used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
(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 Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
AsianounUS /ˈeɪʒə/
the largest continent with 60% of the earth's population; it is joined to Europe on the west to form Eurasia; it is the site of some of the world's earliest civilizations
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
completely unclothed
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
bracketnounUS /ˈbrækɪt/
a category falling within certain defined limits
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
BritonnounUS /ˈbrɪtən/
a native or inhabitant of Great Britain
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
the act of burning something
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
coarseadjectiveUS /kɔːrs/
of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
coloursnounUS /ˈkʌlərz/
a distinguishing emblem
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
congenialadjectiveUS /kənˈdʒiːnjəl/
suitable to your needs
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
coolingnounUS /ˈkuːlɪŋ/
the process of becoming cooler; a falling temperature
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
costlyadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːstli/
entailing great loss or sacrifice
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
couchnounUS /kaʊtʃ/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
crazyadjectiveUS /ˈkreɪzi/
affected with madness or insanity
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
true confidential information
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
draughtnounUS /dræft/
a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/
housing that someone is living in
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
earthenwarenounUS /ˈɜːrθənwer/
ceramic ware made of porous clay fired at low heat
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
Esca
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
set up or found
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
frugalitynounUS /fruːˈɡæləti/
prudence in avoiding waste
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
coins made of gold
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
a social unit living together
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
inconsistencynounUS /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənsi/
the relation between propositions that cannot both be true at the same time
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
LebanonnounUS /ˈlebənən/
an Asian republic at east end of Mediterranean
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
loomsnounUS /luːmz/
plural of “loom” — a textile machine for weaving yarn into a textile
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
minoradjectiveUS /ˈmaɪnər/
of lesser importance or stature or rank
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
mutilatedadjectiveUS /ˈmjuːtəleɪtəd/
having a part of the body crippled or disabled
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
obscureverbUS /əbsˈkjʊr/
make less visible or unclear
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
A viscous liquid derived from petroleum or plants, stored in large earthen jars.
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
partiallyadverbUS /ˈpɑːrʃəli/
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
perfumedadjectiveUS /pərˈfjuːmd/
filled or impregnated with perfume
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
pitchernounUS /ˈpɪtʃər/
(baseball) the person who does the pitching
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
refinementnounUS /rəˈfaɪnmənt/
a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
possessing material wealth
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
richestadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtʃəst/
superlative of “rich” — possessing material wealth
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
seatsnounUS /siːts/
an area that includes places where several people can sit
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
shawlsnounUS /ʃɔːlz/
plural of “shawl” — cloak consisting of an oblong piece of cloth used to cover the head and shoulders
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
simplicitynounUS /sɪmˈplɪsəti/
the quality of being simple or uncompounded
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
sparkledverbUS /ˈspɑːrkəld/
past form of “sparkle” — reflect brightly
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
splendournoun
a quality that outshines the usual
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
stainedadjectiveUS /steɪnd/
marked or dyed or discolored with foreign matter
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
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 Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading Esca could not but remark on the same inconsistency throughout all the minor details of the household.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
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 The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading The wall was bare and weather‐stained; but a silver lamp, burning perfumed oil, was fixed against its surface on a bracket of common deal.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading TRUTH The dwelling in which the Briton now found himself presented a strange contrast of simplicity and splendour, of wealth and frugality, of obscure poverty and costly refinement.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
fermented juice (of grapes especially)
From this reading A measure of rich wine from the Lebanon was cooling in a pitcher of coarse earthenware, a draught of fair water sparkled in a cup of gold.
made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood
From this reading Though the stone floor was damp and broken, it was partially covered by a soft thick carpet of brilliant colours, while shawls from the richest looms of Asia hung over the mutilated wooden seats and the crazy couch, which appeared to be the congenial furniture of the apartment.
