used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
adroitadjectiveUS /əˈdrɔɪt/
quick or skillful or adept in action or thought
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
anew
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
attainmentnounUS /əˈteɪnmənt/
the act of achieving an aim
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
borrowedverbUS /ˈbɑːroʊd/
past form of “borrow” — get temporarily
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
Bothwell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
chordnounUS /kɔːrd/
a straight line connecting two points on a curve
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
placed crosswise
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
deliberateadjectiveUS /dɪˈlɪbərət/
carefully thought out in advance
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
Des-Essars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
DESCANTverb
sing in descant
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
executantnoun
a performer (usually of musical works)
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
fitnessnounUS /ˈfɪtnəs/
the quality of being suitable
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
hathauxiliary verbUS /hæθ/
an old form of “has”
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
HermitagenounUS /ˈhɜːrmətədʒ/
the abode of a hermit
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
instrumentnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
involvedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɑːlvd/
connected by participation or association or use
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
JASONnounUS /ˈdʒeɪsən/
(Greek mythology) the husband of Medea and leader of the Argonauts who sailed in quest of the Golden Fleece
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
judgesnounUS /ˈdʒʌdʒɪz/
a book of the Old Testament that tells the history of Israel under the leaders known as judges
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
keysnounUS /kiːz/
plural of “key” — metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
leisurelyadverbUS /ˈliːzərli/
in an unhurried way or at one's convenience
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
plural of “note” — a brief written record
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
plural of “person” — a human being
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
pitchnounUS /pɪtʃ/
the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
plucksnounUS /plʌks/
plural of “pluck” — the trait of showing courage and determination in spite of possible loss or injury
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
puzzlingadjectiveUS /ˈpʌzəlɪŋ/
not clear to the understanding
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
screwsnounUS /skruːz/
plural of “screw” — someone who guards prisoners
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
self-pitynoun
a feeling of sorrow (often self-indulgent) over your own sufferings
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
sensitiveadjectiveUS /ˈsensətɪv/
responsive to physical stimuli
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
shiververbUS /ˈʃɪvər/
tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
similitudenoun
similarity in appearance or character or nature between persons or things
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
THEMEnounUS /θiːm/
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
throbbingnounUS /ˈθrɑːbɪŋ/
an instance of rapid strong pulsation (of the heart)
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
tragicadjectiveUS /ˈtrædʒɪk/
very sad; especially involving grief or death or destruction
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
UPONprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
precisely as stated
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
violin-player
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DESCANT UPON A THEME AS OLD AS JASON It is from Des-Essars that I borrowed that similitude of Lord Bothwell to a violin-player.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The figure is adroit in its fitness to the persons involved, but puzzling in this respect—that with executant so deliberate and instrument so fine the pitch should be so slow of attainment.
wrungverbUS /rʌŋ/
inflected form of “wring” — twist and press out of shape
From this reading He screws at the keys, in his leisurely, strong way, and now and again plucks out a chord, ‘until, under the throbbing notes, he judges that he hath wrung up his music to the tragic pitch.’
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The young man pictures him as such, at this very time, sitting deep in his chair at the Hermitage, his instrument upon his crossed knee—his lovely, sensitive instrument!
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading Face the facts, as she herself did (with a shiver of self-pity), and ask yourself what on earth he was about.
