used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A SUNDAY IN DUBUQUE.
affordedverbUS /əˈfɔːrdəd/
past form of “afford” — be able to spare or give up
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
balmnounUS /bɑːm/
any of various aromatic resinous substances used for healing and soothing
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
bluffsnounUS /blʌfs/
plural of “bluff” — a high steep bank (usually formed by river erosion)
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
budnounUS /bʌd/
a partially opened flower
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
the act of burning something
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
make calm or still
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
care'snounUS /kerz/
possessive form of “care” — the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
couchnounUS /kaʊtʃ/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
absence of light or illumination
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
dothauxiliary verbUS /dɔːθ/
an old form of “does”
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
DUBUQUEnounUS /dəˈbjuːk/
a town in eastern Iowa on the Mississippi River
From this reading A SUNDAY IN DUBUQUE.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading GEORGE HERBERT.
HERBERTnounUS /ˈhɜːrbərt/
United States musician and composer and conductor noted for his comic operas (1859-1924)
From this reading GEORGE HERBERT.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A SUNDAY IN DUBUQUE.
indorsementnoun
a promotional statement (as found on the dust jackets of books)
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
intenselyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtensli/
to a high degree; extremely; in high concentration or density
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
Julien
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
used to form the superlative
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
immediately following in time or order
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
SabbathnounUS /ˈsæbəθ/
a day of rest and worship: Sunday for most Christians; Saturday for the Jews and a few Christians; Friday for Muslims
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
shieldnounUS /ʃiːld/
a protective covering or structure
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading A SUNDAY IN DUBUQUE.
supremeadjectiveUS /səˈpriːm/
final or last in your life or progress
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
an old word for “your”, speaking to one person
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/
a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
toweringadjectiveUS /ˈtaʊərɪŋ/
of imposing height; especially standing out above others
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
precisely as stated
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
accept gladly
From this reading A very pleasant room at the Julien House afforded a welcome retreat on the Sabbath.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading It was intensely hot; the burning rays of the sun were reflected from the towering bluffs that shield the town from the west wind.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
world'snounUS /wɜːrldz/
possessive form of “world” — everything that exists anywhere
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
WritnounUS /rɪt/
(law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer
From this reading “O day most calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world’s bud; The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend and with his blood; The couch of time; care’s balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way.”
