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Hunting the Grisly and Other Sketches
Hunting the Grisly and Other Sketches

Chapter IX · In Cowboy Land

Cover illustration for Hunting the Grisly and Other Sketches
Context Illustration Reading 1/69 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.
The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.
As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.
Of course the transition periods are full of incongruities.
Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Hunting the Grisly and Other Sketches

Chapter IX · In Cowboy Land

Reading 1/69 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.
Line 2
The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.
Line 3
As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.
Line 4
Of course the transition periods are full of incongruities.
Line 5
Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Among preposition US /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading “Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.”

Course noun US /course/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Of course the transition periods are full of incongruities.”

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.”

Rapidity noun US /rəˈpɪdəti/

great speed

From this reading “As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

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

From this reading “The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.”

Wilderness noun US /ˈwɪldərnəs/

a wild area where few people live

From this reading “Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.”

All words in this reading · 86

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

adjusted

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

From this reading Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.

American

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

any

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

asserts

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

become

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

begin

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

borders

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

communities

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

complicated

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

conditions

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

coursenounUS /course/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Of course the transition periods are full of incongruities.

dwelling

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

earlier

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

elemental

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

emotions

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

frontier

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

full

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

From this reading Of course the transition periods are full of incongruities.

generally

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

grim

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

grow

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

guard

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

hand

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

hunters

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

incongruities

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

From this reading Of course the transition periods are full of incongruities.

individual

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

instinct

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

law

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

lives

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

Men

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

From this reading Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.

morality

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

From this reading Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.

more

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

mountains

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

niceness

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

From this reading Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.

obliged

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

Out

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

passions

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

people

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

periods

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

From this reading Of course the transition periods are full of incongruities.

plains

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

rapiditynounUS /rəˈpɪdəti/

great speed

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

reduced

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

relations

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

From this reading Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.

rights

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

rough-riders

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

settled

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

simpler

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

society

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

soon

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

spend

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

stages

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

states

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

stranger

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

strong

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

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

transition

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

From this reading Of course the transition periods are full of incongruities.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

wild

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

From this reading The passions and emotions of these grim hunters of the mountains, and wild rough-riders of the plains, are simpler and stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of society.

wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/

a wild area where few people live

From this reading Out on the frontier, and generally among those who spend their lives in, or on the borders of, the wilderness, life is reduced to its elemental conditions.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow with any rapidity, the American instinct for law asserts itself; but in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Men have not yet adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness.