used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
arrestverbUS /ərˈest/
take into custody
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
terminate
From this reading I must break the news tonight to Merle.
complicationnounUS /ˌkɑːmpləˈkeɪʃən/
the act or process of complicating
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
the act of departing
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
erectverbUS /ɪˈrekt/
construct, build, or erect
From this reading As he stood erect, his hand still rested on the telescope.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading As he stood erect, his hand still rested on the telescope.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As he stood erect, his hand still rested on the telescope.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I must break the news tonight to Merle.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
and nothing more
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
go away from a place
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
MerlenounUS /mɜːrl/
common black European thrush
From this reading I must break the news tonight to Merle.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
a form of address for a man
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
past form of “murmur” — speak softly or indistinctly
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I must break the news tonight to Merle.
information about recent and important events
From this reading I must break the news tonight to Merle.
observatorynounUS /əbˈzɜːrvətɔːri/
a building designed and equipped to observe astronomical phenomena
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
ponderedverbUS /ˈpɑːndərd/
past form of “ponder” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading As he stood erect, his hand still rested on the telescope.
RoblesnounUS /ˈroʊbəlz/
plural of “roble” — large tree of Trinidad and Guyana having odd-pinnate leaves and violet-scented axillary racemes of yellow flowers and long smooth pods; grown as a specimen in parks and large gardens
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
not in physical motion
From this reading As he stood erect, his hand still rested on the telescope.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading As he stood erect, his hand still rested on the telescope.
telescopeverbUS /ˈteləskoʊp/
crush together or collapse
From this reading As he stood erect, his hand still rested on the telescope.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
tonightadverbUS /təˈnaɪt/
On the present night.
From this reading I must break the news tonight to Merle.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading For a few moments he pondered, then murmured to himself as he turned to leave the room: “A bad complication!
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
verandahnoun
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
witnessedverbUS /ˈwɪtnəst/
past form of “witness” — be a witness to
From this reading FROM the observatory high up among the hills, Mr. Robles had witnessed the arrest and the departure of the prisoner.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading He had understood every move just as if he had been present on the verandah down below and had heard each spoken word.
