Chapter XXXIX

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

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

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

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

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

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

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

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

the two together, not just one

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

a procession of people traveling on horseback

From this reading At the head of this small cavalcade rode two horsemen.

plural of “conflict” — an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals)

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

a line leading to a place or point

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

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

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

coins made of gold

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

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

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading At the head of this small cavalcade rode two horsemen.

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

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

plural of “horseman” — a man skilled in equitation

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

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

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

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

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a person honored by the sovereign for personal merit

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

aristocrats holding the rank of knight

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

in the recent past

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

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

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

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 Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

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 The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

the force of workers available

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

above and across; more than

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading At the head of this small cavalcade rode two horsemen.

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

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

plural of “scar” — a mark left (usually on the skin) by the healing of injured tissue

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

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

From this reading At the head of this small cavalcade rode two horsemen.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

plural of “spur” — a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

young nobleman attendant on a knight

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

plural of “squire” — young nobleman attendant on a knight

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

the time of life between the ages of 12 and 20

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

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

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

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

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading At the head of this small cavalcade rode two horsemen.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading At the head of this small cavalcade rode two horsemen.

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

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

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

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

From this reading Both men and horses looked as if their journey had been long, and as if they were weary of the road.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

a borough of Greater London on the Thames; contains Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

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

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

belonging to which person

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading The other was a squire, tall and strong, over whose head many a winter had passed, and on whose face and rough-hewn features the conflicts in which he had taken part had left their marks in the form of scars.

in the company of; together with

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.

the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat

From this reading A STARTLING SPECTACLE A few minutes before sunset on the evening of the day on which the wrestling match had taken place at Westminster, a body of horsemen, about a dozen in number, were seen passing through the little town of Barnet, and riding in the direction of London.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading One was a young knight, so juvenile-looking, indeed, that but for the gold spurs unworn by squires, he would have been thought too lately out of his teens to be girded with the belt of knighthood.