Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

willing to undertake or seeking out new and daring enterprises

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

later than; following

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

in the past

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

plural of “battle” — a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

an account of the series of events making up a person's life

From this reading The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

the childhood of a boy

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

the particular occupation for which you are trained

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

plural of “century” — a period of 100 years

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

a monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

bound or obligated, as under a pledge to a particular cause, action, or attitude

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

continuing in time or space without interruption

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

an event that results in a transformation

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

method or manner of conduct in relation to others

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

recognize or perceive the difference

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

plural of “epic” — a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

a republic in northeastern Europe on the Baltic Sea

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

represented as greater than is true or reasonable

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

having or involving the use of hands

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

a base hit on which the batter scores a run

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

a Scandinavian language that is the official language of Iceland

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

not based on fact; existing only in the imagination

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

plural of “incident” — a single distinct event

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

and nothing more

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

most important element

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

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 The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

the force of workers available

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

being nothing more than specified

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

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 The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

absolutely essential

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

a constitutional monarchy in northern Europe on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula; achieved independence from Sweden in 1905

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

inflected form of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

and nothing more

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

an amount of time

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

likely but not certain to be or become true or real

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

plural of “record” — anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

past form of “reign” — have sovereign power

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

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 These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

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 The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

the state of being under the control of another person

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

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 The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The following narrative is not so much a story as a biography.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

plural of “tradition” — an inherited pattern of thought or action

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

furthest or highest in degree or order; utmost or extreme

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

up to a particular time

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

the act of using

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

any of the Scandinavian people who raided the coasts of Europe from the 8th to the 11th centuries

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

plural of “wandering” — travelling about without any clear destination

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading I have made free use of these old time records, and have added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

which person or people

From this reading My hero is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just nine centuries ago.

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

in the company of; together with

From this reading The main facts of his adventurous career--his boyhood of slavery in Esthonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land--are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived.

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.

the act of creating written works

From this reading These sagas, like the epics of Homer, were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and they were not committed to writing until a long time after Olaf Triggvison's death, so that it is not easy to discriminate between the actual facts as they occurred and the mere exaggerated traditions which must surely have been added to the story of his life as it was told by the old saga men at their winter firesides.