used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading Yet we had an advantage in not being married, and in having the warning of their history before us.
advantagesnounUS /ædˈvæntɪdʒɪz/
plural of “advantage” — the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Yet we had an advantage in not being married, and in having the warning of their history before us.
ancestorsnounUS /ˈænsestərz/
plural of “ancestor” — someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
appeaseverbUS /əˈpiːz/
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
associationnounUS /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃən/
a formal organization of people or groups of people
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Yet we had an advantage in not being married, and in having the warning of their history before us.
past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
with bitterness; in a resentful manner
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
calamitynounUS /kəˈlæməti/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
Calbot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
the act of making up your mind about something
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
documentsnounUS /ˈdɑːkjəmənts/
plural of “document” — writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
Drayton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
divisible by two
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Yet we had an advantage in not being married, and in having the warning of their history before us.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading Yet we had an advantage in not being married, and in having the warning of their history before us.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
long-dead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
malicenounUS /ˈmæləs/
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
joined in matrimony
From this reading Yet we had an advantage in not being married, and in having the warning of their history before us.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
of an obscure nature
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
the one or ones belonging to us
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
outwardadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtwərd/
relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
persecutionnounUS /ˌpɜːrsəˈkjuːʃən/
the act of persecuting (especially on the basis of race or religion)
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
phantomnounUS /ˈfæn.təm/
A ghost or apparition; a figment of the imagination or a hidden dweller.
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
recurredverbUS /riˈkɜːrd/
inflected form of “recur” — happen or occur again
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
express in words
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
separationnounUS /ˌsepərˈeɪʃən/
the state of lacking unity
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
similaritynounUS /ˌsɪməˈlerəti/
the quality of being similar
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The persecution of our long-dead ancestors now recurred to me, as I had read it a few months before in those dusty old documents, and I could not help seeing a strange similarity between their fate and ours.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
unitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/
characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
a message informing of danger
From this reading Yet we had an advantage in not being married, and in having the warning of their history before us.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "I could say nothing against her decision, Drayton; I felt we should be really more united, living apart, than were we to force ourselves to outward association.
whitheradverbUS /ˈwɪðər/
an old word meaning “to where”
From this reading Our calamity was too strong for us; separation might appease the mysterious malice of the phantom, and cause him to return whither he belonged.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet we had an advantage in not being married, and in having the warning of their history before us.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You see," observed Calbot, somewhat bitterly, "even I can talk of advantages!
