used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
Appleford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
BlairnounUS /bler/
British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
a steep high face of rock
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
dearly loved
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
dilapidatedadjectiveUS /dəˈlæpədeɪtɪd/
in deplorable condition
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
epitomizedverbUS /ɪˈpɪtəmaɪzd/
past form of “epitomize” — embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical example of
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
divisible by two
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading Happy with the happiness that few mortals experience.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Happy with the happiness that few mortals experience.
fickleadjectiveUS /ˈfɪkəl/
marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
a young female
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
glisteningadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪsənɪŋ/
reflecting light
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the act of departing
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading Happy with the happiness that few mortals experience.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
mankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/
all of the living human inhabitants of the earth
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
Margaret's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
moldyadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊldi/
covered with or smelling of mold
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
mortalsnounUS /ˈmɔːrtəlz/
plural of “mortal” — a human being
From this reading Happy with the happiness that few mortals experience.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
opalnounUS /ˈoʊpəl/
a translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica of variable color; some varieties are used as gemstones
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
a person who enjoys reading
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
Sefton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Happy with the happiness that few mortals experience.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
tireverbUS /ˈtaɪər/
lose interest or become bored with something or somebody
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Lord Blair had been in love before his marriage, but he was--and, believe me, dear reader, what I am going to state is not too common--he was more in love now, after these seven days, than before.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a week after Margaret's wedding in the moldy and dilapidated old church at Sefton, and she and Lord Blair--she and her husband!--were sitting on the cliff at Appleford looking out upon the sea, which lay at their feet like a level opal glistening in the rays of the morning sun.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Margaret was not a girl of whom even the most fickle of mankind could tire easily, and Blair was not the most fickle.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Happy with the happiness that few mortals experience.
the words that are spoken
From this reading The history of these seven days might be epitomized in the three words--They were happy!
