Chapter VIII

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

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

higher than, or over, something

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

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

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

eat an early morning meal

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

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

From this reading HOW BRIAN WAS NETTED.

sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body

From this reading The Dark Master sat in his dark hall, brooding.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

a large and stately mansion

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The Dark Master sat in his dark hall, brooding.

activity that is a malfunction, intrusion, or interruption

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading The Dark Master sat in his dark hall, brooding.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

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

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

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

From this reading The Dark Master sat in his dark hall, brooding.

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

From this reading HOW BRIAN WAS NETTED.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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

From this reading The Dark Master sat in his dark hall, brooding.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

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

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

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 Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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 It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading The Dark Master sat in his dark hall, brooding.

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

the force of workers available

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

having open interstices or resembling a web

From this reading HOW BRIAN WAS NETTED.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

consisting of or made of wood of the oak tree

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

above and across; more than

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading The Dark Master sat in his dark hall, brooding.

except for; apart from

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

sweep across or over

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

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

From this reading The Dark Master sat in his dark hall, brooding.

in or at that place or location

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

an old word meaning “to that place”

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

not yet payable

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

disregarded

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

not seen or perceived

From this reading For that matter, they might have passed unseen, since the hall was black as night save for a single cresset above the fireplace.

superlative of “warm” — having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

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

From this reading HOW BRIAN WAS NETTED.

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

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading It was a bad morning, for there was a sweep of wind and black cloud mingled with snow bearing out of the north; and since the great hall, with its huge fireplace, was the warmest part of the castle, as many of the men as could do so had drifted thither, but without making any undue disturbance over it.

the largest breed of dogs; formerly used to hunt wolves

From this reading Here sat the Dark Master, a little oaken table before him on which his breakfast had rested, and at his side crouched a long, lean wolfhound that nuzzled him unheeded.