used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
advancementnounUS /ədˈvænsmənt/
encouragement of the progress or growth or acceptance of something
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
(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 He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
ambitionsnounUS /æmˈbɪʃənz/
plural of “ambition” — a cherished desire
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
ancestornounUS /ˈænsestər/
someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
Angela
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
aspireverbUS /əˈspaɪr/
have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
attainverbUS /əˈteɪn/
to gain with effort
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
bulliedverbUS /ˈbʊlid/
inflected form of “bully” — be bossy towards
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
coaxedverbUS /koʊkst/
past form of “coax” — influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
combinationnounUS /ˌkɑːmbəˈneɪʃən/
a collection of things that have been combined; an assemblage of separate parts or qualities
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
contemporaryadjectiveUS /kənˈtempəreri/
characteristic of the present
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
coquetted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
cringedverbUS /krɪndʒd/
past form of “cringe” — draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
disposalnounUS /dɪˈspoʊzəl/
the power to use something or someone
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
eagernessnounUS /ˈiːɡərnəs/
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
everything you own; all of your assets (whether real property or personal property) and liabilities
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
extremest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
a social unit living together
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
Geoffrey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
Government'snounUS /ˈɡʌvərmənts/
possessive form of “government” — the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
guidancenounUS /ˈɡaɪdəns/
something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
heiressnounUS /ˈerəs/
a female heir
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
IIInoun
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
inheritances
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
obscureverbUS /əbsˈkjʊr/
make less visible or unclear
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
ParliamentnounUS /ˈpɑːrləmənt/
a legislative assembly in certain countries
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
peeragenounUS /ˈpɪrədʒ/
the peers of a kingdom considered as a group
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
a human being
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
with speed
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
reignverbUS /reɪn/
have sovereign power
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
rewardedverbUS /rɪˈwɔːrdɪd/
past form of “reward” — bestow honor or rewards upon
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
scandalsnounUS /ˈskændəlz/
plural of “scandal” — disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
schemedverbUS /skiːmd/
past form of “scheme” — form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
signifiednounUS /ˈsɪɡnəfaɪd/
the meaning of a word or expression; the way in which a word or expression or situation can be interpreted
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
solicitornounUS /səˈlɪsətər/
a petitioner who solicits contributions or trade or votes
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
in the near future
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
a word or expression used for some particular thing
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
unvaryingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
veraciousadjective
habitually speaking the truth
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
votenounUS /voʊt/
a choice that is made by counting the number of people in favor of each alternative
From this reading He bought an old country estate, a seat in Parliament, and, since his vote was unvaryingly at the Government's disposal, an Irish peerage soon rewarded him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
which person or people
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Geoffrey and Angela had a common ancestor from whom her father and his mother were descended.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading He cringed and bullied his way to success; his wife schemed, coaxed and coquetted in the extremest forms of the latter term, if contemporary scandals were at all veracious.
wife'snounUS /waɪfs/
possessive form of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
wilyadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪli/
marked by skill in deception
From this reading Their wealth, his eagerness for advancement, her greater intelligence and more wily ambitions, signified power, and under the wife's guidance they rose rapidly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading This person, in the reign of George III, was an obscure country solicitor, who, through a combination of happy inheritances, was able to aspire to and attain a marriage with an heiress of good family.
