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The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay
The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay is here in full — 182 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay
Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
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THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.
Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.
How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.
It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.
Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay is here in full — 182 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.
Line 2
Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.
Line 3
How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.
Line 4
It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.
Line 5
Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

imagines noun US /ˌɪˈmædʒənz/

plural of “imago” — (psychoanalysis) an idealized image of someone (usually a parent) formed in childhood

From this reading “Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.”

panoply noun US /ˈpænɑːpli/

a complete and impressive array

From this reading “THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.”

qualms noun US /kwɑːmz/

plural of “qualm” — uneasiness about the fitness of an action

From this reading “How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.”

Rhone noun US /roʊn/

a major French river; flows into the Mediterranean near Marseilles

From this reading “How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.”

smeared verb US /smɪrd/

past form of “smear” — stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance

From this reading “How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.”

starred adjective US /stɑːrd/

marked with an asterisk

From this reading “Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.”

strifes noun US /straɪfs/

plural of “strife” — lack of agreement or harmony

From this reading “How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.”

treaties noun US /ˈtriːtiz/

plural of “treaty” — a written agreement between two states or sovereigns

From this reading “THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.”

All words in this reading · 215

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

actorsnounUS /ˈæktərz/

plural of “actor” — a theatrical performer

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

adventurousadjectiveUS /ædˈventʃərəs/

willing to undertake or seeking out new and daring enterprises

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

afterwardsadverbUS /ˈæftərwərdz/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

age-long

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

agonynounUS /ˈæɡ.ə.ni/

Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

Alois

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

apartadverbUS /əˈpɑːrt/

separated or at a distance in place or position or time

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

armiesnounUS /ˈɑːrmiz/

plural of “army” — a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

ashamedadjectiveUS /əˈʃeɪmd/

feeling shame or guilt or embarrassment or remorse

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

beatingnounUS /ˈbiːtɪŋ/

the act of overcoming or outdoing

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

bitingadjectiveUS /ˈbaɪtɪŋ/

capable of wounding

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

BOOKnounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

bridgenounUS /brɪdʒ/

a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

bulwarks

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

burningnounUS /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of burning something

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

CALLEDverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

CHAFFERverb

wrangle (over a price, terms of an agreement, etc.)

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

Chastel

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

chinnounUS /tʃɪn/

the protruding part of the lower jaw

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

ChristianadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪstʃən/

relating to or characteristic of Christianity

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

costnounUS /kɑːst/

the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

countlessadjectiveUS /ˈkaʊntləs/

too numerous to be counted

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

crossverbUS /krɔːs/

travel across or pass over

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

degreenounUS /dɪˈɡriː/

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

DifferingverbUS /ˈdɪfərɪŋ/

-ing form of “differ” — be different

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

draggedverbUS /dræɡd/

inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

dragonnounUS /ˈdræɡən/

a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/

covered with a layer of dust

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

elbownounUS /ˈelboʊ/

hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

extremitynounUS /ekˈstreməti/

an external body part that projects from the body

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

fashionnounUS /ˈfæʃən/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

fatenounUS /feɪt/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

fearfuladjectiveUS /ˈfɪrfəl/

experiencing or showing fear

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

fleetnounUS /fliːt/

group of aircraft operating together under the same ownership

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

flocknounUS /flɑːk/

a church congregation guided by a pastor

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

galleynounUS /ˈɡæli/

a large medieval vessel with a single deck propelled by sails and oars with guns at stern and prow; a complement of 1,000 men; used mainly in the Mediterranean for war and trading

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

hand-like

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

herspronounUS /hərz/

the one or ones belonging to her

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

How

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

imaginesnounUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənz/

plural of “imago” — (psychoanalysis) an idealized image of someone (usually a parent) formed in childhood

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

Jehane

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

kingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

KingsnounUS /kɪŋz/

plural of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

kneenounUS /niː/

hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

lengthsnounUS /leŋkθs/

plural of “length” — the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

LinounUS /liː/

a soft silver-white univalent element of the alkali metal group; the lightest metal known; occurs in several minerals

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

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 Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

Mantuan

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

MarseillesnounUS /mɑːrˈsaɪləs/

a port city in southeastern France on the Mediterranean

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

mastnounUS /mæst/

a vertical spar for supporting sails

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

MATE-GRIFON

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

Mortain

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

nailsnounUS /neɪlz/

plural of “nail” — horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

NAYexclamationUS /neɪ/

an old word for “no”

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

nightsnounUS /naɪts/

Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

Nornnoun

(Norse mythology) any of the three goddesses of destiny; identified with Anglo-Saxon Wyrd; similar to Greek Moirae and Roman Parcae

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

nursingnounUS /ˈnɜːrsɪŋ/

the work of caring for the sick or injured or infirm

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

offendedadjectiveUS /əˈfendəd/

emotionally hurt or upset or annoyed

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

Orgoilous

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

panoplynounUS /ˈpænɑːpli/

a complete and impressive array

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

passverbUS /pæs/

go across or through

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

personages

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

personsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

poopnounUS /puːp/

obscene terms for feces

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

PrayernounUS /prer/

the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

prayersnounUS /prerz/

plural of “prayer” — the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

qualmsnounUS /kwɑːmz/

plural of “qualm” — uneasiness about the fitness of an action

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

readingnounUS /ˈriːdɪŋ/

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

remainedverbUS /rɪˈmeɪnd/

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

RhonenounUS /roʊn/

a major French river; flows into the Mediterranean near Marseilles

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

Richard

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

Richard'snounUS /ˈrɪtʃərdz/

possessive form of “richards” — English literary critic who collaborated with C. K. Ogden and contributed to the development of Basic English (1893-1979)

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

royaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/

of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

savedadjectiveUS /seɪvd/

rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

sea-gulls

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

shieldsnounUS /ʃiːldz/

plural of “shield” — a protective covering or structure

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

shipverbUS /ʃɪp/

transport commercially

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

shoesnounUS /ʃuːz/

a particular situation

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

shoresnounUS /ʃɔːrz/

plural of “shore” — the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

singverbUS /sɪŋ/

deliver by singing

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

sitsverbUS /sɪts/

third-person singular of “sit” — be seated

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

smearedverbUS /smɪrd/

past form of “smear” — stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

snakesnounUS /sneɪks/

plural of “snake” — limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

springsnounUS /sprɪŋz/

plural of “spring” — the season of growth

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

spumyadjective

emitting or filled with bubbles as from carbonation or fermentation

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

starredadjectiveUS /stɑːrd/

marked with an asterisk

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

stomachsnounUS /ˈstʌməks/

plural of “stomach” — an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

strifesnounUS /straɪfs/

plural of “strife” — lack of agreement or harmony

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

sufferedverbUS /ˈsʌfərd/

past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

thoughtsnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

to-day

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

to-morrow

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

transportsnounUS /trænˈspɔːrts/

plural of “transport” — something that serves as a means of transportation

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

treatiesnounUS /ˈtriːtiz/

plural of “treaty” — a written agreement between two states or sovereigns

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

treatingverbUS /ˈtriːtɪŋ/

-ing form of “treat” — interact in a certain way

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

Trenchemer

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

urgentadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrdʒənt/

compelling immediate action

From this reading THE BOOK OF NAY THE CHAFFER CALLED MATE-GRIFON Differing from the Mantuan as much in sort as degree, I sing less the arms than the man, less the panoply of some Christian king offended than the heart of one in its urgent private transports; less treaties than the agony of treating, less personages than persons, the actors rather than the scene.

vowsnounUS /vaʊz/

plural of “vow” — a solemn pledge (to oneself or to another or to a deity) to do something or to behave in a certain manner

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

Vézelay

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

watchingnounUS /ˈwɑːtʃɪŋ/

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/

United States actress and singer (1896-1977)

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

webnounUS /web/

an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

weepingadjectiveUS /ˈwiːpɪŋ/

showing sorrow

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Prayer sits well in women, and age-long watching: one imagines that Jehane never left the poop through those long white days, those burning nights; but could always be seen or felt, a still figure sitting apart, elbow on knee, chin in hand-like a Norn reading fate in the starred web of the night.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Arms pass like the fashion of them, to-day or to-morrow they will be gone; but men live, their secret springs what they have always been.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

wondernounUS /ˈwʌndər/

the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

wrathnounUS /ræθ/

intense anger (usually on an epic scale)

From this reading How the two Kings, then, smeared over their strifes at Vézelay; how John of Mortain was left biting his nails, and Alois weeping at the foot of a cross; how Christian armies like dusty snakes dragged their lengths down the white shores of Rhone, and how some took ship at Marseilles, and some saved their stomachs at the cost of their shoes; of King Richard's royal galley _Trenchemer_, a red ship with a red bridge, and the dragon at the mast; of the shields that made her bulwarks terrible; of who went adventurous and who remained; of a fleet that lay upon the waters like a flock of sea-gulls--countless, now at rest, now beating the sea into spumy wrath; of what way they made, qualms they suffered, prayers they said in their extremity, vows they made and afterwards broke, thoughts they had and afterwards were ashamed of--of these and all such things I must be silent if I am to make a good end to my history.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading It shall be enough for you that the red ship held King Richard, and King Richard his own thoughts, and that never far from him, in a ship called _Li Chastel Orgoilous_, sat Jehane with certain women of hers, nursing her hope and a new and fearful wonder she had.

Chapter 12 of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay by Maurice Hewlett holds 182 sentences, grouped into 37 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 12 of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay contain?

Chapter 12 holds 182 sentences of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay by Maurice Hewlett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 182 sentences, grouped into 37 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 12 of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay?

Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 37 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay

Common questions about reading The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay by Maurice Hewlett on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay?

Yes. All 6820 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14813 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #14813, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay take to read?

About 568 minutes of reading across 1364 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Man's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Account
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Leopards
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pertinent
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.