This is the 11995th most frequent Russian word.
зверя
"Зверя" is the genitive singular or accusative plural form of "зверь," meaning "beast" or "animal" in English.
Here, 'зверя' is the genitive singular form of 'зверь', used to describe encountering a singular wild animal in the forest.
Я увидел зверя в лесу.
I saw a beast in the forest.
In this sentence, 'зверя' is the accusative singular form of 'зверь', referring to being afraid of a specific animal.
Мы боялись этого зверя.
We were afraid of this beast.
In this example, 'зверя' is the genitive singular form of 'зверь', used to indicate possession, specifically describing the fur of the animal.