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Widdershins
Widdershins

Chapter III

Cover illustration for Widdershins
Context Illustration Reading 1/87 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
They took the street to the bus terminus.
This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.
If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.
By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.
They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.
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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.

Widdershins

Chapter III

Reading 1/87 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
They took the street to the bus terminus.
Line 2
This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.
Line 3
If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.
Line 4
By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.
Line 5
They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Anything pronoun US /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading “If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.”

Having auxiliary verb US /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading “This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.”

Nobody pronoun US /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading “By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.”

Saved noun US /saved/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.”

Seeing noun US /seeing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They took the street to the bus terminus.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.”

All words in this reading · 87

Every word is available to listen to. 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 By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

ample-skirted

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

believed

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

bore

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

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

bus

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

From this reading They took the street to the bus terminus.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

calm

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

comment

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

danger

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

day

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

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

detected

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

Elsie

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

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

girl

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

gone

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

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

hot

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

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

interior

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

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

knees

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

large

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

less

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

made

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

man

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

manner

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

miss

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

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

mounted

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

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

nobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

Oleron

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

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

oppressively

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

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

other

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

overcoat

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

pallid-faced

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

protesting

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

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

rather

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

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

reached

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

ready

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

recklessly

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

savednounUS /saved/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

seeing

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

side

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

signs

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

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

silences

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

sink

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

street

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

From this reading They took the street to the bus terminus.

struggles

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

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

supposed

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

talk

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

terminus

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

From this reading They took the street to the bus terminus.

thankfulness

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading They took the street to the bus terminus.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They took the street to the bus terminus.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading This time Elsie bore no signs of having gone through interior struggles.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They took the street to the bus terminus.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They took the street to the bus terminus.

top

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

From this reading They mounted to the top of the bus, Oleron protesting that he should not miss his overcoat, and that he found the day, if anything, rather oppressively hot.

unthinkable

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

unusual

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

From this reading If she detected anything unusual in his manner she made no comment, and he, seeing her calm, began to talk less recklessly through silences.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

wildly

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

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading By the time they reached the bus terminus, nobody, seeing the pallid-faced man without an overcoat and the large ample-skirted girl at his side, would have supposed that one of them was ready to sink on his knees for thankfulness that he had, as he believed, saved the other from a wildly unthinkable danger.