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The skeleton crew
The skeleton crew

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The skeleton crew is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.
This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.
He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.
He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”
The verdict rendered by the coroner’s jury was “accidental drowning.”
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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.

The skeleton crew

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 of The skeleton crew is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.
Line 2
This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.
Line 3
He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.
/hiː wɑːz soʊ mʌtʃ əˈflɪktɪd ðæt æt ðə ˈkɔːrənərz ˈɪnkwest ðə ˈbɑːdi ˈhævɪŋ bɪn dræɡd fɔːr ənd rəˈkʌvərd hiː kʊd ˈskersli ɑːrˈtɪkjəleɪt ə wɜːrd/
Line 4
He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”
/hiː əˈvɜːrtɪd hɪz feɪs frʌm ðə kɔːrps ənd ˈsɪmpli ɪkˈspleɪnd ðæt ðə ˈmɔːrnfəl ˈæksədənt hæd ˈhæpənd baɪ hɪz ˈfɑːðər ˈdraɪvɪŋ tuː kloʊs tuː ðə edʒ ʌv ðə brɪdʒ ənd ðə fɜːrst ˌɪntəˈmeɪʃən hiː hæd ʌv ˈdeɪndʒər wɑːz ðə ˈsʌdən ˈtɪltɪŋ ʌv ðə ˈviːhɪkəl ənd ðə ˈfɑːlɪŋ ʌv ðə ˈhɔːrsəz wɪð hɪz ˈfɑːðər ˈɪntuː ðə ˈrɪvər/
Line 5
The verdict rendered by the coroner’s jury was “accidental drowning.”
/ðə ˈvɜːrdɪkt ˈrendərd baɪ ðə ˈkɔːrənərz ˈdʒʊri wɑːz ˌæksəˈdentəl ˈdraʊnɪŋ/

Learner Dictionary

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.

andrew's noun US /ˈændruːz/

possessive form of “andrew” — (New Testament) disciple of Jesus; brother of Peter; patron saint of Scotland

articulate verb US /ɑːrˈtɪkjəleɪt/

provide with a joint

From this reading “He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.”

coroner's noun US /ˈkɔːrənərz/

possessive form of “coroner” — a public official who investigates by inquest any death not due to natural causes

intimation noun US /ˌɪntəˈmeɪʃən/

an indirect suggestion

From this reading “He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.””

pranks noun US /præŋks/

plural of “prank” — acting like a clown or buffoon

From this reading “PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.”

pursues verb US /pərˈsuːz/

third-person singular of “pursue” — carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in

From this reading “PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.”

tilting verb US /ˈtɪltɪŋ/

-ing form of “tilt” — to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading “He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.””

unbounded adjective US /ənˈbaʊndɪd/

seemingly boundless in amount, number, degree, or especially extent

From this reading “This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

first intimation adjective + noun

In this reading “He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.””

much afflicted adverb + adjective

In this reading “He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.”

IN THE WORLD preposition + article + noun counted as “in … world”

In this reading “PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.”

into the river preposition + article + noun counted as “into … river”

In this reading “He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.””

too close adverb + adjective

In this reading “He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.””

All words in this reading · 88

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

accidentnounUS /ˈæksədənt/

an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

accidentaladjectiveUS /ˌæksəˈdentəl/

happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally

From this reading The verdict rendered by the coroner’s jury was “accidental drowning.”

afflictedadjectiveUS /əˈflɪktɪd/

grievously affected especially by disease

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

ALONEadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

ANDREW'SnounUS /ˈændruːz/

possessive form of “andrew” — (New Testament) disciple of Jesus; brother of Peter; patron saint of Scotland

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

apparentlyadverbUS /əˈperəntli/

from appearances alone

From this reading This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.

articulateverbUS /ɑːrˈtɪkjəleɪt/

provide with a joint

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

avertedverbUS /əˈvɜːrtɪd/

past form of “avert” — prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

bridgenounUS /brɪdʒ/

a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

CAREERnounUS /kərˈɪr/

the particular occupation for which you are trained

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

CORONER'SnounUS /ˈkɔːrənərz/

possessive form of “coroner” — a public official who investigates by inquest any death not due to natural causes

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

corpsenounUS /kɔːrps/

the dead body of a human being

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

CRIMEnounUS /kraɪm/

(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

dangernounUS /ˈdeɪndʒər/

the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

DAUGHTERnounUS /ˈdɔːtər/

a female human offspring

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.

DIDauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

draggedverbUS /dræɡd/

inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

drivingadjectiveUS /ˈdraɪvɪŋ/

having the power of driving or impelling

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

drowningverbUS /ˈdraʊnɪŋ/

-ing form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible

From this reading The verdict rendered by the coroner’s jury was “accidental drowning.”

edgenounUS /edʒ/

the boundary of a surface

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

eventnounUS /ɪˈvent/

something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.

explainedverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnd/

past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

fallingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlɪŋ/

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

FANNYnounUS /ˈfæni/

the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

FATHERnounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

FORTUNEnounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

griefnounUS /ɡriːf/

intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)

From this reading This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

HEpronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

INQUESTnounUS /ˈɪnkwest/

an inquiry into the cause of an unexpected death

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

intimationnounUS /ˌɪntəˈmeɪʃən/

an indirect suggestion

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

jurynounUS /ˈdʒʊri/

a body of citizens sworn to give a true verdict according to the evidence presented in a court of law

From this reading The verdict rendered by the coroner’s jury was “accidental drowning.”

KNAVEnounUS /neɪv/

a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

mournfuladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrnfəl/

expressing sorrow

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

OVERprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

PHILLIP

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

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

PRANKSnounUS /præŋks/

plural of “prank” — acting like a clown or buffoon

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

PURSUESverbUS /pərˈsuːz/

third-person singular of “pursue” — carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

recoveredadjectiveUS /rəˈkʌvərd/

freed from illness or injury

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

REDGILL'S

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

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

renderedverbUS /ˈrendərd/

past form of “render” — cause to become

From this reading The verdict rendered by the coroner’s jury was “accidental drowning.”

rivernounUS /ˈrɪvər/

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

SHEpronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

simplyadverbUS /ˈsɪmpli/

and nothing more

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

SIRnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.

tiltingverbUS /ˈtɪltɪŋ/

-ing form of “tilt” — to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

unboundedadjectiveUS /ənˈbaʊndɪd/

seemingly boundless in amount, number, degree, or especially extent

From this reading This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.

UNEXPECTEDadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪd/

not expected or anticipated

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

vehiclenounUS /ˈviːhɪkəl/

a conveyance that transports people or objects

From this reading He averted his face from the corpse, and simply explained that “the mournful accident had happened by his father driving too close to the edge of the bridge; and the first intimation he had of danger was the sudden tilting of the vehicle and the falling of the horses, with his father, into the river.”

VERDICTnounUS /ˈvɜːrdɪkt/

(law) the findings of a jury on issues of fact submitted to it for decision; can be used in formulating a judgment

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

VILLAINnounUS /ˈvɪlən/

a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

WHATpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading This event of his father’s death filled Phillip, apparently, with unbounded grief.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading He was so much afflicted that, at the coroner’s inquest, the body having been dragged for and recovered, he could scarcely articulate a word.

WORLDnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading PHILLIP REDGILL’S UNEXPECTED FORTUNE—HE IS ALONE IN THE WORLD—THE CORONER’S INQUEST OVER HIS FATHER—THE VERDICT—THE VILLAIN PURSUES HIS CAREER OF CRIME—SIR ANDREW’S DAUGHTER FANNY, AND WHAT SHE DID—THE PRANKS OF A KNAVE.

Chapter 18 of The skeleton crew by Anonymous holds 149 sentences, grouped into 30 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.

What does chapter 18 of The skeleton crew contain?

Chapter 18 holds 149 sentences of The skeleton crew, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of The skeleton crew by Anonymous exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 149 sentences, grouped into 30 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.

How do I study chapter 18 of The skeleton crew?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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.

Can chapter 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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.

Questions about reading The skeleton crew

Common questions about reading The skeleton crew by Anonymous on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The skeleton crew?

Yes. All 10914 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #70734 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The skeleton crew is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #70734, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The skeleton crew take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2183 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The skeleton crew section by section

How to work through The skeleton crew section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The skeleton crew to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The skeleton crew

Words and structures a reader meets early in The skeleton crew, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Italic
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The skeleton crew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Displayed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The skeleton crew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wildfire
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The skeleton crew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Illustrated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The skeleton crew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.