used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
altarnounUS /ˈɔːltər/
the table in Christian churches where communion is given
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading There was a grating with a railing around it, through which the pilgrims looked at the ascetic.
asceticadjectiveUS /əˈsetɪk/
pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline
From this reading There was a grating with a railing around it, through which the pilgrims looked at the ascetic.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was a grating with a railing around it, through which the pilgrims looked at the ascetic.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
cagenounUS /keɪdʒ/
an enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/
the overhead upper surface of a covered space
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading In a corner was a trap-door, from which spiral steps led down to Mardarie.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
command with authority
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading In a corner was a trap-door, from which spiral steps led down to Mardarie.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
gratingnounUS /ˈɡreɪtɪŋ/
a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air
From this reading There was a grating with a railing around it, through which the pilgrims looked at the ascetic.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
not accessible to view
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
an opening into or through something
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading In a corner was a trap-door, from which spiral steps led down to Mardarie.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading There was a grating with a railing around it, through which the pilgrims looked at the ascetic.
Mardarie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
monasterynounUS /ˈmɑːnəsteri/
the residence of a religious community
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
monknounUS /mʌŋk/
a male religious living in a cloister and devoting himself to contemplation and prayer and work
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
penancenounUS /ˈpenəns/
remorse for your past conduct
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
pilgrimsnounUS /ˈpɪlɡrəmz/
plural of “pilgrim” — someone who journeys in foreign lands
From this reading There was a grating with a railing around it, through which the pilgrims looked at the ascetic.
pitnounUS /pɪt/
A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
planksnounUS /plæŋks/
plural of “plank” — a stout length of sawn timber; made in a wide variety of sizes and used for many purposes
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
railingnounUS /ˈreɪlɪŋ/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading There was a grating with a railing around it, through which the pilgrims looked at the ascetic.
robbersnounUS /ˈrɒb.ərz/
Persons who steal from a person or place, especially using violence or threats.
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
spiralnounUS /ˈspaɪrəl/
a plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at increasing distances from the center
From this reading In a corner was a trap-door, from which spiral steps led down to Mardarie.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading In a corner was a trap-door, from which spiral steps led down to Mardarie.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading There was a grating with a railing around it, through which the pilgrims looked at the ascetic.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
trap-door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In a corner was a trap-door, from which spiral steps led down to Mardarie.
accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
underneathprepositionUS /ˌʌndərˈniːθ/
directly under, often hidden by what is above
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
vaultnounUS /vɒlt/
An arched structure of masonry forming a ceiling, or a secure subterranean storage room.
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Mardarie, the penance monk, lived in a pit in the stone wall behind the altar.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
in or at the place that
From this reading In ancient times this hole was a secret place where the monastery treasure was hidden from robbers, and there had been a secret passage to it direct from the altar.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was a grating with a railing around it, through which the pilgrims looked at the ascetic.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood
From this reading The stone vault from this pit had been taken away, and now it was covered with thick, wooden planks, and underneath it was built a kind of light cage with a little window in the ceiling.
