aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
clungverbUS /klʌŋ/
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
deemedverbUS /diːmd/
past form of “deem” — keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
spoiled or ruined or demolished
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
plural of “good” — benefit
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
GreecenounUS /ɡriːs/
a republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan peninsula; known for grapes and olives and olive oil
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
ITHACAnounUS /ˈɪθəkə/
a college town in central New York on Lake Cayuga
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
Laertesnoun
(Greek mythology) the father of Odysseus
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
ODYSSEUSnounUS /oʊˈdɪsiəs/
(Greek mythology) a famous mythical Greek hero; his return to Ithaca after the siege of Troy was described in the Odyssey
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
a large and stately mansion
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
PenelopenounUS /pəˈneləpi/
(Greek mythology) the wife of Odysseus and a symbol of devotion and fidelity; for 10 years while Odysseus fought the Trojan War she resisted numerous suitors until Odysseus returned and killed them
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
PrincesnounUS /ˈprɪnsəz/
plural of “prince” — a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
RETURNSnounUS /rɪˈtɜːrnz/
plural of “return” — document giving the tax collector information about the taxpayer's tax liability
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
rudelyadverbUS /ˈruːdli/
in an impolite manner
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
a male human offspring
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
not in physical motion
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
plural of “subject” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
Telemachus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
TroynounUS /trɔɪ/
a system of weights used for precious metals and gemstones; based on a 12-ounce pound and an ounce of 480 grains
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
urgeverbUS /ɜːrdʒ/
force or impel in an indicated direction
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
wastingnounUS /ˈweɪstɪŋ/
any general reduction in vitality and strength of body and mind resulting from a debilitating chronic disease
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
wedverbUS /wed/
take in marriage
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
at the time that
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the western shore of Greece.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading Princes came to the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still alive.’
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return.
a late time of life
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
but in spite of that
From this reading His subjects deemed that their king was dead, for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had not come home.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus.
