adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
angelsnounUS /ˈeɪndʒəlz/
plural of “angel” — spiritual being attendant upon God
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
anguishnounUS /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/
extreme mental distress
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
attributesnounUS /ˈætrəbjuːts/
plural of “attribute” — a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
belongedverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋd/
past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
brotherhoodnounUS /ˈbrʌðərhʊd/
the kinship relation between a male offspring and the siblings
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
burdennounUS /ˈbɜːrdən/
an onerous or difficult concern
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
characternounUS /ˈkerɪktər/
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
classnounUS /klæs/
a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
climbedverbUS /klaɪmd/
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
crimenounUS /kraɪm/
(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
Dimmesdale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
doomverbUS /duːm/
decree or designate beforehand
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
eloquencenounUS /ˈel.ə.kwəns/
Fluent, persuasive, and graceful speaking or writing. (Sự hùng biện, tài ăn nói lưu loát.)
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
etherealadjectiveUS /ɪˈθɪriəl/
characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
faithnounUS /feɪθ/
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
gushesnounUS /ˈɡʌʃɪz/
plural of “gush” — a sudden rapid flow (as of water)
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
heartnounUS /hɑːrt/
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
heartsnounUS /hɑːrts/
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
highadjectiveUS /haɪ/
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
improbablyadverbUS /ˌɪmˈprɑːbəbli/
not easy to believe
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
intimateadjectiveUS /ˈɪntəmət/
marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
keptadjectiveUS /kept/
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
levelnounUS /ˈlevəl/
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
listenedverbUS /ˈlɪsənd/
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
lowestadjectiveUS /ˈloʊəst/
lowest in rank or importance
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
mankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/
all of the living human inhabitants of the earth
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
mountainnounUS /ˈmaʊntən/
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/
a form of address for a man
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
naturallyadverbUS /ˈnætʃərəli/
as might be expected
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
NotadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
Oftenest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oftenest persuasive, but sometimes terrible!
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
ownverbUS /oʊn/
have ownership or possession of
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
painnounUS /peɪn/
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
peaksnounUS /piːks/
plural of “peak” — the most extreme possible amount or value
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
persuasiveadjectiveUS /pərˈsweɪsɪv/
intended or having the power to induce action or belief
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
sadadjectiveUS /sæd/
experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
sanctitynounUS /ˈsæŋktɪti/
the quality of being holy
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
sentnounUS /sent/
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
sinfuladjectiveUS /ˈsɪnfəl/
characterized by iniquity; wicked because it is believed to be a sin
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading Oftenest persuasive, but sometimes terrible!
sympathiesnounUS /ˈsɪmpəθiz/
plural of “sympathy” — an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
tendencynounUS /ˈtendənsi/
an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Oftenest persuasive, but sometimes terrible!
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
theirspronounUS /ðerz/
the one or ones belonging to them
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
throbverbUS /θrɑːb/
pulsate or pound with abnormal force
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
thwartedadjectiveUS /ˈθwɔːrtɪd/
disappointingly unsuccessful
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
totterverbUS /ˈtɑːtər/
move without being stable, as if threatening to fall
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
traitsnounUS /treɪts/
plural of “trait” — a distinguishing feature of your personal nature
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
unisonnounUS /ˈjuːnəsən/
corresponding exactly
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
vibrated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself and sent its own throb of pain through a thousand other hearts, in gushes of sad, persuasive eloquence.
voicenounUS /vɔɪs/
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Not improbably, it was to this latter class of men that Mr. Dimmesdale, by many of his traits of character, naturally belonged.
whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It kept him down on a level with the lowest; him, the man of ethereal attributes, whose voice the angels might else have listened to and answered!
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading To the high mountain peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was his doom to totter.
