used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A REED SHAKEN BY THE WINDS OF PASSION.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He was not caring about the light.
absentadjectiveUS /ˈæbsənt/
not being in a specified place
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
aimlessadjectiveUS /ˈeɪmləs/
aimlessly drifting
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
(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 Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A REED SHAKEN BY THE WINDS OF PASSION.
caringnounUS /ˈkerɪŋ/
a loving feeling
From this reading He was not caring about the light.
chainsnounUS /tʃeɪnz/
metal shackles; for hands or legs
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
dishnounUS /dɪʃ/
a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
inflected form of “eat” — take in solid food
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
faintestadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪntəst/
superlative of “faint” — deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
fettersnounUS /ˈfetərz/
plural of “fetter” — a shackle for the ankles or feet
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
flagonnoun
a large metal or pottery vessel with a handle and spout; used to hold alcoholic beverages (usually wine)
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
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 Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
loosedverbUS /luːst/
past form of “loose” — grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
matteredverbUS /ˈmætərd/
past form of “matter” — have weight; have import, carry weight
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A REED SHAKEN BY THE WINDS OF PASSION.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading A REED SHAKEN BY THE WINDS OF PASSION.
perpetualadjectiveUS /pərˈpetʃuːəl/
continuing forever or indefinitely
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
REEDnounUS /riːd/
tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites
From this reading A REED SHAKEN BY THE WINDS OF PASSION.
rubynounUS /ˈruːbi/
a transparent piece of ruby that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
RupertnounUS /ˈruːpərt/
English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
only a very short time before
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
SHAKENadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/
disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock
From this reading A REED SHAKEN BY THE WINDS OF PASSION.
inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
sufficedverbUS /səˈfaɪst/
past form of “suffice” — be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
tabouretnoun
a low stool in the shape of a drum
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A REED SHAKEN BY THE WINDS OF PASSION.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
tuggingverbUS /ˈtʌɡɪŋ/
inflected form of “tug” — pull hard
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
ultimateadjectiveUS /ˈʌltəmət/
furthest or highest in degree or order; utmost or extreme
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
Venner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
at the time that
From this reading That mattered little; Venner had eaten when he was hungry, drunk when dry, and knew the position of the flagon and dish to the ultimate inch.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading A REED SHAKEN BY THE WINDS OF PASSION.
fermented juice (of grapes especially)
From this reading The ruby light that had shown him the food and wine placed for him had faded away to the faintest red glow which scarcely sufficed to reach the tabouret.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Rupert Venner sat on the floor of his prison, tugging at his chains with an absent, aimless, all but perpetual motion; for he had long since convinced himself that his fetters could not be broken or loosed.
