used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
abominableadjectiveUS /əˈbɑːmənəbəl/
unequivocally detestable
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
absentadjectiveUS /ˈæbsənt/
not being in a specified place
From this reading Witnesses were summoned, and spectators gathered, until but few of the knight's following were absent.
abundantadjectiveUS /əˈbʌndənt/
present in great quantity
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
be able to spare or give up
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
alenounUS /eɪl/
a general name for beer made with a top fermenting yeast; in some of the United States an ale is (by law) a brew of more than 4% alcohol by volume
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
Amory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/
(used in the plural) the stage of a theater
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
assets available for use in the production of further assets
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
an occurrence of something
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
copiousadjectiveUS /ˈkoʊpiəs/
large in number or quantity (especially of discourse)
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
dining-tables
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
draughtsnounUS /dræfts/
a checkerboard game for two players who each have 12 pieces; the object is to jump over and so capture the opponent's pieces
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
entertainmentnounUS /ˌentərˈteɪnmənt/
an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
a social unit living together
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Witnesses were summoned, and spectators gathered, until but few of the knight's following were absent.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
flockedverbUS /flɑːkt/
past form of “flock” — move as a crowd or in a group
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
forestersnounUS /ˈfɔːrəstərz/
plural of “forester” — English writer of adventure novels featuring Captain Horatio Hornblower (1899-1966)
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
brought together in one place
From this reading Witnesses were summoned, and spectators gathered, until but few of the knight's following were absent.
a man of refinement
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
groomsnounUS /ɡruːmz/
plural of “groom” — a man participant in his own marriage ceremony
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
HONOREDadjectiveUS /ˈɑːnərd/
having an illustrious reputation; respected
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
the quality of being just or fair
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
killingnounUS /ˈkɪlɪŋ/
an event that causes someone to die
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
knight'snounUS /naɪts/
possessive form of “knight” — 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 Witnesses were summoned, and spectators gathered, until but few of the knight's following were absent.
set down according to a plan
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
manornounUS /ˈmænər/
the mansion of a lord or wealthy person
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
men-at-arms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
and nothing more
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
meritnounUS /ˈmerət/
any admirable quality or attribute
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
offencenoun
the action of attacking an enemy
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
partaken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
peasantnounUS /ˈpezənt/
a country person
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
penaltynounUS /ˈpenəlti/
the act of punishing
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
a human being
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
precedingadjectiveUS /priˈsiːdɪŋ/
existing or coming before
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
the act of punishing
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
rankedadjectiveUS /ræŋkt/
arranged in a sequence of grades or ranks
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
resultingverbUS /rɪˈzʌltɪŋ/
-ing form of “result” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
retainersnounUS /rɪˈteɪnərz/
plural of “retainer” — a fee charged in advance to retain the services of someone
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
socially incorrect in behavior
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
severestadjectiveUS /səˈvɪrəst/
superlative of “severe” — intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
term of address for a man
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
spectatorsnounUS /ˈspekteɪtərz/
plural of “spectator” — a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)
From this reading Witnesses were summoned, and spectators gathered, until but few of the knight's following were absent.
SquiresnounUS /ˈskwaɪərz/
plural of “squire” — young nobleman attendant on a knight
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
summonedverbUS /ˈsʌmənd/
past form of “summon” — call in an official matter, such as to attend court
From this reading Witnesses were summoned, and spectators gathered, until but few of the knight's following were absent.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
trestles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
the act of testing something
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
under-servants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Witnesses were summoned, and spectators gathered, until but few of the knight's following were absent.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
clean by virtue of having been washed in water
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The dining-tables, which were merely boards laid on trestles, were cleared away, and the great hall was made ready to serve as a court of justice.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading In those days the killing of a deer by any person beneath the rank of a gentleman was a capital offence; while the killing of a hunting dog by one of the peasant class ranked as a crime so abominable as to merit the severest penalty.
in the company of; together with
From this reading AN HONORED GUEST On the following morning, after the lord of the manor, his family, and all his retainers had partaken of their rude but abundant breakfast, and washed it down with copious draughts of ale, which at that time took the place of coffee or tea, Sir Amory ordered the prisoner of the preceding evening to be brought before him.
WitnessesnounUS /ˈwɪtnəsəz/
plural of “witness” — someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading Witnesses were summoned, and spectators gathered, until but few of the knight's following were absent.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Squires, pages, men-at-arms, grooms, foresters, and under-servants, all filled with an eager curiosity, flocked to the scene of trial; for the case in hand was of so serious a nature that its resulting punishment would be certain to afford vast entertainment.
