Chapter 14 of The Weathercock is here in full — 403 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIV
Chapter 14 of The Weathercock is here in full — 403 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Vane stared at him in astonishment. "Yes, it's quite true," said Distin, bitterly. "I've behaved like a blackguard." Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear. "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
Chapter 14 of The Weathercock is here in full — 403 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/80 · 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.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading “Vane stared at him in astonishment.”
past form of “behave” — behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
From this reading “"I've behaved like a blackguard."”
with bitterness; in a resentful manner
From this reading “"Yes, it's quite true," said Distin, bitterly.”
a target used in archery
From this reading “Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.”
in a physically fierce manner
From this reading “"Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.”
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading “"Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.”
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading “Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.”
mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind
From this reading “Vane stared at him in astonishment.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I've behaved like a blackguard."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading Vane stared at him in astonishment.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Vane stared at him in astonishment.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
past form of “behave” — behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
From this reading "I've behaved like a blackguard."
with bitterness; in a resentful manner
From this reading "Yes, it's quite true," said Distin, bitterly.
subject to laughter or ridicule
From this reading "I've behaved like a blackguard."
a target used in archery
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes, it's quite true," said Distin, bitterly.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
in a physically fierce manner
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
a laborer who moves from place to place as demanded by employment
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Vane stared at him in astonishment.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've behaved like a blackguard."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Vane stared at him in astonishment.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes, it's quite true," said Distin, bitterly.
and nothing more
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "I've behaved like a blackguard."
a particular point in time
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading "Yes, it's quite true," said Distin, bitterly.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Yes, it's quite true," said Distin, bitterly.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Vane stared at him in astonishment.
not in physical motion
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading Just at that moment, the top gipsy began to struggle, and Vane gave him a tremendous clout on the ear.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading "Yes, it's quite true," said Distin, bitterly.
mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind
From this reading Vane stared at him in astonishment.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, it's quite true," said Distin, bitterly.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Lie still or I'll knock your head off," he cried, fiercely.
Chapter 14 of The Weathercock by George Manville Fenn holds 403 sentences, grouped into 81 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 14 holds 403 sentences of The Weathercock, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 14 of The Weathercock by George Manville Fenn exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 403 sentences, grouped into 81 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 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 81 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 14 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 The Weathercock by George Manville Fenn on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6041 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21375 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21375, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 503 minutes of reading across 1209 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Weathercock section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 15 chapters of The Weathercock 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 The Weathercock, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
