used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
afaradverbUS /əˈfɑːr/
(old-fashioned) at or from or to a great distance; far
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
(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 She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
fearless and daring
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
the lower side of anything
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
lacking funds
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
cellarsnounUS /ˈselərz/
plural of “cellar” — the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
chestsnounUS /tʃests/
plural of “chest” — the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
climbverbUS /klaɪm/
go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
divisible by two
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
finestadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəst/
superlative of “fine” — being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
coins made of gold
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
half-way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
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 Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
nailsnounUS /neɪlz/
plural of “nail” — horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
not any; not one
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
possessing material wealth
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
precisely, exactly
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
shodadjectiveUS /ʃɑːd/
wearing footgear
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
slipperyadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpəri/
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
having great beauty and splendor
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/
having a sharp inclination
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
hard to endure
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain they attempted to climb the mountain.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In spite of having their horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery hill.
