adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
allusionsnounUS /əˈluːʒənz/
plural of “allusion” — passing reference or indirect mention
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The Puritans, a growing and energetic party, and the religious among the Anglican church, would suppress them.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
AnglicannounUS /ˈæŋɡləkən/
a Protestant who is a follower of Anglicanism
From this reading The Puritans, a growing and energetic party, and the religious among the Anglican church, would suppress them.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
attemptedadjectiveUS /əˈtemptɪd/
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the people wanted them.
churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading The Puritans, a growing and energetic party, and the religious among the Anglican church, would suppress them.
countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
courtnounUS /kɔːrt/
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
dramaticadjectiveUS /drəˈmætɪk/
suitable to or characteristic of drama
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
easilyadverbUS /ˈiːzəli/
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
enclosuresnounUS /ɪnˈkloʊʒərz/
plural of “enclosure” — a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
energeticadjectiveUS /ˌenərˈdʒetɪk/
possessing or exerting or displaying energy
From this reading The Puritans, a growing and energetic party, and the religious among the Anglican church, would suppress them.
EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
entertainmentsnounUS /ˌentərˈteɪnmənts/
plural of “entertainment” — an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
extemporaneousadjective
with little or no preparation or forethought
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
fairsnounUS /ferz/
plural of “fair” — a traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc.
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
fellverbUS /fel/
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
growingnounUS /ˈɡroʊɪŋ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The Puritans, a growing and energetic party, and the religious among the Anglican church, would suppress them.
housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
importunateadjective
expressing persistant and earnest entreaty
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
Inn-yards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
offencenoun
the action of attacking an enemy
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/
an organization to gain political power
From this reading The Puritans, a growing and energetic party, and the religious among the Anglican church, would suppress them.
peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
playersnounUS /ˈpleɪərz/
plural of “player” — a person who participates in or is skilled at some game
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
politicaladjectiveUS /pəˈlɪtəkəl/
involving or characteristic of politics or parties or politicians
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
PuritansnounUS /ˈpjʊrətənz/
plural of “puritan” — a member of a group of English Protestants who in the 16th and 17th centuries thought that the Protestant Reformation under Elizabeth was incomplete and advocated the simplification and regulation of forms of worship
From this reading The Puritans, a growing and energetic party, and the religious among the Anglican church, would suppress them.
readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
religiousadjectiveUS /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/
concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
From this reading The Puritans, a growing and energetic party, and the religious among the Anglican church, would suppress them.
roofsnounUS /ruːfs/
plural of “roof” — a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
Shakspeare's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
strollingverbUS /ˈstroʊlɪŋ/
-ing form of “stroll” — walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
suppressverbUS /səˈpres/
bring under control by force or authority
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
theatresnounUS /ˈθiːətərz/
plural of “theatre” — a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
tookverbUS /tʊk/
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them.
wantedadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading But the people wanted them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The Puritans, a growing and energetic party, and the religious among the Anglican church, would suppress them.
youthnounUS /juːθ/
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading Shakspeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments.
