adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
againadverbUS /əˈɡen/
anew
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
ant-hills
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
BabylonnounUS /ˈbæbəlɑːn/
the chief city of ancient Mesopotamia and capital of the ancient kingdom of Babylonia
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
balladsnounUS /ˈbælədz/
plural of “ballad” — a narrative song with a recurrent refrain
From this reading “Why try to fathom the designs of Providence?” said Canalis, maker of ballads.
Ballanche
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
bethought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
Bossuet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
ByzantiumnounUS /bəˈzæntiəm/
an ancient city on the Bosporus founded by the Greeks; site of modern Istanbul; in 330 Constantine I rebuilt the city and called it Constantinople and made it his capital
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
Canalis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Why try to fathom the designs of Providence?” said Canalis, maker of ballads.
CarthagenounUS /ˈkɑːrθədʒ/
an ancient city state on the north African coast near modern Tunis; founded by Phoenicians; destroyed and rebuilt by Romans; razed by Arabs in 697
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
citiesnounUS /ˈsɪtiz/
plural of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
civilizationsnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃənz/
plural of “civilization” — a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
Claude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
clientelenounUS /ˌklaɪənˈtel/
customers collectively
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
cometnounUS /ˈkɑːmət/
(astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
crossesnounUS /ˈkrɔːsɪz/
plural of “cross” — a wooden structure consisting of an upright post with a transverse piece
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
crownnounUS /kraʊn/
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
designsnounUS /dɪˈzaɪnz/
plural of “design” — the act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan)
From this reading “Why try to fathom the designs of Providence?” said Canalis, maker of ballads.
destructionnounUS /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/
the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
disciplenounUS /dɪˈsaɪpəl/
someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
drinkingnounUS /ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/
the act of consuming liquids
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
EmilenounUS /eɪˈmiːl/
the boy whose upbringing was described by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
EmperornounUS /ˈempərər/
the male ruler of an empire
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
fathomverbUS /ˈfæðəm/
come to understand
From this reading “Why try to fathom the designs of Providence?” said Canalis, maker of ballads.
fellverbUS /fel/
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
fivepencenoun
a coin worth five cents
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
flourishedverbUS /ˈflɜːrɪʃt/
past form of “flourish” — grow vigorously
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
footnounUS /fʊt/
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
forknounUS /fɔːrk/
cutlery used for serving and eating food
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
gesturenounUS /ˈdʒestʃər/
motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
giantnounUS /ˈdʒaɪənt/
any creature of exceptional size
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
linenounUS /laɪn/
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
LouisnounUS /ˈluːɪs/
United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years (1914-1981)
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
Mahmoud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
makernounUS /ˈmeɪkər/
a person who makes things
From this reading “Why try to fathom the designs of Providence?” said Canalis, maker of ballads.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
mockingadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːkɪŋ/
abusing vocally; expressing contempt or ridicule
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/
a particular point in time
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
MosesnounUS /ˈmoʊzəs/
(Old Testament) the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites from Egypt across the Red sea on a journey known as the Exodus; Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
NapoleonnounUS /nəˈpoʊliən/
French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
notarynounUS /ˈnoʊtəri/
someone legally empowered to witness signatures and certify a document's validity and to take depositions
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
outlinedadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/
showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
passingnounUS /ˈpæsɪŋ/
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
peculiaradjectiveUS /pəˈkjuːljər/
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
PerhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/
by chance
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
playverbUS /pleɪ/
participate in games or sport
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/
possession of controlling influence
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
ProvidencenounUS /ˈprɑː.və.dəns/
The protective care of God or nature as a spiritual power. (Sự quan phòng, thiên ý phù hộ.)
From this reading “Why try to fathom the designs of Providence?” said Canalis, maker of ballads.
purchasedverbUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəst/
past form of “purchase” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
Raphael's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
ratenounUS /reɪt/
a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
RichelieunounUS /ˈrɪʃəluː/
French prelate and statesman; principal minister to Louis XIII (1585-1642)
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
Robespierrenoun
French revolutionary; leader of the Jacobins and architect of the Reign of Terror; was himself executed in a coup d'etat (1758-1794)
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/
Identical; not different.
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
sayverbUS /seɪ/
express in words
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
secureverbUS /sɪˈkjʊr/
get by special effort
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
serveverbUS /sɜːrv/
serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
Shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
skynounUS /skaɪ/
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
slavenounUS /sleɪv/
a person who is owned by someone
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
soonadverbUS /suːn/
in the near future
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
sortnounUS /sɔːrt/
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
Sylla
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
tryverbUS /traɪ/
make an effort or attempt
From this reading “Why try to fathom the designs of Providence?” said Canalis, maker of ballads.
TyrenounUS /taɪr/
a port in southern Lebanon on the Mediterranean Sea; formerly a major Phoenician seaport famous for silks
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
ValencenounUS /ˈveɪləns/
(biology) a relative capacity to unite or react or interact as with antigens or a biological substrate
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
Valens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
Valentinois
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
VenicenounUS /ˈvenəs/
the provincial capital of Veneto; built on 118 islands within a lagoon in the Gulf of Venice; has canals instead of streets; one of Italy's major ports and a famous tourist attraction
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
Vignon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
vouchsafed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
warningnounUS /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/
a message informing of danger
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The notary bethought himself a moment, but soon fell to drinking again, with a gesture peculiar to himself; it was quite impossible, it seemed to say to secure in his clientele the cities of Valence and Byzantium, the Emperor Valens, Mahmoud, and the house of Valentinois.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading “Should not the destruction of those ant-hills, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, and Venice, each crushed beneath the foot of a passing giant, serve as a warning to man, vouchsafed by some mocking power?” said Claude Vignon, who must play the Bossuet, as a sort of purchased slave, at the rate of fivepence a line.
WhynounUS /waɪ/
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “Why try to fathom the designs of Providence?” said Canalis, maker of ballads.
WithprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading With a fork flourished above Raphael’s head, Emile outlined a crown upon it.
XInounUS /ʃiː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of ten and one
From this reading “Perhaps Moses, Sylla, Louis XI., Richelieu, Robespierre, and Napoleon were but the same man who crosses our civilizations now and again, like a comet across the sky,” said a disciple of Ballanche.