War and Peace

False friends10 entries

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

appointment

job

staff

group of officers who help a general

relations

relatives

then again

then, once more

rose

stood up

silver and china

knives, forks, spoons and fine plates

affected

false in her manner, not natural

ball

big dancing party

his son’s affair

his son's trouble, the bad thing he did

society

the world of rich important families

Idioms69 entries

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

on behalf of

for

an exception made

the usual rules were not applied to him

at once×2

immediately

transferred to the Guards

moved to the Emperor's best army units

had been educated from childhood

had been raised and taught since he was a child

for years at a time

with them for many years without a break

for his equipment

to buy his uniform and supplies

coming and going continually

arriving and leaving all day

constantly succeeded one another in relays

kept arriving, one group after another

A languor of motion and speech

a slow, tired way of moving and speaking

resulting from

caused by

gave her a distinguished air which inspired respect

made her look noble, so people respected her

as a member of the household

as someone who lived with the family

receive and entertain

welcome and talk with

not considering it necessary

not thinking they needed

without exception

every single one

without the slightest variation in his tone

in exactly the same voice

above or below him in rank

more or less important than him

whose name day we are keeping

whose name day we are celebrating

On behalf of the whole family

speaking for the whole family

full, cheerful, clean-shaven face

round, happy face with no beard

firm pressure of the hand

firm handshake

drew a chair toward him or her

pulled a chair close to the guest

with the air of a man

looking like a man

swayed to and fro with dignity

rocked back and forth, calm and proud

offered surmises about the weather

made guesses about the weather

weary but unflinching in the fulfillment of duty

tired but firm in doing his duty

scanty gray hairs over his bald patch

few gray hairs over the bare spot on his head

a man of good family

a man from a respected family

the manager of all his affairs

who ran all his business

you’ll see that things are all

you will make sure everything is

The great thing is the serving

what matters most is how the food is served

that’s it

yes, that is the main thing

return to the drawing room

go back to the best sitting room

reflected a moment

thought for a moment

took a pinch

took a tiny amount

I’ll see her and no more

I will see her, but nobody else after her

animated feminine voices

lively women's voices

the guests rise

the guests stand up

with a rustle of dresses

their dresses making a soft sound

the chief topic of the day

the main thing everyone was talking about

behaved so improperly

acted so badly

the cause of Count Bezúkhov’s distress

why Count Bezúkhov was so upset

That’s what comes of

that is the result of

expelled by the police

sent out of the city by the police

up to heaven only knows what

doing bad things no one can even name

what have they been up to

what have they done

back to back

with their backs pressed together

a nice figure the policeman must have cut

how silly the policeman must have looked

dying with laughter

laughing very hard

could not help laughing

could not stop themselves laughing

It was all they could do to rescue

they only just managed to save

receive him

let him visit their homes

in spite of

even with

quite declined

said no

I have my daughters to consider

I must protect what people think of my daughters

assumed an air of inattention

pretended not to be listening

made a gesture with her hand

waved her hand

intervened in the conversation

joined the talk

He has lost count of his children

he has so many children he does not know the number

the next heir through his wife

the one who would get the money next, because his wife is related to the count

the count is very fond of Pierre

old Count Bezúkhov, not Count Rostóv, loves Pierre very much

inherit his immense fortune

get his huge wealth when he dies

attached no importance at all

thought it did not matter at all

on some inspection business

to see whether some government work is being done properly

what a funny figure that policeman cut

how silly that policeman looked

portly form

big round body

ringing laugh

loud laugh

in particular

most of all

Phrasal verbs17 entries

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

evidently worn out with childbearing

clearly weak from giving birth so many times

saw them off

walked with them to the door

seen a visitor off

walked a visitor to the door

touched on questions of health

talked a little about health

set out

put in place

worn out by these callers

tired by these visitors

Ask her in

tell her to come in

finish me off

kill me

She has been laid up

she has been sick in bed

last out

continue only

alluded to

meant

hushed up

kept secret

ordered out of

told to leave

got hold of

found

set off with it

left, taking the bear with them

what went on

what happened

looked after his education

paid for his schooling

Noun phrases7 entries

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

the tenth of August

August 10

what an age

it has been so long

the rustling of dresses

the soft sounds of long dresses moving

regular brigands

real robbers, wild men

a worthy woman

a good, respectable woman

a capital joke

an excellent joke

drinks well

drinks a lot of wine, with pleasure

Words from other languages3 entries

soiree

French: evening party

mon cher

French: my dear, said to a man

ma chère

French: my dear, said to a woman

Old word forms6 entries

Old forms of words you know. Learn them once.

was to join them

was going to join them

I thank you for myself

I thank you, from me

mind you come to dinner

be sure to come to dinner

I shall be offended

I will be hurt

I should think

I believe

I know it all very well for

I know all about it, because

Words58 entries

In the order you will meet them.

transferred

moved

the rank of cornet

the lowest rank of officerrank

endeavors and entreaties

efforts and begging

darling

dearly loved

a regiment of the line

an ordinary army unit, not the Guardsthe working vocabulary of a trade or field

as a cornet

as the lowest rank of officerrank

The Guards

the Emperor's best army units, who guard himrank

countess herself

lady of the house in personrank

handsome×2

good-looking

eldest

oldest

drawing room×5

the best sitting room, where guests are welcomedan object or practice the period took for granted

congratulate

wish them well

countess×9

the lady of the house, a noble ladyrank

count×5

master of the house, a noblemanrank

jauntily

in a lively, easy way

self-confident

sure of itself

stroking

smoothing with his hand

anteroom×2

entrance room

conservatory

a glass room for plantsan object or practice the period took for granted

pantry

a small room where food and dishes are keptan object or practice the period took for granted

marble

smooth polished stone

footmen

male servantsan object or practice the period took for granted

damask table linen

tablecloths of fine patterned clothan object or practice the period took for granted

complacent

pleased with himself

announced

said loudly

gigantic

very big

footman×2

male servantan object or practice the period took for granted

bass voice

very deep voice

a gold snuffbox

a gold box of powdered tobacco, taken by sniffingan object or practice the period took for granted

stout

fat

rustling

making soft sounds as the cloth moved

poor×3

unlucky

delighted

very happy

mingling with

mixing with

scraping

rough sound as they were pushed

Mamma

Mother

cloaks

long loose coatsan object or practice the period took for granted

mantles

loose capesan object or practice the period took for granted

wealthy

rich

illegitimate×2

born to parents who were not married

vexation

trouble and worry

exclaimed

said loudly

abroad

in other countries

interposed

added quickly

degraded to the ranks

made an ordinary soldier again, no longer an officerthe working vocabulary of a trade or field

interfere

stop them

dreadful

terrible

a score of them

about twenty of themmoney

evidently

clearly

connections

friends in important places

significantly

in a meaningful way

reputation

what people say about him: that he had many women

handsomer

better-looking

altered

changed

millions of rubles

millions in Russian moneymoney

pretext

a false reason

impersonate

act like

dine

have dinner