used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
(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 "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
alleynounUS /ˈæli/
a narrow street with walls on both sides
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
archersnounUS /ˈɑːrtʃərz/
plural of “archer” — a person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow
From this reading Even the archers of the patrol held in awe the semi-underground cut-throats' resort.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
awenounUS /ɑː/
an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
From this reading Even the archers of the patrol held in awe the semi-underground cut-throats' resort.
banditsnounUS /ˈbændəts/
plural of “bandit” — an armed thief who is (usually) a member of a band
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading THE TAVERN OF THE BLACK GRAPE.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
creakedverbUS /kriːkt/
past form of “creak” — make a high-pitched, screeching noise
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
cut-throats
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even the archers of the patrol held in awe the semi-underground cut-throats' resort.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
devicenounUS /dɪˈvaɪs/
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
discussingverbUS /dɪˈskʌsɪŋ/
-ing form of “discuss” — to consider or examine in speech or writing
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
escutcheonnoun
a flat protective covering (on a door or wall etc) to prevent soiling by dirty fingers
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
divisible by two
From this reading Even the archers of the patrol held in awe the semi-underground cut-throats' resort.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
GRAPEnounUS /ɡreɪp/
any of various juicy fruit of the genus Vitis with green or purple skins; grow in clusters
From this reading THE TAVERN OF THE BLACK GRAPE.
hauntverbUS /hɔːnt/
follow stealthily or recur constantly and spontaneously to
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Even the archers of the patrol held in awe the semi-underground cut-throats' resort.
of great significance or value
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Even the archers of the patrol held in awe the semi-underground cut-throats' resort.
infestedverbUS /ˌɪnˈfestɪd/
past form of “infest” — invade in great numbers
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
judgingnounUS /ˈdʒʌdʒɪŋ/
the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
the force of workers available
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
nooksnounUS /nʊks/
plural of “nook” — a sheltered and secluded place
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE TAVERN OF THE BLACK GRAPE.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
coated with paint
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
patrolnounUS /pəˈtroʊl/
a detachment used for security or reconnaissance
From this reading Even the archers of the patrol held in awe the semi-underground cut-throats' resort.
projectverbUS /ˈprɑːdʒekt/
communicate vividly
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
rendezvousnounUS /ˈrɑːndɪvuː/
a meeting planned at a certain time and place
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
resortnounUS /rɪˈzɔːrt/
a hotel located in a resort area
From this reading Even the archers of the patrol held in awe the semi-underground cut-throats' resort.
roughlyadverbUS /ˈrʌfli/
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
semi-underground
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even the archers of the patrol held in awe the semi-underground cut-throats' resort.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
TAVERNnounUS /ˈtævərn/
a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks
From this reading THE TAVERN OF THE BLACK GRAPE.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TAVERN OF THE BLACK GRAPE.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
thievesnounUS /θiːvz/
plural of “thief” — a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
tortuousadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːrtʃəwəs/
highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
past form of “venture” — proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
(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 They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
which person or people
From this reading "The Black Grape" was the device roughly painted on the escutcheon of a tavern that served for rendezvous to all sorts of bandits, who at that season infested the city of Paris.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading They never ventured into the tortuous and dark alley at about the middle of which the old sign of the Black Grape, well known by all the thieves, creaked and swung to the wind.
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading Three men, seated at a table in one of the nooks of that haunt, were discussing some important project, judging from the mystery in which they wrapped their conversation.
