used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had found a prison instead of a palace.
AaronnounUS /ˈerən/
United States professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in 1934)
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
accusednounUS /əˈkjuːzd/
a defendant in a criminal proceeding
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
a cherished desire
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The great conspiracy was at an end.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The great conspiracy was at an end.
any cognitive content held as true
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
BurrnounUS /bɜːr/
seed vessel having hooks or prickles
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
conspiracynounUS /kənˈspɪrəsi/
a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act
From this reading The great conspiracy was at an end.
conspiratornounUS /kənˈspɪrətər/
a member of a conspiracy
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The great conspiracy was at an end.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
set up or found
From this reading He had found a prison instead of a palace.
obtain
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had found a prison instead of a palace.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had found a prison instead of a palace.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading He had found a prison instead of a palace.
jailnounUS /dʒeɪl/
a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
for more time
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
not any; not one
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
noosenounUS /nuːs/
a trap for birds or small mammals; often has a slip noose
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
and nothing more
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading He had found a prison instead of a palace.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading He had found a prison instead of a palace.
the act of punishing
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
RichmondnounUS /ˈrɪtʃmənd/
capital of the state of Virginia located in the east central part of the state; was capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/
plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
scepternoun
the imperial authority symbolized by a scepter
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading The only question was of the punishment the accused should have--for in the general belief he was certain of conviction.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE QUALITY OF MERCY In Richmond jail lay Aaron Burr, the great conspirator, the ruins of his ambition fallen about him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was eager no longer to gain a scepter, but only to escape a noose.
