Chapter 1 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
AN EMPTY SKULL. DOD GRILE. ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY DALZIEL BROTHERS. SHERBURNE B. EATON. The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
Chapter 1 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
decrease in size, extent, or range
From this reading “The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.”
plural of “engraving” — a print made from an engraving
From this reading “ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY DALZIEL BROTHERS.”
plural of “fable” — a deliberately false or improbable account
From this reading “The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.”
past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of
From this reading “ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY DALZIEL BROTHERS.”
feeling an inappropriate lack of seriousness
From this reading “The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.”
in an original manner
From this reading “The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.”
the bony skeleton of the head of vertebrates
From this reading “AN EMPTY SKULL.”
past form of “tend” — have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined
From this reading “The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN EMPTY SKULL.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil
From this reading SHERBURNE B. EATON.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY DALZIEL BROTHERS.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY DALZIEL BROTHERS.
plural of “column” — a line of units following one after another
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY DALZIEL BROTHERS.
decrease in size, extent, or range
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
the federal department responsible for safeguarding national security of the United States; created in 1947
From this reading DOD GRILE.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHERBURNE B. EATON.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading AN EMPTY SKULL.
plural of “engraving” — a print made from an engraving
From this reading ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY DALZIEL BROTHERS.
plural of “fable” — a deliberately false or improbable account
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DOD GRILE.
past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of
From this reading ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY DALZIEL BROTHERS.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
feeling an inappropriate lack of seriousness
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
in an original manner
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHERBURNE B. EATON.
the bony skeleton of the head of vertebrates
From this reading AN EMPTY SKULL.
plural of “tale” — 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 matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
past form of “tend” — have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
at the time that
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
in a wholesome manner
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment
From this reading The matter of which this volume is composed appeared originally in the columns of "FUN," when the wisdom of the Fables and the truth of the Tales tended to wholesomely diminish the levity of that jocund sheet.
in the company of; together with
From this reading ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY DALZIEL BROTHERS.
Chapter 1 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull by Ambrose Bierce holds 420 sentences, grouped into 84 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 1 holds 420 sentences of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull by Ambrose Bierce exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 420 sentences, grouped into 84 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Cobwebs from an Empty Skull by Ambrose Bierce on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2914 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #12793 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #12793, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 242 minutes of reading across 583 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Cobwebs from an Empty Skull section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 7 chapters of Cobwebs from an Empty Skull to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Cobwebs from an Empty Skull, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
