used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
DanishnounUS /ˈdeɪnɪʃ/
a Scandinavian language that is the official language of Denmark
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
dictionarynounUS /ˈdɪkʃəneri/
a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
grammarnounUS /ˈɡræmər/
the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
Grettir
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
HerringnounUS /ˈherɪŋ/
valuable flesh of fatty fish from shallow waters of northern Atlantic or Pacific; usually salted or pickled
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
IcelandnounUS /ˈaɪslənd/
an island republic on the island of Iceland; became independent of Denmark in 1944
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
IcelandicnounUS /aɪˈslændɪk/
a Scandinavian language that is the official language of Iceland
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
Icelandic-Danish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
and nothing more
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
laboriousadjectiveUS /ləˈbɔːriəs/
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
gain knowledge or skills
From this reading So I had to learn Danish in order to learn Icelandic.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
Mehalah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
and nothing more
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading So I had to learn Danish in order to learn Icelandic.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
PREFACEnounUS /ˈprefəs/
a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
SaganounUS /ˈsɑːɡə/
a narrative telling the adventures of a hero or a family; originally (12th to 14th centuries) a story of the families that settled Iceland and their descendants but now any prose narrative that resembles such an account
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
SagasnounUS /ˈsɑːɡəz/
plural of “saga” — a narrative telling the adventures of a hero or a family; originally (12th to 14th centuries) a story of the families that settled Iceland and their descendants but now any prose narrative that resembles such an account
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
plural of “scene” — the place where some action occurs
From this reading Author of "John Herring" "Mehalah" "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas" &c.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So I had to learn Danish in order to learn Icelandic.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
at the time that
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading At that time I had only a Danish grammar of Icelandic and an Icelandic-Danish dictionary, and I did not know a word of Danish.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading It was laborious work making out the Saga, and every line when I began took me some time to understand.
a late time of life
From this reading *PREFACE.* It is now just thirty years since I first began to read the "Saga of Grettir the Strong" in Icelandic.
