Chapter 2 of Widdershins is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Widdershins is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"I think she has. I'm laying the foundations of her. I shall begin the actual writing presently." It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_. She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.
Chapter 2 of Widdershins is here in full — 432 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/86 · 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.
presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
From this reading “I shall begin the actual writing presently."”
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “I shall begin the actual writing presently."”
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading “It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.”
plural of “foundation” — the basis on which something is grounded
From this reading “I'm laying the foundations of her.”
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading “She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.”
the production of eggs (especially in birds)
From this reading “I'm laying the foundations of her.”
fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters
From this reading “It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.”
the act of creating written works
From this reading “I shall begin the actual writing presently."”
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.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
From this reading I shall begin the actual writing presently."
anew
From this reading She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading I shall begin the actual writing presently."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
plural of “foundation” — the basis on which something is grounded
From this reading I'm laying the foundations of her.
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I think she has.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I'm laying the foundations of her.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I think she has.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm laying the foundations of her.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
the production of eggs (especially in birds)
From this reading I'm laying the foundations of her.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I'm laying the foundations of her.
in the near future
From this reading I shall begin the actual writing presently."
with speed
From this reading She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading I shall begin the actual writing presently."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I think she has.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I'm laying the foundations of her.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I think she has.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading She frowned, turned half away, and then quickly turned again.
fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters
From this reading It seemed as if Miss Bengough had forgotten their tussle about the first _Romilly_.
the act of creating written works
From this reading I shall begin the actual writing presently."
Chapter 2 of Widdershins by Oliver Onions holds 432 sentences, grouped into 87 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 2 holds 432 sentences of Widdershins, unabridged, divided into 87 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Widdershins by Oliver Onions exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 432 sentences, grouped into 87 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 87 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 87 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 2 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 Widdershins by Oliver Onions on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4713 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14168 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #14168, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 392 minutes of reading across 943 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Widdershins section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 11 chapters of Widdershins 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 Widdershins, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
