used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
anew
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
(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 This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The difficulty now was to find any opportunity for private conversation.
attachmentnounUS /əˈtætʃmənt/
a feeling of affection for a person or an institution
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
candlesnounUS /ˈkændəlz/
plural of “candle” — stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading The difficulty now was to find any opportunity for private conversation.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
wanted intensely
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading The difficulty now was to find any opportunity for private conversation.
disagreeableadjectiveUS /ˌdɪsəˈɡriːəbəl/
not to your liking
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
a social unit living together
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The difficulty now was to find any opportunity for private conversation.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The difficulty now was to find any opportunity for private conversation.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/
plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
JulynounUS /ˌdʒuːˈlaɪ/
the month following June and preceding August
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
not any; not one
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
no person; not anyone
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The difficulty now was to find any opportunity for private conversation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
many times at short intervals
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
and nothing more
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading The difficulty now was to find any opportunity for private conversation.
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading The difficulty now was to find any opportunity for private conversation.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
sentinelnounUS /ˈsentənəl/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
shuttingnounUS /ˈʃʌtɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
a source of difficulty
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
twenty-fouradjectiveUS /ˈtwentifɔːr/
being four more than twenty
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading This was in a dark corridor where candles had to be used all day, and where, therefore, no sentinel would like being on guard for twenty-four hours together, in the month of July.
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
precisely as stated
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
in or at the place that
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
which person or people
From this reading This was done through the attachment of one of the guards, who often took a very disagreeable post which nobody else desired to have.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The king one day rose to shut the door of the room where he was sitting with his family.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The guard immediately threw it open again, saying that he had orders to keep it open; and that the king would only give himself useless trouble by shutting it.
