used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
Queen of England and Scotland and Ireland; daughter if James II and the last of the Stuart monarchs; in 1707 she was the last English ruler to exercise the royal veto over parliament (1665-1714)
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
armchairnounUS /ˈɑːrmtʃer/
chair with a support on each side for arms
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Jack's prophecy was not destined to be fulfilled.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
brewverbUS /bruː/
prepare by brewing
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
choicestadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɔɪsəst/
superlative of “choice” — of superior grade
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
Cicely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
delicaciesnounUS /ˈdelɪkəsiz/
plural of “delicacy” — the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
destinedadjectiveUS /ˈdestɪnd/
headed or intending to head in a certain direction; often used as a combining form as in “college-bound students”
From this reading Jack's prophecy was not destined to be fulfilled.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
divertverbUS /daɪˈvɜːrt/
turn aside; turn away from
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
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 In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
take in solid food
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
fulfilledadjectiveUS /fʊlˈfɪld/
completed to perfection
From this reading Jack's prophecy was not destined to be fulfilled.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
Jack'snounUS /dʒæks/
possessive form of “jack” — a small worthless amount
From this reading Jack's prophecy was not destined to be fulfilled.
legendsnounUS /ˈledʒəndz/
plural of “legend” — a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
used to form the superlative
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Jack's prophecy was not destined to be fulfilled.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
and nothing more
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
prepareverbUS /priˈper/
make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
prophecynounUS /ˈprɒf.ə.si/
A prediction of what will happen in the future, often divinely or magically inspired.
From this reading Jack's prophecy was not destined to be fulfilled.
reclineverbUS /rɪˈklaɪn/
move the upper body backwards and down
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
restlesslyadverbUS /ˈrestləsli/
in a restless manner
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
saintsnounUS /seɪnts/
plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
SHEPHERDnounUS /ˈʃepərd/
a clergyman who watches over a group of people
From this reading THE SHEPHERD.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
the state of being asleep
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
sublunaryadjective
situated between the earth and the moon
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
temptingadjectiveUS /ˈtemptɪŋ/
highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SHEPHERD.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Jack's prophecy was not destined to be fulfilled.
tossedverbUS /tɔːst/
past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading In vain did Cicely prepare her most tempting delicacies, and brew her choicest sleeping draughts—he could neither eat nor sleep.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Jack's prophecy was not destined to be fulfilled.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For many days, he tossed restlessly on his bed, or crept from it only to recline in the great armchair which had been placed in his room.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In vain did Anne, more awake to sublunary matters than she had been for a long time, try to divert him with legends of saints.
