used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
a-baking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
advocateverbUS /ˈædvəkət/
push for something
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
in the past
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
(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 And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
attentiveadjectiveUS /əˈtentɪv/
(often followed by “to”) giving care or attention
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
baffleverbUS /ˈbæfəl/
be a mystery or bewildering to
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
bakingnounUS /ˈbeɪkɪŋ/
making bread or cake or pastry etc.
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
batchnounUS /bætʃ/
all the loaves of bread baked at the same time
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
beggar's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
blackguardverb
subject to laughter or ridicule
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
buildsnounUS /bɪldz/
plural of “build” — constitution of the human body
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
the act of burning something
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
a young person of either sex
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
a condition that accompanies or influences some event or activity
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
citadelnounUS /ˈsɪt.ə.del/
A fortress protecting a city, metaphorically representing the invincible inner sanctuary of the rational mind.
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
claretnoun
a dark purplish-red color
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
CoffeehousenounUS /ˈkɔːfihaʊs/
a small restaurant where drinks and snacks are sold
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
connived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
the skilled practice of a practical occupation
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
cuisinenounUS /kwɪˈziːn/
the practice or manner of preparing food or the food so prepared
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
Culross
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
cursingverbUS /ˈkɜːrsɪŋ/
-ing form of “curse” — utter obscenities or profanities
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
Dan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
diligentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪlɪdʒənt/
quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
EdinburghnounUS /ˈedənbəroʊ/
the capital of Scotland; located in the Lothian Region on the south side of the Firth of Forth
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
elderlyadjectiveUS /ˈeldərli/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
the organ of sight
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
inflected form of “flee” — run away quickly
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
foregathered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
of concern to or concerning the affairs of other nations (other than your own)
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/
being ten more than thirty
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
furth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
gallowsnounUS /ˈɡæloʊz/
an instrument of execution consisting of a wooden frame from which a condemned person is executed by hanging
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
gossipnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/
light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
let have
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
Greig
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
griddlenoun
cooking utensil consisting of a flat heated surface (as on top of a stove) on which food is cooked
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
advanced in complexity or elaboration
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
incomingadjectiveUS /ˈɪnkʌmɪŋ/
arriving at a place or position
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
inconsistenciesnounUS /ˌɪŋˈkɑːnsɪstensiz/
plural of “inconsistency” — the relation between propositions that cannot both be true at the same time
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
interlocutorsnounUS /ˌɪntərˈlɑːkjətərz/
plural of “interlocutor” — the performer in the middle of a minstrel line who engages the others in talk
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
Isobel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
jailnounUS /dʒeɪl/
a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
John'snounUS /dʒɑːnz/
possessive form of “john” — a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
jugnounUS /dʒʌɡ/
a large bottle with a narrow mouth
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
leaguesnounUS /liːɡz/
plural of “league” — an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
linkverbUS /lɪŋk/
make a logical or causal connection
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
lodgers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
logiciannounUS /loʊˈdʒɪʃən/
a person skilled at symbolic logic
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
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 It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
long-gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
lover'snounUS /ˈlʌvərz/
possessive form of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
engage in
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
past form of “march” — march in a procession
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
by chance
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
moodynounUS /ˈmuːdi/
United States tennis player who dominated women's tennis in the 1920s and 1930s (1905-1998)
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
subject to death
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
neglectverbUS /nəˈɡlekt/
leave undone or leave out
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
not any; not one
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
notoriousadjectiveUS /noʊˈtɔːriəs/
known widely and usually unfavorably
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
not divisible by two
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
overlookedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərlʊkt/
not taken into account
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
phrasenounUS /freɪz/
an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
pinedverbUS /paɪnd/
past form of “pine” — have a desire for something or someone who is not present
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
prefermentnoun
the act of preferring
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
prince'snounUS /ˈprɪnsɪz/
possessive form of “prince” — a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
sandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
express in words
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
schemingadjectiveUS /ˈskiːmɪŋ/
acting with a specific goal
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
sconesnounUS /skoʊnz/
plural of “scone” — small biscuit (rich with cream and eggs) cut into diamonds or sticks and baked in an oven or (especially originally) on a griddle
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
sheriffnounUS /ˈʃerəf/
the principal law-enforcement officer in a county
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
shirenounUS /ʃaɪr/
a former administrative district of England; equivalent to a county
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
skippernounUS /ˈskɪpər/
a student who fails to attend classes
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
souredadjectiveUS /ˈsaʊərd/
having turned bad
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
stair-head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
stuffedadjectiveUS /stʌft/
filled with something
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
swee-chain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
a special situation
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
triflingnounUS /ˈtraɪflɪŋ/
the deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
unwittingadjectiveUS /ənˈwɪtɪŋ/
not done with purpose or intent
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
wagenounUS /weɪdʒ/
something that remunerates
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
wisestadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪzəst/
superlative of “wise” — having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A strange thing, chance; and but for chance I might this day be the sheriff of a shire, my head stuffed with the tangled phrase and sentiment of interlocutors, or maybe no more than an advocate overlooked, sitting in John's Coffeehouse in Edinburgh--a moody soured man with a jug of claret, and cursing the inconsistencies of preferment to office.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It is an odd thing, chance--the one element to baffle the logician and make the scheming of the wisest look as foolish in the long run as the sandy citadel a child builds upon the shore without any thought of the incoming tide.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading And this is not all that hung that long-gone day upon a woman's stair-head gossip to the neglect of her _cuisine_, for had this woman been more diligent at her baking I had probably never seen my Isobel with a lover's eye.
woman'snounUS /ˈwʊmənz/
possessive form of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading I might have been that, or less, if it had not been for so trifling a circumstance as the burning of an elderly woman's batch of scones.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
a late time of life
From this reading Had Mistress Grant a more attentive eye to her Culross griddle, what time the scones for her lodgers, breakfast were a-baking forty years ago, I would never have fled furth my native land in a mortal terror of the gallows: had her griddle, say, been higher on the swee-chain by a link or two, Paul Greig would never have foregathered with Dan Risk, the blackguard skipper of a notorious craft; nor pined in a foreign jail; nor connived, unwitting, at a prince's murder; nor marched the weary leagues of France and fought there on a beggar's wage.
