adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
AssessorsnounUS /əˈsesərz/
plural of “assessor” — an official who evaluates property for the purpose of taxing it
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
AustrianounUS /ˈɔːstriə/
a mountainous republic in central Europe; under the Habsburgs (1278-1918) Austria maintained control of the Holy Roman Empire and was a leader in European politics until the 19th century
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
boundsnounUS /baʊndz/
the line or plane indicating the limit or extent of something
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
canopynounUS /ˈkæn.ə.pi/
An overhead roof or structure, such as the high vaulted ceiling of an ancient library.
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
ChambernounUS /ˈtʃeɪmbər/
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
chargedadjectiveUS /tʃɑːrdʒd/
of a particle or body or system; having a net amount of positive or negative electric charge
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
CitynounUS /ˈsɪti/
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
columnsnounUS /ˈkɑːləmz/
plural of “column” — a line of units following one after another
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
CommunaladjectiveUS /kəˈmjuːnəl/
for or by a group rather than individuals
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
CouncilnounUS /ˈkaʊnsəl/
a body serving in an administrative capacity
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
Councillors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
courtnounUS /kɔːrt/
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
crownnounUS /kraʊn/
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
daisnounUS /deɪz/
a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
damasknounUS /ˈdæməsk/
a table linen made from linen with a damask pattern
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
double-headed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
drapedadjectiveUS /dreɪpt/
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
eaglenounUS /ˈiːɡəl/
any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
edgedadjectiveUS /edʒd/
having a specified kind of border or edge
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
endnounUS /end/
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
Ferrante
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
figuredadjectiveUS /ˈfɪɡjərd/
(of e.g. fabric design) adorned with patterns
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
goldenadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊldən/
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
Gonzaga
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
gownnounUS /ɡaʊn/
a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
halberdiers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
heldadjectiveUS /held/
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
hungverbUS /hʌŋ/
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
intertwiningverbUS /ˈɪntərtwaɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “intertwine” — spin, wind, or twist together
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
JusticenounUS /ˈdʒʌstəs/
the quality of being just or fair
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
linenounUS /laɪn/
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
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 They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
minivernoun
trimming on ceremonial robes consisting of white or light grey fur
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
mottonounUS /ˈmɑːtoʊ/
a favorite saying of a sect or political group
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
PalacenounUS /ˈpæləs/
a large and stately mansion
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
Piacenza
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
pillarsnounUS /ˈpɪlərz/
plural of “pillar” — a fundamental principle or practice
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
PLUSnounUS /plʌs/
a useful or valuable quality
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
presideverbUS /prɪˈzaɪd/
act as president
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
PrioradjectiveUS /ˈpraɪər/
earlier in time
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
rednounUS /red/
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
robesnounUS /roʊbz/
plural of “robe” — any loose flowing garment
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
room'snounUS /ruːmz/
possessive form of “room” — an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
Ruota
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
satnounUS /sæt/
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
scrollnounUS /skroʊl/
a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
seeverbUS /siː/
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
shieldnounUS /ʃiːld/
a protective covering or structure
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
showverbUS /ʃoʊ/
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
slightlyadverbUS /ˈslaɪtli/
to a small degree or extent
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
SpanishnounUS /ˈspænɪʃ/
the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
steelnounUS /stiːl/
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
surmountedadjectiveUS /sərˈmaʊntɪd/
having something on top
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
TennounUS /ten/
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In the Chamber of Justice of the Communal Palace sat that day not the Assessors of the Ruota, but the Councillors in their damask robes--the Council of Ten of the City of Piacenza.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
ULTRAadjectiveUS /ˈʌltrə/
(used of opinions and actions) far beyond the norm
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading They sat at a long table draped in red at the room's end, Gonzaga slightly above them on a raised dais, under a canopy.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
velvetnounUS /ˈvelvət/
a silky densely piled fabric with a plain back
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Behind him hung a golden shield upon which was figured, between two upright columns each surmounted by a crown, the double-headed black eagle of Austria; a scroll intertwining the pillars was charged with the motto “PLUS ULTRA.”
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading At the back of the court stood the curious who had come to see the show, held in bounds by a steel line of Spanish halberdiers.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
