Historical Architecture Terms

noun a fortress in Paris that was used as a state prison and was stormed by revolutionaries on July 14, 1789

• The Bastille was a fortress in Paris that was used as a state prison in the 18th century.
• Let's visit the Bastille in Paris, it has an interesting history.
• I heard the party at Bastille last night was lit!
• Breaking free from my old habits felt like storming the Bastille of my mind.

noun an underground room or storage area, typically used for storing wine or food

adjective used to describe something related to or located in a cellar

• The wine cellar in the basement of the mansion holds a collection of rare vintages.
• Let's sneak down to the cellar and grab a couple of beers.
• I heard there's a secret party happening in the cellar tonight.
• The memories of her childhood are stored in the cellar of her mind.

noun a hole in a piece of wood where a branch or knot has been removed

• The carpenter carefully inspected the knothole in the wood before starting to work on the project.
• I peeked through the knothole in the fence to see what was happening next door.
• We found a cool knothole in the tree where we could hide our secret stash.
• She felt like she was always looking at life through a knothole, never fully experiencing everything around her.

noun a light or whitish color

verb to become pale or cause to become pale

adjective having a light or whitish color

• Her complexion was very pale, indicating she may be unwell.
• He looked pale after staying up all night studying for his exams.
• She was as pale as a ghost when she heard the news.
• The pale moonlight illuminated the garden.

noun a toilet located in a small shed outside a house or other building

adjective sharing in the knowledge of (something secret or private)

• As a lawyer, I am privy to confidential information about my clients.
• I wasn't privy to the details of the surprise party until the last minute.
• I can't believe she spilled the tea that we were all privy to!
• Only those who are privy to the inner workings of the company know the true extent of the situation.

noun a compound word formed by combining the nouns 'drain' and 'spotting', referring to the activity of seeking out and observing unique or interesting drainage spots

• The practice of drainspotting involves studying and documenting the various drainage systems in urban areas.
• Have you ever tried drainspotting around the city? It's actually quite interesting.
• Drainspotting is the new trend among urban explorers, have you heard of it?
• In a way, drainspotting is like uncovering hidden secrets beneath the surface of the city.

noun a building or group of buildings where monks or nuns live and worship

• The abbey was founded in the 12th century by a group of monks.
• Let's take a trip to the abbey this weekend, it's so peaceful there.
• I heard the abbey is haunted, let's go check it out!
• The abbey of knowledge holds the key to unlocking the mysteries of the universe.