used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was not a graceful proceeding.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
backwardadverbUS /ˈbækwərd/
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The big hands on the clock began to move backward.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
clock'snounUS /klɑːks/
possessive form of “clock” — a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
crashverbUS /kræʃ/
fall or come down violently
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
creakingnounUS /ˈkriːkɪŋ/
a squeaking sound
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
customaryadjectiveUS /ˈkʌstəmeri/
in accordance with convention or custom
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
deliberateadjectiveUS /dɪˈlɪbərət/
carefully thought out in advance
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
discernibleadjectiveUS /dɪˈsɜːrnəbəl/
perceptible by the senses or intellect
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution
From this reading It was not a graceful proceeding.
groaningverbUS /ˈɡroʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “groan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
only a very short time before
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not a graceful proceeding.
MetropolitanadjectiveUS /ˌmetrəˈpɑːlətən/
relating to or characteristic of a metropolis
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The big hands on the clock began to move backward.
in motion
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not a graceful proceeding.
officesnounUS /ˈɔːfəsəz/
plural of “office” — place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
ominousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːmənəs/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
onwardadverbUS /ˈɔːnwərd/
forward in time or order or degree
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
proceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading It was not a graceful proceeding.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
shiververbUS /ˈʃɪvər/
tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
a special situation
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
thoughtfullyadverbUS /ˈθɔːtfəli/
in a thoughtful manner
From this reading The hands had been moving onward in their customary deliberate fashion, slowly and thoughtfully, but suddenly the people in the offices near the clock's face heard an ominous creaking and groaning.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was not a graceful proceeding.
at the time that
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The whole thing started when the clock on the Metropolitan Tower began to run backward.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was a slight, hardly discernible shiver through the tower, and then something gave with a crash.
