adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
againadverbUS /əˈɡen/
anew
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
AlhambranounUS /ælˈhæmbrə/
a fortified Moorish palace built near Granada by Muslim kings in the Middle Ages
From this reading His first sight of the Alhambra is given in a letter to Mademoiselle Bollviller:
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
architecturaladjectiveUS /ˌɑːrkəˈtektʃərəl/
of or pertaining to the art and science of architecture
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
ardentadjectiveUS /ˈɑːrdənt/
characterized by intense emotion
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
aridadjectiveUS /ˈærəd/
lacking sufficient water or rainfall
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
beatenadjectiveUS /ˈbiːtən/
formed or made thin by hammering
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
bloomingnounUS /ˈbluːmɪŋ/
the organic process of bearing flowers
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
Bollviller
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His first sight of the Alhambra is given in a letter to Mademoiselle Bollviller:
burningnounUS /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/
the act of burning something
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
charmnounUS /tʃɑːrm/
attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
citiesnounUS /ˈsɪtiz/
plural of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
colornounUS /ˈkʌlər/
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
contrastsnounUS /ˈkɑːntræsts/
plural of “contrast” — the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
disclosedadjectiveUS /dɪˈskloʊzd/
made known (especially something secret or concealed)
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
EastnounUS /iːst/
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
entrancedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtrænst/
filled with wonder and delight
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
fierceadjectiveUS /fɪrs/
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading His first sight of the Alhambra is given in a letter to Mademoiselle Bollviller:
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
formaladjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrməl/
being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress)
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
geniusnounUS /ˈdʒiːnjəs/
someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading His first sight of the Alhambra is given in a letter to Mademoiselle Bollviller:
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/
the aggregate of past events
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
imaginationnounUS /ˌɪmædʒəˈneɪʃən/
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
intoxicatingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɑːksɪkeɪtɪŋ/
causing intoxication
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
IrvingnounUS /ˈɜːrvɪŋ/
United States writer remembered for his stories (1783-1859)
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/
apprehended with certainty
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
landnounUS /lænd/
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
landsnounUS /lændz/
plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
letternounUS /ˈletər/
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading His first sight of the Alhambra is given in a letter to Mademoiselle Bollviller:
lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/
the literary culture
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
MademoisellenounUS /ˌmædəməˈzel/
small silvery drumfish often mistaken for white perch; found along coasts of United States from New York to Mexico
From this reading His first sight of the Alhambra is given in a letter to Mademoiselle Bollviller:
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
matternounUS /ˈmætər/
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
mindnounUS /maɪnd/
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
neednounUS /niːd/
a condition requiring relief
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
orientaladjectiveUS /ˌɔːriˈentəl/
denoting or characteristic of countries of the Far East
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
ownverbUS /oʊn/
have ownership or possession of
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
periodnounUS /ˈpɪriəd/
an amount of time
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
picturesnounUS /ˈpɪktʃərz/
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
picturesqueadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərəsk/
suggesting or suitable for a picture; pretty as a picture
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
pilgrimagenounUS /ˈpɪlɡrəmədʒ/
a journey to a sacred place
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
poredverbUS /pɔːrd/
past form of “pore” — direct one's attention on something
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
qualitynounUS /ˈkwɑːləti/
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
quoteverbUS /kwoʊt/
repeat a passage from
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
regretverbUS /rəˈɡret/
feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
revealverbUS /rɪˈviːl/
make visible
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
ripenverbUS /ˈraɪpən/
cause to ripen or develop fully
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
romancenounUS /roʊˈmæns/
a relationship between two lovers
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
romanticadjectiveUS /roʊˈmæntɪk/
belonging to or characteristic of Romanticism or the Romantic Movement in the arts
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
ruinnounUS /ˈruːən/
an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
SaracensnounUS /ˈserəsənz/
plural of “saracen” — (historically) a member of the nomadic people of the Syrian and Arabian deserts at the time of the Roman Empire
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
sightnounUS /saɪt/
an instance of visual perception
From this reading His first sight of the Alhambra is given in a letter to Mademoiselle Bollviller:
southernadjectiveUS /ˈsʌðərn/
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
SpanishnounUS /ˈspænɪʃ/
the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
splendornounUS /ˈsplen.dər/
Magnificent and splendid appearance; grandeur and brilliance.
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
squalornounUS /ˈskwɑːlər/
sordid dirtiness
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
sunnounUS /sʌn/
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
sympathynounUS /ˈsɪmpəθi/
an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
touchedadjectiveUS /tʌtʃt/
having come into contact
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
valleysnounUS /ˈvæliz/
plural of “valley” — a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
wastesnounUS /weɪsts/
plural of “waste” — any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
welladverbUS /wel/
(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 I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The story of the Saracens entranced his mind; his imagination disclosed its oriental quality while he pored over the romance and the ruin of that land of fierce contrasts, of arid wastes beaten by the burning sun, valleys blooming with intoxicating beauty, cities of architectural splendor and picturesque squalor.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
witcherynoun
the art of sorcery
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
WithprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading With the romantic period of Spanish history Irving was in ardent sympathy.
worldnounUS /wɜːrld/
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It is matter of regret that he, who seemed to need the southern sun to ripen his genius, never made a pilgrimage into the East, and gave to the world pictures of the lands that he would have touched with the charm of their own color and the witchery of their own romance.
writingsnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋz/
the third of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures
From this reading I will quote again from the letters, for they reveal the man quite as well as the more formal and better known writings.
