The military were plotting a coup...是什么意思？

The military were plotting a coup...

军方正在策划一场政变。

the

art. 指已提到的人（物），指说话人与听者已知的人（物），用于独一无二的事物前，与形容词最高级和序数词连用；

例句
He did have a real knowledge of the country...
他对该国的确知之甚多。

military

adj. 军事的，军用的，讨厌的，好战的；n. 军人，军队，武装力量；

例句
...a formal statement abjuring military action.
表示放弃军事行动的正式声明

were

be的过去时复数和第二人称单数形式，有时代替 was,用于条件从句、动词 wish 之后等；

例句
Shops, houses, and vehicles were set ablaze.
店铺、房子和车辆全都陷于火海。

plotting

n. 测绘，标图；v. 密谋( plot的现在分词 )，绘制，把…分成小块，为（文学作品）设计情节；

例句
...a crafty, lying character who enjoys plotting against others...
狡猾奸诈、满嘴谎言而且爱算计人的家伙

coup

n. 机敏的策略，政变，棒击；

例句
Senior officers could be considering a coup to restore authoritarian rule.
高官们可能会策划一场政变来复辟独裁统治。