used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
alacritynounUS /əˈlækrəti/
liveliness and eagerness
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
(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 But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
aristocraticadjectiveUS /ərˌɪstəˈkrætɪk/
belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
attentionsnounUS /əˈtenʃənz/
plural of “attention” — the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
beamedverbUS /biːmd/
past form of “beam” — smile radiantly; express joy through one's facial expression
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
bestowedverbUS /bɪˈstoʊd/
past form of “bestow” — present
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
boredadjectiveUS /bɔːrd/
tired of the world
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
consort's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
cordiallyadverbUS /ˈkɔːrdʒəli/
in a hearty manner
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
detestedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtestɪd/
treated with dislike or contempt
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
without deviation
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
entouragenounUS /ˌɑːntʊˈrɑːʒ/
the group following and attending to some important person
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
divisible by two
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
eveningsnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋz/
plural of “evening” — the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
FIRSTadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
frigidadjectiveUS /ˈfrɪdʒəd/
sexually unresponsive
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
good-naturedadjective
having an easygoing and cheerful disposition
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
the state of being honored
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
go away from a place
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
Lydie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
Marquisenoun
a noblewoman ranking below a duchess and above a countess
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
pavanenoun
music composed for dancing the pavane
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
positivelyadverbUS /ˈpɑːzətɪvli/
extremely
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
Queen'snounUS /kwiːnz/
possessive form of “queen” — the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
receptionnounUS /rɪˈsepʃən/
the manner in which something is greeted
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
respectsnounUS /rɪˈspekts/
(often used with “pay”) a formal expression of esteem
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
royaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/
of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
scandal-mongers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
scions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
steppingverbUS /ˈstepɪŋ/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
sugaryadjectiveUS /ˈʃʊɡəri/
containing sugar
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
surfeitverbUS /ˈsɜːrfət/
supply or feed to surfeit
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
plural of “tone” — the quality of a person's voice
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
under normal conditions
From this reading THE FIRST DOUBT His Majesty certainly looked far less bored than he usually did on his royal consort's reception evenings.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
at the time that
From this reading But when he caught sight of Lydie, he positively beamed at her, and astonished all the scandal-mongers by the surfeit of attentions which he bestowed on her.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
an old and formal word for “while”
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He entered the room with a good-natured smile on his face, which did not leave him, even whilst he kissed the frigid Queen's hand, and nodded to her entourage, every one of whom he cordially detested.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Will you honour us by stepping the pavane with us, Marquise?" he asked in sugary tones.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Directly after he had paid his respects to his wife and received the young scions of ancient aristocratic houses, that were being presented to him, he turned with great alacrity to Lydie and engaged her in close conversation.
