used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
accusationnounUS /ˌækjəˈzeɪʃən/
a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I myself shall be eternally grateful to him.'
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading 'But, in spite of everything, he's a wonderfully clever fellow.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading 'But, in spite of everything, he's a wonderfully clever fellow.
complaintnounUS /kəmˈpleɪnt/
an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
defendingadjectiveUS /dɪˈfendɪŋ/
attempting to or designed to prevent an opponent from winning or scoring
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
Delestang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
eternallyadverbUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəli/
for a limitless time
From this reading I myself shall be eternally grateful to him.'
all things; all of a situation
From this reading 'But, in spite of everything, he's a wonderfully clever fellow.
a boy or man
From this reading 'But, in spite of everything, he's a wonderfully clever fellow.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
feeling or showing gratitude
From this reading I myself shall be eternally grateful to him.'
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
he's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'But, in spite of everything, he's a wonderfully clever fellow.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I myself shall be eternally grateful to him.'
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I myself shall be eternally grateful to him.'
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I myself shall be eternally grateful to him.'
not any; not one
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
outburstnounUS /ˈaʊtbɜːrst/
an unrestrained expression of emotion
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
pretencenoun
a false or unsupportable quality
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
past form of “protest” — utter words of protest
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
Rougon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading I myself shall be eternally grateful to him.'
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
in the near future
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
express in speech
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading 'But, in spite of everything, he's a wonderfully clever fellow.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
in or at that place or location
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
in the direction of
From this reading 'There is no doubt that he might have acted better than he has done towards certain of his friends,' he slowly said as soon as he was allowed to speak.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
under normal conditions
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was the signal for a fresh outburst of complaint and accusation.
wonderfullyadverbUS /ˈwʌndərfəli/
(used as an intensifier) extremely well
From this reading 'But, in spite of everything, he's a wonderfully clever fellow.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Delestang protested and tried to get a word in; for he usually made a pretence of defending Rougon.
![His Excellency [Son Exc. Eugène Rougon]](/static/images/covers-gen/his-excellency-son-exc-eugene-rougon.academy.webp)