used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To Bredon, events seemed to be closing in like a nightmare.
Bredon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But now there seemed to be a perfect _embarras_ of murderers.
candidatenounUS /ˈkændədeɪt/
a politician who is running for public office
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading To Bredon, events seemed to be closing in like a nightmare.
dependedverbUS /dɪˈpendəd/
past form of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
embarras
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But now there seemed to be a perfect _embarras_ of murderers.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading To Bredon, events seemed to be closing in like a nightmare.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To Bredon, events seemed to be closing in like a nightmare.
inabilitynounUS /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/
lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
largelyadverbUS /ˈlɑːrdʒli/
in large part; mainly or chiefly
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
Leyland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
Leyland's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading To Bredon, events seemed to be closing in like a nightmare.
MacbethnounUS /məkˈbeθ/
king of Scotland (died in 1057)
From this reading Macbeth wasn’t in it.
MakingsnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋz/
plural of “making” — the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
murderernounUS /ˈmɜːrdərər/
a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
murderersnounUS /ˈmɜːrdərərz/
plural of “murderer” — a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)
From this reading But now there seemed to be a perfect _embarras_ of murderers.
nightmarenounUS /ˈnaɪt.mɛr/
A terrifying or distressing dream.
From this reading To Bredon, events seemed to be closing in like a nightmare.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But now there seemed to be a perfect _embarras_ of murderers.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading But now there seemed to be a perfect _embarras_ of murderers.
pledgedadjectiveUS /pledʒd/
bound by or as if by an oath
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
bring forth or yield
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading To Bredon, events seemed to be closing in like a nightmare.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
suicidenounUS /ˈsuːəsaɪd/
the act of killing yourself
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
suitableadjectiveUS /ˈsuːtəbəl/
meant or adapted for an occasion or use
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But now there seemed to be a perfect _embarras_ of murderers.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To Bredon, events seemed to be closing in like a nightmare.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
TrapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
upholdverbUS /əpˈhoʊld/
keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
From this reading Here was he pledged to uphold the theory of suicide; and he had depended largely for his success on Leyland’s inability to produce a suitable candidate for the position of murderer.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Macbeth wasn’t in it.
which person or people
From this reading The Makings of a Trap It was Bredon and Leyland, this time, who took their evening walk together.
