used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
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 Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
boughsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bough” — any of the larger branches of a tree
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
comelyadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmli/
according with custom or propriety
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
one or the other of two
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
endearments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
a long fixed look
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
GothicadjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːθɪk/
characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Several years had passed.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Why do you not seek a woman whom you may love, and whose love may make you happy?”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
idiotnounUS /ˈɪdiːət/
a person of subnormal intelligence
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
languishverbUS /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/
lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Why do you not seek a woman whom you may love, and whose love may make you happy?”
engage in
From this reading Why do you not seek a woman whom you may love, and whose love may make you happy?”
Manrico
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Why do you not seek a woman whom you may love, and whose love may make you happy?”
moonbeamnounUS /ˈmuːnbiːm/
a ray of moonlight
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
not in physical motion
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Why do you not seek a woman whom you may love, and whose love may make you happy?”
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Several years had passed.
piercedadjectiveUS /pɪrst/
having a hole cut through
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
express in words
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
only a very short time before
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
try to get or reach
From this reading Why do you not seek a woman whom you may love, and whose love may make you happy?”
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Several years had passed.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/
a state of social isolation
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
carry out
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
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 It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
uneasyadjectiveUS /əˈniːzi/
lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
vaultedadjectiveUS /ˈvɔːltɪd/
having a hemispherical vault or dome
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
at the time that
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Why do you not seek a woman whom you may love, and whose love may make you happy?”
belonging to which person
From this reading Why do you not seek a woman whom you may love, and whose love may make you happy?”
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading It was a moonbeam, a moonbeam which pierced from time to time the green vaulted roof of trees when the wind moved their boughs.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Why do you not seek a woman whom you may love, and whose love may make you happy?”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Manrico, crouched on a settle by the deep Gothic chimney of his castle, almost motionless and with a vague, uneasy gaze like that of an idiot, would scarcely take notice either of the endearments of his mother or of the attentions of his servants.
a late time of life
From this reading Several years had passed.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “You are young, you are comely,” she would say to him, “why do you languish in solitude?
