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The Wood Beyond the World
The Wood Beyond the World

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Wood Beyond the World is here in full — 25 sentences across 5 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Wood Beyond the World
Context Illustration Reading 1/5 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.
When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.
He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he went.
The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.
All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Wood Beyond the World

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Wood Beyond the World is here in full — 25 sentences across 5 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.
/deɪ wɑːz jet jʌŋ wen hiː əˈwoʊk hiː lept tuː hɪz fiːt ənd went daʊn tuː ðə striːm ənd dræŋk ʌv ɪts ˈwɔːtərz ənd wɑːʃt ðə naɪt ɔːf hɪm ɪn ə puːl ˌðeˈrʌv ənd ðen set fɔːrθ ɑːn hɪz weɪ əˈɡen/
Line 2
When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.
Line 3
He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he went.
/hiː ɡeɪv hɪmˈself bʌt ˈlɪtəl rest ˈiːtɪŋ wʌt hiː niːdz mʌst æz hiː went/
Line 4
The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.
/ðə deɪ wɑːz braɪt ənd kɑːm soʊ ðæt ðə sʌn wɑːz ˈnevər ˈhɪdən ənd hiː stɪrd baɪ ɪt duː saʊθ/
Line 5
All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.
/ɔːl ðæt deɪ hiː went ənd faʊnd noʊ mɔːr tʃeɪndʒ ɪn ðæt hjuːdʒ nek seɪv ðæt waɪlz ɪt wɑːz mɔːr ənd waɪlz les stiːp/

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.

amidst preposition US /əˈmɪdst/

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading “When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.”

compass noun US /ˈkʌmpəs/

navigational instrument for finding directions

From this reading “When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.”

leapt verb US /lept/

inflected form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading “Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.”

mired adjective US /maɪrd/

entangled or hindered as if e.g. in mire

From this reading “When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.”

steeper noun US /ˈstiːpər/

a vessel (usually a pot or vat) used for steeping

From this reading “When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.”

steered verb US /stɪrd/

past form of “steer” — direct the course; determine the direction of travelling

From this reading “The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.”

thereof adverb US /ˌðeˈrʌv/

of or concerning this or that

From this reading “Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.”

whiles noun US /waɪlz/

plural of “while” — a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition

From this reading “All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.”

All words in this reading · 108

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 Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

altogetheradverbUS /ˌɔːltəˈɡeðər/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

amidstprepositionUS /əˈmɪdst/

in the middle of; surrounded by

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he went.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

awokeverbUS /əˈwoʊk/

inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

bentnounUS /bent/

a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

calmverbUS /kɑːm/

make calm or still

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.

compassnounUS /ˈkʌmpəs/

navigational instrument for finding directions

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

DaynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

drankverbUS /dræŋk/

inflected form of “drink” — take in liquids

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

dueadjectiveUS /duː/

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

eatingnounUS /ˈiːtɪŋ/

the act of consuming food

From this reading He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he went.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

fetchverbUS /fetʃ/

go or come after and bring or take back

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

flownounUS /floʊ/

the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he went.

gentlyadverbUS /ˈdʒentli/

in a gradual manner

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

grassverbUS /ɡræs/

shoot down, of birds

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

hiddenadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdən/

not accessible to view

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he went.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

hugeadjectiveUS /hjuːdʒ/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

leaptverbUS /lept/

inflected form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.

lestconjunctionUS /lest/

in order that something should not happen

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

loweredadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərd/

below the surround or below the normal position

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

miredadjectiveUS /maɪrd/

entangled or hindered as if e.g. in mire

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.

mountain-neck

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

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

necknounUS /nek/

the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body

From this reading All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.

needsadverbUS /niːdz/

in such a manner as could not be otherwise

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

poolnounUS /puːl/

an excavation that is (usually) filled with water

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he went.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

roughadjectiveUS /rʌf/

having or caused by an irregular surface

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

sankverbUS /sæŋk/

inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

southnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/

having a sharp inclination

From this reading All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.

steepernounUS /ˈstiːpər/

a vessel (usually a pot or vat) used for steeping

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

steeredverbUS /stɪrd/

past form of “steer” — direct the course; determine the direction of travelling

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

streamnounUS /striːm/

a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading The day was bright and calm, so that the sun was never hidden, and he steered by it due south.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

thereofadverbUS /ˌðeˈrʌv/

of or concerning this or that

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

washedadjectiveUS /wɑːʃt/

clean by virtue of having been washed in water

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/

United States actress and singer (1896-1977)

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading He gave himself but little rest, eating what he needs must as he went.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

whilesnounUS /waɪlz/

plural of “while” — a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition

From this reading All that day he went, and found no more change in that huge neck, save that whiles it was more and whiles less steep.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading When he had gone some three hours, the road, which had been going up all the way, but somewhat gently, grew steeper, and the bent on either side lowered, and lowered, till it sank at last altogether, and then was he on a rough mountain-neck with little grass, and no water; save that now and again was a soft place with a flow amidst of it, and such places he must needs fetch a compass about, lest he be mired.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Day was yet young when he awoke: he leapt to his feet, and went down to the stream and drank of its waters, and washed the night off him in a pool thereof, and then set forth on his way again.

Chapter 8 of The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris holds 25 sentences, grouped into 5 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 8 of The Wood Beyond the World contain?

Chapter 8 holds 25 sentences of The Wood Beyond the World, unabridged, divided into 5 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 25 sentences, grouped into 5 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 8 of The Wood Beyond the World?

Work through the 5 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 5 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Wood Beyond the World

Common questions about reading The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Wood Beyond the World?

Yes. All 1543 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3055 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Wood Beyond the World is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3055, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Wood Beyond the World take to read?

About 128 minutes of reading across 309 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Wood Beyond the World section by section

How to work through The Wood Beyond the World section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Wood Beyond the World 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 Wood Beyond the World

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Wood Beyond the World, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Awhile
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wood Beyond the World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Young
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wood Beyond the World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dwelling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wood Beyond the World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Great
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wood Beyond the World; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.