used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
the power or right to give orders or make decisions
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
blownadjectiveUS /bloʊn/
being moved or acted upon by moving air or vapor
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
buildingsnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋz/
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
destructionnounUS /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/
the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
dynamitenounUS /ˈdaɪnəmaɪt/
an explosive containing nitrate sensitized with nitroglycerin absorbed on wood pulp
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
at any time
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
fataladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtəl/
bringing death
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The lay sister was right.
magazinenounUS /ˈmæɡəziːn/
a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
Monteverde
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
neighbourhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
not any; not one
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
powdernounUS /ˈpaʊdər/
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
quantitynounUS /ˈkwɑːntəti/
how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
recurring again and again
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
precisely, exactly
From this reading The lay sister was right.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading The lay sister was right.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
storedverbUS /stɔːrd/
past form of “store” — keep or lay aside for future use
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
suspiciousadjectiveUS /səˈspɪʃəs/
openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The lay sister was right.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
TodaynounUS /təˈdeɪ/
the present time or age
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
tremendousadjectiveUS /trəˈmendəs/
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
vaultsnounUS /vɔːlts/
plural of “vault” — a burial chamber (usually underground)
From this reading The destruction was sudden, complete, tremendous, for a large quantity of dynamite had been stored in the deep vaults.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The lay sister was right.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The great powder magazine at Monteverde had been blown up, but by what hands no one has ever surely known.
in or at the place that
From this reading Today, a great hollow in the side of the hill and near the road marks the spot where the buildings stood.
which person or people
From this reading Many stories have been told of the catastrophe; many tales have been repeated about suspicious characters who had been seen in the neighbourhood before the fatal event, and for some of these there is fairly good authority.
