I had heard an appeal could take years...是什么意思？

I had heard an appeal could take years...

我听说上诉要花好几年时间。

had

v. 有（ have的过去式和过去分词 ），（亲属关系中）接受，拿，买到；

例句
He claimed that his parents had abandoned him...
他声称父母遗弃了他。

heard

v. 听到，听见( hear的过去式和过去分词 )，听说，得知，听取；

例句
He acted as if he hadn't heard any of it...
他表现得好像对此毫不知情。

an

art. 一（在元音字母前代替不定代词a），一任一某一，一个；

例句
He started eating an apple...
他开始吃苹果。

appeal

n. 上诉，[体育]诉请，呼吁，（迫切的）要求（帮助、同情等）恳求；vi. （迫切）要求，有吸引力，求助（于），提请注意；vt. 将…移交上级法院审理；

例句
We want to promote cosmetics that appeal across the colour barrier.
我们想推销各种肤色的人都喜欢的化妆品。

could

aux. “can”的过去式，能够，打算，用于假设语气的条件句，用于虚拟语气的结论句；

例句
The regulations were relaxed and the prisoners could get out and about a bit.
规定有所放宽，犯人可以出去短暂放风。

take

vt. 拿，取，采取，接受（礼物等），耗费（时间等）；vi. 拿，获得；n. 镜头，看法，收入额，场景；

例句
I take care of them to the best of my abilities...
我尽我所能地照顾他们。

years

n. 年( year的名词复数 )，年纪，一年的期间，某年级的学生；

例句
His wife was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for aiding and abetting him...
他的妻子作为他的从犯被判入狱7年。