used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
in the past
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
aptitudenounUS /ˈæptətuːd/
inherent ability
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
ArchangelnounUS /ˌɑːrˈkeɪndʒəl/
an angel ranked above the highest rank in the celestial hierarchy
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
Bear-Hunter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
Boris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
Boris's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
the two together, not just one
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
defeatnounUS /dɪˈfiːt/
an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
destinedadjectiveUS /ˈdestɪnd/
headed or intending to head in a certain direction; often used as a combining form as in “college-bound students”
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
the 2nd smallest continent (actually a vast peninsula of Eurasia); the British use “Europe” to refer to all of the continent except the British Isles
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
exactedverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktɪd/
past form of “exact” — claim as due or just
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
to an extreme degree
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
exemptverbUS /ɪɡˈzempt/
grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
a feeling of favorable regard
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
plural of “fellow” — a boy or man
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
a state of high honor
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Boris Ivanitch was a peasant whose home was an outlying village near the large town just mentioned.
ten 10s
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
someone who hunts game
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
introduceverbUS /ˌɪntrəˈduːs/
cause to come to know personally
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
Ivanitch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Boris Ivanitch was a peasant whose home was an outlying village near the large town just mentioned.
and nothing more
From this reading Boris Ivanitch was a peasant whose home was an outlying village near the large town just mentioned.
killingnounUS /ˈkɪlɪŋ/
an event that causes someone to die
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Boris Ivanitch was a peasant whose home was an outlying village near the large town just mentioned.
immediately past
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
manualnounUS /ˈmænjuːəl/
a small handbook
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
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 It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
measurableadjectiveUS /ˈmeʒərəbəl/
capable of being measured
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
past form of “mention” — make reference to
From this reading Boris Ivanitch was a peasant whose home was an outlying village near the large town just mentioned.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
a particular point in time
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
not any; not one
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
on one occasion
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
outlyingadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtlaɪɪŋ/
relatively far from a center or middle
From this reading Boris Ivanitch was a peasant whose home was an outlying village near the large town just mentioned.
overthrownounUS /ˈoʊvərθroʊ/
the termination of a ruler or institution (especially by force)
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
pawsnounUS /pɔːz/
plural of “paw” — a clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
peasantnounUS /ˈpezənt/
a country person
From this reading Boris Ivanitch was a peasant whose home was an outlying village near the large town just mentioned.
the body of people in a learned occupation
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
proposeverbUS /prəˈpoʊz/
make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
pursuingadjectiveUS /pərˈsuːɪŋ/
following in order to overtake or capture or as accompaniment to such pursuit
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
on the contrary
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
readersnounUS /ˈriːdərz/
plural of “reader” — a person who enjoys reading
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/
located far away spatially
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
serfnounUS /sɜːrf/
(Middle Ages) a person who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
use up a period of time in a specific way
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
taxationnounUS /tækˈseɪʃən/
charge against a citizen's person or property or activity for the support of government
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Boris Ivanitch was a peasant whose home was an outlying village near the large town just mentioned.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
precisely as stated
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Boris Ivanitch was a peasant whose home was an outlying village near the large town just mentioned.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The moment at which I propose to introduce my readers to Boris the Bear-Hunter came very near, as it happened, to being the last which my hero was destined to spend upon this earth.
belonging to which person
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Great hunter as Boris was, there is no doubt about it that on this particular occasion he met his match, and came within measurable distance of defeat at the hands--or rather paws--of one of the very creatures whose overthrow was at once his profession and his glory.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading He was a serf, of course, as were all his fellows at that time; but in consequence of his wonderful strength and courage, and of his aptitude for pursuing and killing every kind of wild beast and game, he was exempt, by favour of his lord, both from taxation and from the manual labour which the owner of the soil could have exacted from him.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading It happened many a year ago--about two hundred, in fact; and the scene of Boris's adventure was an exceedingly remote one, far away in the north of Europe, close to Archangel.
