used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
(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 All eyes were turned towards him with eager inquiry.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading A messenger had arrived express, and a letter was speedily delivered to the Earl of Fife.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
being joined in close association
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
the act of breaking something
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
buglenounUS /ˈbjuːɡəl/
a brass instrument without valves; used for military calls and fanfares
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
ChallengeverbUS /ˈtʃæləndʒ/
take exception to
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
a body serving in an administrative capacity
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
court-yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
past form of “deliver” — deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)
From this reading A messenger had arrived express, and a letter was speedily delivered to the Earl of Fife.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading All eyes were turned towards him with eager inquiry.
a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
an old word for “before”
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
divisible by two
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
give expression to
From this reading A messenger had arrived express, and a letter was speedily delivered to the Earl of Fife.
opinion or judgment
From this reading All eyes were turned towards him with eager inquiry.
FifenounUS /faɪf/
a small high-pitched flute similar to a piccolo; has a shrill tone and is used chiefly to accompany drums in a marching band
From this reading A messenger had arrived express, and a letter was speedily delivered to the Earl of Fife.
Fife's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
(astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing; the right ascension for an observer at a particular location and time of day
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
only a very short time before
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading All eyes were turned towards him with eager inquiry.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
inquirynounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪriː/
a search for knowledge
From this reading All eyes were turned towards him with eager inquiry.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
KnightsnounUS /naɪts/
plural of “knight” — originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a person honored by the sovereign for personal merit
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading A messenger had arrived express, and a letter was speedily delivered to the Earl of Fife.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
a person who carries a message
From this reading A messenger had arrived express, and a letter was speedily delivered to the Earl of Fife.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
plural of “note” — a brief written record
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
with speed
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
ScottishnounUS /ˈskɑːtɪʃ/
the dialect of English used in Scotland
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
signetnounUS /ˈsɪɡnɪt/
a seal (especially one used to mark documents officially)
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
speedilyadverbUS /ˈspiːdəli/
with speed
From this reading A messenger had arrived express, and a letter was speedily delivered to the Earl of Fife.
move an implement through
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
surveyedverbUS /sərˈveɪd/
past form of “survey” — consider in a comprehensive way
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Earl of Fife’s Council Meeting—The Challenge between the Scottish and English Knights.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A messenger had arrived express, and a letter was speedily delivered to the Earl of Fife.
in the direction of
From this reading All eyes were turned towards him with eager inquiry.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading All eyes were turned towards him with eager inquiry.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A messenger had arrived express, and a letter was speedily delivered to the Earl of Fife.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The health had hardly well gone round ere the shrill notes of a bugle were heard, followed by a stir that arose in the court-yard, the noise of which even reached the ears of those in the hall.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading “Ha!” said he, with an air of surprise, as he surveyed the impression of the signet attached to the purple silk in which it was wrapped; and then hastily breaking it open, glanced rapidly over its contents.
