Library / English Dictionary

CLOISTER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A courtyard with covered walks (as in religious institutions)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("cloister" is a kind of...):

court; courtyard (an area wholly or partly surrounded by walls or buildings)

Domain category:

faith; religion; religious belief (a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny)

Derivation:

cloister (surround with a cloister, as of a garden)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Residence that is a place of religious seclusion (such as a monastery)

Synonyms:

cloister; religious residence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("cloister" is a kind of...):

residence (the official house or establishment of an important person (as a sovereign or president))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cloister"):

convent (a religious residence especially for nuns)

monastery (the residence of a religious community)

priory (religious residence in a monastery governed by a prior or a convent governed by a prioress)

Derivation:

cloister (seclude from the world in or as if in a cloister)

cloistral (of communal life sequestered from the world under religious vows)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Seclude from the world in or as if in a cloister

Example:

She cloistered herself in the office

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "cloister" is one way to...):

insulate; isolate (place or set apart)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

cloister (residence that is a place of religious seclusion (such as a monastery))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Surround with a cloister

Example:

cloister the garden

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "cloister" is one way to...):

border; environ; ring; skirt; surround (extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Surround with a cloister, as of a garden

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "cloister" is one way to...):

border; environ; ring; skirt; surround (extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

cloister (a courtyard with covered walks (as in religious institutions))

Credits

 Context examples: 

I trow that there cannot be two alike in the same cloisters.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was his desire and request, however, that you should not remain in the cloisters, but should at a ripe age return into the world.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The few hours that had passed since he saw the Abbey tower stretched out in his memory until they outgrew whole months of the stagnant life of the cloister.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There was the wide-spread building which he knew so well, the Abbot's house, the long church, the cloisters with their line of arches, all bathed and mellowed in the evening sun.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Stronger than reason, stronger than cloister teachings, stronger than all that might hold him back, was that old, old tyrant who will brook no rival in the kingdom of youth.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At the end of a year he would be free to return to the cloisters, for such had been his father's bequest.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Let them bide in the north alley of the cloisters.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In the cloisters he had heard vague talk of the law—the mighty law which was higher than prelate or baron, yet no sign could he see of it.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Alack! it is not a year since she was the fairest maid from Avon to Itchen, and now it was more than I could abide to wait at Romsey Nunnery to see her put the white veil upon her face, for she was made for a wife and not for the cloister.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Nay, said Alleyne, I would gladly come with ye to France or where else ye will, just to list to your talk, and because ye are the only two friends that I have in the whole wide world outside of the cloisters; but, indeed, it may not be, for my duty is towards my brother, seeing that father and mother are dead, and he my elder.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)