Chapter XXXVIII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Then a singular fact occurred.

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

Having no one else present.

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

take a court case to a higher court for review

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

a privileged class holding hereditary titles

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

past form of “behave” — behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

in Christianity, clergymen collectively (as distinguished from the laity)

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

past form of “defend” — argue or speak in defense of

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

past form of “deplore” — express strong disapproval of

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

an exaggerated opinion of your own importance

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

past form of “entail” — have as a logical consequence

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading FACE TO FACE.

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading Then a singular fact occurred.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

brought together in one place

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

unbiased impartial unconcern

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

engage in

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

a republic in southern North America; became independent from Spain in 1810

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

information about recent and important events

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

inflected form of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading Then a singular fact occurred.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

create (as an entity)

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

an executive officer of a firm or corporation

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

an act of economizing; reduction in cost

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

unusual or striking

From this reading Then a singular fact occurred.

sustained or maintained by aid (as distinct from physical support)

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

final or last in your life or progress

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then a singular fact occurred.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading FACE TO FACE.

characterized by forceful and energetic action or activity

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

at the time that

From this reading When General Miramón arrived in Mexico, the news of his defeat was already public.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

which person or people

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

belonging to which person

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading If Miramón had wished in this supreme hour to make an appeal to the people, they would immediately have gathered round him, and it would have been easy for him to organize a vigorous defense.

but in spite of that

From this reading The clergy and the aristocracy, whom President Miramón had always supported and defended, and yet whose indifference and egotism had caused his ruin and entailed his destruction, now deplored the way in which they had behaved to the man who was alone able of saving them.