used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
AbbeynounUS /ˈæbi/
a church associated with a monastery or convent
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
(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 As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
from appearances alone
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
playing or singing with instrumental or vocal accompaniment
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
Blackfriars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
cloistersnounUS /ˈklɔɪstərz/
plural of “cloister” — residence that is a place of religious seclusion (such as a monastery)
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
well in the past; former
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
give a description of
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
drearyadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪri/
lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
embarkverbUS /emˈbɑːrk/
go on board
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
flourishverbUS /ˈflɜːrɪʃ/
grow vigorously
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
James'snounUS /ˈdʒeɪmzɪz/
possessive form of “james” — a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
kettle-drum
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
for more time
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
monasterynounUS /ˈmɑːnəsteri/
the residence of a religious community
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
not any; not one
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
performancenounUS /pərˈfɔːrməns/
a dramatic or musical entertainment
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
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 He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
move by turning over or rotating
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
ShakespearenounUS /ˈʃeɪkspiːr/
English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
sombreadjective
lacking brightness or color; dull
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
TAVERNnounUS /ˈtævərn/
a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks
From this reading THE TAVERN.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TAVERN.
a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading As Shakespeare stood thus alone (after having attended the Queen to the Abbey stairs, and seen her embark), all around seemed dark and sombre.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
torch-light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
in the direction of
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
trumpetverbUS /ˈtrʌmpət/
proclaim on, or as if on, a trumpet
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
having passed out of existence
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
water-gate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading He stood, apparently lost in thought, and listening to the distant sound of music on the waters--the roll of the kettle-drum and the flourish of trumpet, as the Queen and her party returned towards St. James's.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading It was about an hour after the performance we have attempted to describe, that a solitary individual stood near the water-gate of the monastery of the Blackfriars.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading The cloisters of that abbey no longer flashed in the torch-light; the theatre was empty and deserted; all that was brilliant had departed--vanished like the pleasures of the world, and left a dreary contrast behind him.
