used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
amazeverbUS /əˈmeɪz/
affect with wonder
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
assumeverbUS /əˈsuːm/
take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
have
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
breadthnounUS /bredθ/
the capacity to understand a broad range of topics
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
buglenounUS /ˈbjuːɡəl/
a brass instrument without valves; used for military calls and fanfares
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
cavernnounUS /ˈkæv.ərn/
A large, vast underground cave, often filled with forgotten ancient treasures.
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
darklingadjective
uncannily or threateningly dark or obscure
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
dimlyadverbUS /ˈdɪmli/
in a dim indistinct manner
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
evergreensnounUS /ˈevərɡriːnz/
plural of “evergreen” — a plant having foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
fantasticadjectiveUS /fænˈtæstɪk/
ludicrously odd
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
a long fixed look
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
grottonounUS /ˈɡrɑːtoʊ/
a small cave (usually with attractive features)
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
hornnounUS /hɔːrn/
a noisemaker (as at parties or games) that makes a loud noise when you blow through it
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
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 The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
luridadjectiveUS /ˈlʊrəd/
horrible in fierceness or savagery
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
reflectverbUS /rɪˈflekt/
manifest or bring back
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
ruggedadjectiveUS /ˈrʌɡəd/
sturdy and strong in constitution or construction; enduring
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
rushesnounUS /ˈrʌʃəz/
plural of “rush” — the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
stopsnounUS /stɑːps/
a gambling card game in which chips are placed on the ace and king and queen and jack of separate suits (taken from a separate deck)
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading Opposite the entrance sat the stranger upon a large bear skin, and near him stood his sword and a bugle horn; an old hat, and a grey cloak lay on the ground.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The spot to which they had arrived in this large cavern, possessed one great advantage, that of being perfectly dry.
WIELANDnounUS /ˈwiːlənd/
(European mythology) a supernatural smith and king of the elves; identified with Norse Volund
From this reading WIELAND.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
witcherynoun
the art of sorcery
From this reading The rugged rocks fantastic forms assume, Seen in the darkling of the midnight gloom; And the wild evergreens so dimly bright, Seem to reflect a kind of lurid light; This sight so strange may well our knight amaze, He stops, upon the witchery to gaze.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The ground was covered with rushes and straw; a lamp hung on the side of the rock, which threw sufficient light on the breadth, and a great part of the length, of the grotto.
