Chapter XII · Chapter 12

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

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading “I am Sir Aymery of Pavia,” he whispered.

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

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

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

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “He is at table, fair sir, and he bids you to enter.”

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

From this reading “I am Sir Aymery of Pavia,” he whispered.

plural of “bid” — an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading “He is at table, fair sir, and he bids you to enter.”

a category falling within certain defined limits

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

put or send forth

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

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

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

with eagerness; in an eager manner

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

to come or go into

From this reading “He is at table, fair sir, and he bids you to enter.”

opinion or judgment

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

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

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading “He is at table, fair sir, and he bids you to enter.”

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “For God’s sake, tell me! is the King within?”

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

possessive form of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading “For God’s sake, tell me! is the King within?”

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

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

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

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

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

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “I am Sir Aymery of Pavia,” he whispered.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

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

From this reading “For God’s sake, tell me! is the King within?”

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading “For God’s sake, tell me! is the King within?”

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “For God’s sake, tell me! is the King within?”

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

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

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

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

the time that has elapsed

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

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

From this reading “I am Sir Aymery of Pavia,” he whispered.

past form of “peer” — look searchingly

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

-ing form of “pluck” — pull or pull out sharply

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

worried and uneasy

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

a reason for wanting something done

From this reading “For God’s sake, tell me! is the King within?”

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

term of address for a man

From this reading “I am Sir Aymery of Pavia,” he whispered.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

sit on one's heels

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

naturally having skin of a dark color

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading “He is at table, fair sir, and he bids you to enter.”

express in words

From this reading “For God’s sake, tell me! is the King within?”

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

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

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

From this reading “He is at table, fair sir, and he bids you to enter.”

a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading Nigel cast open the door, plucking a torch from its bracket as he did so.

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

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

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

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords

From this reading “I am Sir Aymery of Pavia,” he whispered.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Half a dozen men-at-arms sat on their horses outside, but one had dismounted, a short, squat, swarthy man with a rat face and quick, restless brown eyes which peered eagerly past Nigel into the red glare of the well-lit hall.

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading “For God’s sake, tell me! is the King within?”

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “He is at table, fair sir, and he bids you to enter.”