- big-gameadjectiveChapter 1 →
Relating to the hunting of large wild animals such as lions, elephants, or tigers, typically for sport rather than for food or survival.
- yachtnounChapter 1 →
A large, privately owned sailing or motor-powered boat used for pleasure travel or racing, not a commercial vessel.
- renownedadjectiveChapter 1 →
Widely known and admired by many people because of a particular skill or achievement; famous in a specific field.
- émigrénounChapter 1 →
A person who has left their home country, usually for political reasons, and settled in another country as a refugee or exile.
- châteaunounChapter 1 →
A large, grand French-style country house or castle, here used to describe the lavish mansion Zaroff has built on his private island.
- CossacknounChapter 1 →
A member of a people from southern Russia and Ukraine historically known as fierce, skilled horsemen and soldiers who served in the Russian military.
- the huntedphraseChapter 1 →
Those who are pursued and tracked down as prey, as opposed to those doing the pursuing; here used to describe humans Zaroff targets as victims.
“"The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the hunted."”
- Great GunsphraseChapter 1 →
An old-fashioned exclamation used to express shock, disbelief, or strong surprise, similar in force to saying 'Good God' or 'Good heavens.'
“"Hunting? Great Guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder."”
- murdernounChapter 1 →
The deliberate and unlawful killing of a human being; Rainsford uses the word to make clear that hunting people is a crime, not a sport.
“"Hunting? Great Guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder."”
- man-catchernounChapter 1 →
A type of trap designed to snare or injure a human pursuer; here it refers to a specific jungle trap Rainsford constructs using techniques learned in Malaya.
- quarrynounChapter 1 →
The animal or person being hunted; the target of a hunt. Here it refers to the human beings Zaroff pursues across the island for sport.
- sportnounChapter 1 →
An activity done purely for amusement or competition, with no practical need; Zaroff uses the word to justify hunting humans as if it were a game.
- head startphraseChapter 1 →
An advantage given to one side in a competition by allowing them to begin before the other; here Rainsford is given three days in the jungle before Zaroff begins the hunt.
- trapnounChapter 1 →
A hidden device or construction designed to catch, injure, or kill someone who stumbles into it without warning.
- luresverbChapter 1 →
Tempts or tricks someone or something into a dangerous situation by using a deceptive attraction; here Zaroff uses false lights to draw ships onto the rocks.
The Most Dangerous GameShort story by Richard Connell