Maximum-assistance view: every word above everyday vocabulary is explained at every appearance; each name is introduced at its first appearance in the chapter.

I.

Introduction

The Time Traveller (the unnamed host and inventor who tells the story) (for so it will be convenient (easy and fitting) to speak of him) was expounding (to set out at length) a recondite (deep and little known) matter to us. His grey (the colour between black and white) eyes shone (to give light) and twinkled (to shine with quick small lights), and his usually pale (light in color; whitish) face was flushed (a rush of blood to the face) and animated (full of life; lively). The fire burnt brightly (with bright light), and the soft radiance (shining light) of the incandescent (glowing white-hot) lights in the lilies (the tall trumpet-shaped flower) of silver caught the bubbles (a ball of air in liquid) that flashed (a sudden burst of light) and passed in our glasses. Our chairs, being his patents (plain to see), embraced (to hold in the arms) and caressed (a tender touch) us rather than submitted (to yield; to lay before) to be sat upon, and there was that luxurious (full of costly comfort) after-dinner (after dinner) atmosphere (the surrounding air or mood), when thought runs gracefully (with easy grace) free of the trammels (held back; tied down) of precision (exactness). And he put it to us in this way—marking the points with a lean (to tilt against; thin) forefinger (the first finger)—as we sat and lazily (without effort or hurry) admired (to look on with wonder) his earnestness (deep seriousness) over this new paradox (a statement that seems to contradict itself yet may be true) (as we thought it) and his fecundity (richness of production).

“You must follow me carefully (with care). I shall have to controvert (to argue against) one or two ideas that are almost universally (by everyone) accepted. The geometry (the mathematics of shapes), for instance, they taught you at school is founded on a misconception (a wrong idea).”

“Is not that rather a large thing to expect us to begin upon?” said Filby (Filby, the argumentative red-haired guest), an argumentative (fond of arguing) person with red hair.

“I do not mean to ask you to accept anything without reasonable ground for it. You will soon admit as much as I need from you. You know of course that a mathematical (of mathematics) line, a line of thickness (the measure from side to side) nil (nothing), has no real existence. They taught you that? Neither has a mathematical (of mathematics) plane. These things are mere (nothing more than) abstractions (an idea apart from things; absent-mindedness).”

“That is all right,” said the Psychologist (the psychologist among the guests).

“Nor, having only length, breadth (width), and thickness (the measure from side to side), can a cube (a solid with six equal square faces) have a real existence.”

“There I object,” said Filby. “Of course a solid body may exist. All real things—”

“So most people think. But wait a moment. Can an instantaneous (happening in an instant) cube (a solid with six equal square faces) exist?”

“Don’t follow you,” said Filby.

“Can a cube (a solid with six equal square faces) that does not last for any time at all, have a real existence?”

Filby became pensive (quietly thoughtful). “Clearly,” the Time Traveller proceeded (to go on), “any real body must have extension (reach) in four directions: it must have Length, Breadth (width), Thickness (the measure from side to side), and—Duration. But through a natural infirmity (weakness) of the flesh (the body's soft substance), which I will explain to you in a moment, we incline (to lean toward) to overlook (to look out over; to miss seeing) this fact. There are really four dimensions (a measure of size), three which we call the three planes of Space, and a fourth, Time. There is, however, a tendency (a leaning) to draw an unreal (not real) distinction (a difference; an honor) between the former three dimensions (a measure of size) and the latter, because it happens that our consciousness (waking awareness) moves intermittently (in stops and starts) in one direction along the latter from the beginning to the end of our lives.”

“That,” said a very young man (the youngest guest), making spasmodic (in sudden jerks) efforts to relight (to light again) his cigar (a roll of tobacco leaves for smoking) over the lamp (a light vessel); “that . . . very clear indeed.”

“Now, it is very remarkable (worth noticing) that this is so extensively (widely) overlooked (to look out over; to miss seeing),” continued the Time Traveller, with a slight (small; to treat as of no account) accession (an addition) of cheerfulness (bright good spirits). “Really this is what is meant by the Fourth Dimension (a measure of size), though some people who talk about the Fourth Dimension (a measure of size) do not know they mean it. It is only another way of looking at Time. There is no difference between Time and any of the three dimensions (a measure of size) of Space except that our consciousness (waking awareness) moves along it. But some foolish (without sense) people have got hold of the wrong side of that idea. You have all heard what they have to say about this Fourth Dimension (a measure of size)?”

“I have not,” said the Provincial Mayor (the mayor from the provinces among the guests).

“It is simply this. That Space, as our mathematicians (a master of mathematics) have it, is spoken of as having three dimensions (a measure of size), which one may call Length, Breadth (width), and Thickness (the measure from side to side), and is always definable (able to be defined) by reference to three planes, each at right angles (a corner's measure) to the others. But some philosophical (of deep thinking about the world) people have been asking why three dimensions (a measure of size) particularly—why not another direction at right angles (a corner's measure) to the other three?—and have even tried to construct (to build) a Four-Dimensional geometry (the mathematics of shapes). Professor Simon Newcomb (the American astronomer) was expounding (to set out at length) this to the New York Mathematical (of mathematics) Society only a month or so ago. You know how on a flat surface, which has only two dimensions (a measure of size), we can represent a figure of a three-dimensional (having length, breadth, and thickness) solid, and similarly (in like manner) they think that by models of three dimensions (a measure of size) they could represent one of four—if they could master the perspective of the thing. See?”

“I think so,” murmured (to speak in a low soft flow) the Provincial Mayor; and, knitting (to weave with needles; to draw together) his brows (the forehead), he lapsed (a slip; a falling away) into an introspective (looking into oneself) state (state: ceremony; pomp — the old sense here), his lips (the mouth's edge) moving as one who repeats (to say or do again) mystic (of hidden spiritual truth) words. “Yes, I think I see it now,” he said after some time, brightening (to make brighter) in a quite transitory (passing quickly) manner.

“Well, I do not mind telling you I have been at work upon this geometry (the mathematics of shapes) of Four Dimensions (a measure of size) for some time. Some of my results are curious (eager to know; strange). For instance, here is a portrait (a painted likeness) of a man at eight years old, another at fifteen (fifteen), another at seventeen (seventeen), another at twenty-three (twenty-three), and so on. All these are evidently (as plainly appears) sections, as it were, Three-Dimensional (having length, breadth, and thickness) representations (standing for another; a picture) of his Four-Dimensioned being, which is a fixed and unalterable (never to be changed) thing.”

“Scientific people,” proceeded (to go on) the Time Traveller, after the pause (a brief stop) required for the proper assimilation (taking in) of this, “know very well that Time is only a kind of Space. Here is a popular scientific diagram (a drawing that explains), a weather record. This line I trace (a left mark; to follow the track) with my finger (a digit of the hand) shows the movement of the barometer (the instrument that measures air pressure). Yesterday it was so high, yesterday night it fell, then this morning it rose again, and so gently (with mild softness) upward (toward above) to here. Surely the mercury (the liquid metal in a barometer or thermometer) did not trace (a left mark; to follow the track) this line in any of the dimensions (a measure of size) of Space generally recognised (to know again)? But certainly it traced (a left mark; to follow the track) such a line, and that line, therefore, we must conclude (to end; to decide), was along the Time-Dimension.”

“But,” said the Medical Man (the doctor among the guests), staring hard at a coal (the black burning rock) in the fire, “if Time is really only a fourth dimension (a measure of size) of Space, why is it, and why has it always been, regarded (to look upon; respect) as something different? And why cannot we move about in Time as we move about in the other dimensions (a measure of size) of Space?”

The Time Traveller smiled. “Are you so sure we can move freely (without restraint) in Space? Right and left we can go, backward (toward the back) and forward freely (without restraint) enough, and men always have done so. I admit we move freely (without restraint) in two dimensions (a measure of size). But how about up and down? Gravitation (the pull of gravity) limits us there.”

“Not exactly,” said the Medical Man. “There are balloons (the great air-filled globe).”

“But before the balloons (the great air-filled globe), save for spasmodic (in sudden jerks) jumping (leaping) and the inequalities (unevenness) of the surface, man had no freedom of vertical (straight up and down) movement.”

“Still they could move a little up and down,” said the Medical Man.

“Easier, far easier down than up.”

“And you cannot move at all in Time, you cannot get away from the present moment.”

“My dear sir, that is just where you are wrong. That is just where the whole world has gone wrong. We are always getting away from the present moment. Our mental existences, which are immaterial (not of matter) and have no dimensions (a measure of size), are passing along the Time-Dimension with a uniform (a soldier's set dress; all alike) velocity (speed) from the cradle (a baby's rocking bed) to the grave (the burial pit; solemnly serious). Just as we should travel down if we began our existence fifty (fifty) miles above the earth’s surface.”

“But the great difficulty (hardness; trouble) is this,” interrupted (to break in upon) the Psychologist. “You can move about in all directions of Space, but you cannot move about in Time.”

“That is the germ (a first seed of life) of my great discovery (a finding out). But you are wrong to say that we cannot move about in Time. For instance, if I am recalling (to call back to mind) an incident very vividly (with living brightness) I go back to the instant (a moment; immediate) of its occurrence (a happening): I become absent-minded (with the mind elsewhere), as you say. I jump back for a moment. Of course we have no means of staying back for any length of Time, any more than a savage (wild; fierce) or an animal has of staying six feet above the ground. But a civilised (living in an advanced settled way) man is better off than the savage (wild; fierce) in this respect. He can go up against gravitation (the pull of gravity) in a balloon (the great air-filled globe), and why should he not hope that ultimately he may be able to stop or accelerate (to speed up) his drift (to be carried along; a snow heap) along the Time-Dimension, or even turn about and travel the other way?”

“Oh, this,” began Filby, “is all—”

“Why not?” said the Time Traveller.

“It’s against reason,” said Filby.

“What reason?” said the Time Traveller.

“You can show black is white by argument,” said Filby, “but you will never convince (to bring to belief) me.”

“Possibly not,” said the Time Traveller. “But now you begin to see the object of my investigations into the geometry (the mathematics of shapes) of Four Dimensions (a measure of size). Long ago I had a vague (unclear; dim) inkling (a faint idea) of a machine—”

“To travel through Time!” exclaimed (to cry out) the Very Young Man.

“That shall travel indifferently (without care or interest) in any direction of Space and Time, as the driver determines.”

Filby contented himself with laughter (laughing).

“But I have experimental (by way of trial) verification (proof by test),” said the Time Traveller.

“It would be remarkably (notably) convenient (easy and fitting) for the historian (a writer of history),” the Psychologist suggested. “One might travel back and verify (to prove true) the accepted account of the Battle of Hastings (the battle of 1066 that began Norman England), for instance!”

“Don’t you think you would attract (to draw toward) attention?” said the Medical Man. “Our ancestors (a forefather) had no great tolerance (patience with others) for anachronisms (a thing out of its proper time).”

“One might get one’s Greek from the very lips (the mouth's edge) of Homer and Plato,” the Very Young Man thought.

“In which case they would certainly plough (to cut and turn ground as a farm blade does) you for the Little-go (the first examination at Cambridge). The German scholars (a learned person) have improved Greek so much.”

“Then there is the future,” said the Very Young Man. “Just think! One might invest (to dress; wrap around) all one’s money, leave it to accumulate (to pile up) at interest (interest: the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here), and hurry (to move with haste) on ahead!”

“To discover (to find out) a society,” said I, “erected (to raise up; upright) on a strictly (with exact severity) communistic (with all property held in common) basis.”

“Of all the wild extravagant (wildly beyond measure) theories!” began the Psychologist.

“Yes, so it seemed to me, and so I never talked of it until—”

“Experimental (by way of trial) verification (proof by test)!” cried I. “You are going to verify (to prove true) that?”

“The experiment (a trial to find out)!” cried Filby, who was getting brain-weary (tired in mind).

“Let’s see your experiment (a trial to find out) anyhow (in any case),” said the Psychologist, “though it’s all humbug (nonsense meant to deceive), you know.”

The Time Traveller smiled round at us. Then, still smiling faintly (weakly and dimly), and with his hands deep in his trousers (trousers) pockets (the sewn-in pouch), he walked slowly out of the room, and we heard his slippers (a light indoor shoe) shuffling (to drag the feet; to mix cards) down the long passage (passage: a sea-journey — the old sense here) to his laboratory (a workroom of science).

The Psychologist looked at us. “I wonder what he’s got?”

“Some sleight-of-hand (quick trickery with the hands) trick (a deceiving act) or other,” said the Medical Man, and Filby tried to tell us about a conjuror (a magician of tricks) he had seen at Burslem (a pottery town in the English Midlands), but before he had finished his preface (an opening explanation) the Time Traveller came back, and Filby’s anecdote (a short amusing story) collapsed (to fall in).