used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
having companions or an escort
From this reading They were accompanied by Simon Raby, and all three were dressed in the elaborate fashion of the court.
alightverbUS /əˈlaɪt/
to come to rest, settle
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
(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 The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
anterooms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
assembledverbUS /əˈsembəld/
past form of “assemble” — create by putting components or members together
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
attendantsnounUS /əˈtendənts/
plural of “attendant” — someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
bargesnounUS /ˈbɑːrdʒəz/
plural of “barge” — a flatbottom boat for carrying heavy loads (especially on canals)
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
BETTY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They were accompanied by Simon Raby, and all three were dressed in the elaborate fashion of the court.
CarewnounUS /ˈkæruː/
Englishman and Cavalier poet whose lyric poetry was favored by Charles I (1595-1639)
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
concoursenounUS /ˈkɑːnkɔːrs/
a large gathering of people
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
dottedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːtəd/
having a pattern of dots
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading They were accompanied by Simon Raby, and all three were dressed in the elaborate fashion of the court.
elaborateadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæbrət/
marked by complexity and richness of detail
From this reading They were accompanied by Simon Raby, and all three were dressed in the elaborate fashion of the court.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading They were accompanied by Simon Raby, and all three were dressed in the elaborate fashion of the court.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
United States computer entrepreneur whose software company made him the youngest multi-billionaire in the history of the United States (born in 1955)
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
GreenwichnounUS /ˈɡrenɪtʃ/
a borough of Greater London on the Thames; zero degrees of longitude runs through Greenwich; time is measured relative to Greenwich Mean Time
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/
plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
hallsnounUS /hɔːlz/
plural of “hall” — an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
helpingnounUS /ˈhelpɪŋ/
an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
the act of retaining something
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
and nothing more
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
leveenounUS /ˈlevi/
a formal reception of visitors or guests (as at a royal court)
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
linedadjectiveUS /laɪnd/
bordered by a line of things
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
most important element
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
niecenounUS /niːs/
a daughter of your brother or sister
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
the middle of the day
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
Raby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were accompanied by Simon Raby, and all three were dressed in the elaborate fashion of the court.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
royaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/
of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
SimonnounUS /ˈsaɪmən/
one of the twelve Apostles (first century)
From this reading They were accompanied by Simon Raby, and all three were dressed in the elaborate fashion of the court.
term of address for a man
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were accompanied by Simon Raby, and all three were dressed in the elaborate fashion of the court.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading They were accompanied by Simon Raby, and all three were dressed in the elaborate fashion of the court.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
ushersnounUS /ˈʌʃərz/
plural of “usher” — Irish prelate who deduced from the Bible that Creation occurred in the year 4004 BC (1581-1656)
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT IT was an hour before noon and the gates of Greenwich palace stood open.
water-craft
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
water-stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A crowd of attendants and gentlemen ushers were assembled in the anterooms, and the royal guards lined the halls.
wherries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir William Carew had just landed at the water-stairs, opposite the main entrance, and was helping his niece to alight from the boat.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The king and queen were holding a levee, and, as usual, there was a great concourse of people, and the river was dotted with barges, wherries and all sorts of water-craft.
