Vocabulary ladder

A Tale of Two Cities

Book The First--Recalled to Life, II

False friends21 entries

You know these words. In this book they mean something else.

the team
the horses pulling together
returned×2
went back
the passenger started
the passenger jumped in fright
the landlord
the man who ran the inn
the Dover mail×2
the coach that carried post and passengers to the port town
as to which cattle
about which animals — the horses
ejaculated
said suddenly
The last burst
the last hard push by the horses
carried the mail
carried the mail coach
got down to
climbed down from the coach in order to
cried
called out
leader
the front horse of the team
labouring
the heavy struggling of the coach
communicated
gave
the mail×2
the mail coach, not letters
to apprehend
to fear
started in his saddle
jumped where he sat
secreted
hidden away
looked to
checked
stormed out
beaten dark by the storm
tolerable
reasonably good

Idioms21 entries

Fixed expressions with a settled meaning of their own. Worth learning once.

in favour of the argument
the horses' own plan to turn the coach round, which would have shown they could think
on a short notice
to someone they had only just met
in league with robbers
working together with men who rob
upon the cards
the most likely thing of all
beating his feet
stamping his feet to keep them warm
taken his oath
sworn to it
trouble enough to get you to it
it was hard work getting you up this hill
followed suit
did the same
in a fair way of getting shot
would very likely be shot
stood on the offensive
stood ready to attack
at any rate
anyway
Never you mind
that is not your business
set right
put back the way it was
I’m a devil at a quick mistake
because I am all too quick to get it wrong
Make the best of your way
go back as fast as you can
get a light
make a flame
within hearing
near enough to hear
on the level
on flat ground
Much of that wouldn’t do for you
too much of that kind of work would be bad for you
in a Blazing bad way
in very serious trouble
come into fashion
became a common thing

Phrasal verbs11 entries

A verb and a small word that together mean something the two words do not.

shut out
block
keeping an eye
watching closely
Get on with you
keep moving
struggled on
kept moving forward with difficulty
pricked up his ears
his ears went up because he was listening
sang out
shouted
getting down into the road
climbing down out of the coach onto the road
pulled up the window
closed the window by raising the glass
Come on at a footpace
walk your horse towards me
casting up his eyes
raising his eyes to look
shut himself up inside
close himself inside the coach

Noun phrases2 entries

A group of words naming a person or a thing, explained together.

the least relish
the slightest liking
make of it
what did you think it meant

Old word forms25 entries

Old forms of words you know. Learn them once.

as to him
as far as he was concerned
forbade
would not allow
endued with Reason
able to think
between whiles
now and then
As often as
every time that
brought them to a stand
made them stop
for anybody on the road
because anybody on the road
As to the latter
about the second kind, the men who helped robbers
for
because
What o’clock do you make it
what time do you say it is
Ten minutes, good, past eleven
a full ten minutes past eleven
atop
on top
leaving his hold of the door
letting go of the door
consequent on
following from
expressive of
showing
Stand!
stop where you are!
What are you?
who are you?
Gentleman of the name of Lorry
you, the gentleman named Lorry
than suits me, is Jerry
rougher than I like — I mean Jerry
from over yonder
from over there
nigh
near
as well as if I wrote
just as surely as if I had written it down
For he was furnished
because he was supplied
for I made the same of it myself
because I understood just as little of it as you did
shake the wet out
shake the water off his hat

Words132 entries

In the order you will meet them.

The Mail
the coach that carried the post, and passengers with itan object or practice the period took for granted
lumbered×2
moved heavily and slowly
the mire
deep wet mud
circumstances
the conditions they were in
the harness
the leather straps that tie horses to a coachan object or practice the period took for granted
Reins and whip
the straps used to steer the horses, and the long cord used to drive theman object or practice the period took for granted
coachman×4
the man who drives the coachan object or practice the period took for granted
guard×20
the armed man riding at the back to protect the postan object or practice the period took for granted
that article of war
an army rule; the joke is that the men simply overpowered the horses instead of arguingan object or practice the period took for granted
capitulated
stopped resisting and obeyed
drooping
hanging down
floundering×2
struggling to stay upright
wary
careful, watching for trouble
the near leader
the front horse on the left of the pairan object or practice the period took for granted
emphatic×3
forceful, making its point
this rattle
this shaking noise of the harness
the hollows
the low dips in the ground
clammy
cold and damp to touch
intensely
very
visibly
so that you could see it
overspread
spread out over
unwholesome
unhealthy
dense
thick
the coach-lamps
the oil lamps fixed to the coachan object or practice the period took for granted
the reek
the steam and smell
plodding
walking slowly and heavily
cheekbones
the bones under the eyes
jack-boots×2
heavy leather boots reaching above the kneean object or practice the period took for granted
wrappers
cloths wound round the head and neck against coldan object or practice the period took for granted
a robber
a man who takes by force
posting-house
an inn where coaches changed horsesan object or practice the period took for granted
ale-house
a place selling beer, like a small puban object or practice the period took for granted
stable non-descript
the lowest of the men working round the horses, with no proper job of his ownan object or practice the period took for granted
the likeliest
the most probable
lumbering
moving heavily and slowly
particular
his own, that nobody else used
perch
the high seat at the back of the coachan object or practice the period took for granted
the arm-chest
the box of weaponsan object or practice the period took for granted
blunderbuss×4
a short gun with a wide mouth, fired at close rangean object or practice the period took for granted
pistols×2
big guns of the size a rider keeps on his horsean object or practice the period took for granted
a substratum
a layer underneath
cutlass
a short heavy swordan object or practice the period took for granted
the coachman×3
the man driving the coachan object or practice the period took for granted
conscience
honestly, knowing he was telling the truth
the two Testaments
the two halves of the Bible, sworn on in courtan object or practice the period took for granted
vexed
annoyed
scramble
a rush with slipping feet
squashing
making wet sucking noises in the mud
hardihood
daring
the mist×3
the thick fog
instantly
at that moment
a highwayman
a robber on horseback who stopped travellers and took their moneyan object or practice the period took for granted
the summit
the top
skid the wheel
put a block under a wheel so it cannot turn on the way downan object or practice the period took for granted
the descent×2
the way down
his box
the driver's high seat at the frontan object or practice the period took for granted
a canter
a gentle run, slower than a horse's fastest speedan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for
a gallop×2
a horse's fastest runan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for
mounting
climbing back up
nimbly
quickly and lightly
hurried
quick
adjuration
a serious command
cocked
pulled back ready to firean ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for
the coach-step
the step for climbing into the coachan object or practice the period took for granted
contradicting
and this time he did not shake his head to say no
stillness
quiet without movement
the cessation
the stopping
rumbling
deep rolling noise
the coach×2
the large closed carriage pulled by horsesan object or practice the period took for granted
panting
breathing hard
agitation
nervous and upset, the way a frightened person shakes
audibly
loud enough to hear
the pulses
the beats of their hearts
quickened
went faster
expectation
waiting for something to happen
furiously
wildly and fast
roar
shout loudly
splashing
water and mud flying up
retorted
answered sharply
distrustfully
as if they did not trust him
lifetime
the years you have left to live
growled
said in a low angry voice
hoarser
rougher in the throat
A despatch
an urgent written messagean object or practice the period took for granted
this messenger
this man sent with a message
scrambled
climbed in a hurry
I hope there ain’t
I hope nothing is wrongEnglish respelled to carry an accent
‘Nation
a rough swear word here meaning “very”English respelled to carry an accent
gruff
rough and low
soliloquy
talking aloud to himselfan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for
hoarsely
in a rough, dry voice
d’ye mind me
do you hear meEnglish respelled to carry an accent
holsters
leather cases on a saddle for carrying gunsan object or practice the period took for granted
saddle
the seat strapped on a horsean object or practice the period took for granted
o’ yourn
of yoursEnglish respelled to carry an accent
it takes the form of Lead
my mistake comes out as a bullet: I shootdeliberate indirection the period required
rider
the man on the horse
eddying
swirling
mist×2
fog
stooped
bent down
blown×2
out of breath from hard runningan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for
hoofs
the hard feet of a horse
watchful
watching carefully
the stock
the wooden shoulder-piece of a gunan object or practice the period took for granted
the barrel
the metal tube of a gunan object or practice the period took for granted
horseman
the man on the horse
curtly
in a short, cold way
A crown to drink
a coin as a tip, to buy himself a drinkan object or practice the period took for granted
If so be as
ifEnglish respelled to carry an accent
Blazing×2
a mild swear word, like “very”English respelled to carry an accent
hoarsest
roughest in the throat
expeditiously
quickly
pretence
a false show
arm-chest
the box on the coach where the guns are keptan object or practice the period took for granted
supplementary
extra
smith’s tools
tools for working metal, for repairs on the roadan object or practice the period took for granted
torches
burning sticks used as lampsan object or practice the period took for granted
tinder-box
a box of dry stuff for catching a spark and making firean object or practice the period took for granted
completeness
so completely supplied that
flint
a hard stone; struck against steel it throws sparksan object or practice the period took for granted
sparks
tiny bits of fire
coincidence
two things happening to match
mused
said thoughtfully
dismounted
got down off his horse
ease
rest
wipe
rub clean
hat-brim
the edge round the bottom of a hat
half a gallon
about two litresmoney
the bridle
the head straps used to steer a horsean object or practice the period took for granted
that there gallop
that hard fast rideEnglish respelled to carry an accent
fore-legs
front legs
his mare
his female horse

Words inside the phrases34 entries

These were explained above as part of a longer phrase. Here is what each one means on its own.

apprehend
to fear something coming
bridle
the head straps used to steer a horse
brute
an animal that cannot speak
cessation
a stopping
confidential
telling private things
consequent
following as a result
descent
a way leading down
descript
described or named
despatch
an urgent written message
expressive
showing what is felt
footpace
walking speed
forlornness
a lost and unhappy state
gallop
a horse's fastest run
genial
warm and friendly
highwayman
a robber on horseback who stopped travellers
hoarse
rough and dry in the voice
hollows
low dips in the ground
mare
a female horse
messenger
a person sent to carry word
mire
deep wet mud
mutinous
refusing to obey
oath
a promise given in a court
quavering
shaking as it sounds
rattle
a quick knocking noise
reek
a strong smell rising off something
relish
enjoyment of something
ripples
small waves
roamed
wandered with no fixed way
robbers
people who take by force
selle
short for the French word meaning Miss
skid
lock a wheel so it drags instead of turning
substratum
a layer lying underneath
yonder
over there (an old word)
yourn
yours (country speech)