singer of folk songs

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

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

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

a fact that has been verified

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

never dying

From this reading It is, in truth, fair, this land of Provence; but fair with the sad, subtle beauty of a dream—dream of splendour, of chivalry and daring deeds, of troubadours and noble ladies; fair with the romance of undying traditions, of Courts of Love and gallant minstrels, of King René and lovely Marguerite.

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

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 As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

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

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

at the time that

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

which person or people

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading _Author of “The First Sir Percy,” “Flower o’ the Lily,” “Lord Tony’s Wife,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” etc._ Midway between Apt and the shores of the Durance, on the southern slope of Luberon there stands an old château.

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading As for the rest, it was a dwelling-place for owls and rooks, the walls were pitted with crevices caused by crumbling masonry, the corbellings and battlements had long since broken away, whilst many of the windows, innocent of glass, stared, like tear-dimmed eyes, way away down the mountain slope, past the terraced gradients of dwarf olives and carob trees, to the fertile, green valley below.

in the company of; together with

From this reading It had once been the fortified stronghold of the proud seigneurs de Ventadour, who were direct descendants of the great troubadour, and claimed kinship with the Comtes de Provence, but already in the days when Bertrand de Ventadour was a boy, it had fallen into partial decay.