War and Peace

False friends5 entries

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

drawing her hand

pulling her hand

I am a relation

I am family

dismissed

said goodbye to

reception

big gathering of guests

priceless

so precious they cannot be valued

Idioms69 entries

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

timidly and tenderly

shyly and lovingly

affectionate and attentive

loving and caring

after all

do not forget

your future depends on him

whether you do well in life depends on him

anything besides humiliation would come of it

it would bring something other than shame

for your sake

to please you

without asking to be announced

without waiting for a servant to say their names

looking significantly at the lady’s old cloak

looking meaningfully at her worn long coat, which shows she has little money

was not receiving anyone

would not see any visitors

We may as well go back

there is no point staying; let us go home

soothe or rouse him

calm him or wake him to action

in gentle tones

in a soft voice

addressing the hall porter

speaking to the door servant

announce me

tell them I am here

briskly ascended

quickly climbed

stimulating him by a touch

pushing him gently to act, with a touch

lowering his eyes

looking down

the apartments assigned to

the rooms given to

ask their way of an elderly footman

ask an old male servant which way to go

on his breast

on his chest

taking leave of

saying goodbye to

Then it is certain?

so there is no doubt?

swallowing his r’s

saying the letter r softly, in the French way

To err is human

the writer's note: everyone makes mistakes

with a look of inquiry

with a questioning look

an expression of profound sorrow

a look of deep sadness

In what sad circumstances we meet again

what a sad time to see each other again

as though unaware of

as if she did not notice

questioningly and perplexed

puzzled, as if asking a question

without acknowledging the bow

without bowing back

answering her query

answering her question

indicating very little hope for the patient

showing the sick man would probably die

what you have done for us

your help in getting my son a place among the Emperor's best soldiers

in tone and manner

in his voice and behaviour

whom he had placed under an obligation

who now owed him a favour

assuming an air of much greater importance

acting far more important

show yourself worthy

prove you deserve it

with severity

in a hard, strict way

on leave

on holiday from the army

in his usual tone of indifference

in his usual voice, as if he did not care

betraying neither annoyance

showing no anger

a desire to enter into conversation

any wish to talk more

a searching glance

a quick, careful look

in his monotonous voice

in his flat, dull voice

A perfectly absurd and stupid fellow

a completely silly, foolish man

with a pathetic smile

with a sad, pleading smile

deserved this censure

earned this blame

be too hard on

judge too harshly

once for all his kindness

one last time for all his goodness

hastened to reassure him

quickly tried to calm his fears

uttering the word with peculiar assurance and unconcern

saying 'Uncle' in a strangely sure, careless way

noble, upright

good and honest

She bent her head

she lowered her head

prepare him

make him ready for death

I am used to suffering

I am used to pain

too trying for him

too tiring and hard for him

The doctors are expecting a crisis

the doctors think the illness will soon reach its worst point

the welfare of his soul is at stake

the good of his soul depends on it

the duties of a Christian

what a follower of Christ must do

strikingly out of proportion to her short legs

oddly long compared with her short legs

what can you expect, this noise

what else could happen, with all this noise

as at a stranger

as if she did not know her

I hardly knew you

I almost did not recognise you

had better go

should go

On the contrary

not at all, just the opposite

who had plainly become depressed

who had clearly become sad

only too glad

very glad indeed

relieve me of that young man

take that young man away from me

Here he is

he is living here in the house

Phrasal verbs10 entries

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

looked over from

looked down from

trodden-down shoes

old, worn-out shoes

had sprung up

had stood up quickly

he went on

he continued

made up her mind

decided

get rid of

be free of

ambling lightly up to

walking easily over to

what you have gone through

how much you have suffered

sympathetically turned up her eyes

looked upward to show she shared her sadness

settled down

sat down comfortably

Noun phrases3 entries

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

our dear invalid

our dear sick man

sincere affection and devotion

true love and loyalty

one flight of stairs

one set of stairs

Words from other languages1 entry

humanum est errare

Latin: to make mistakes is human

Old word forms2 entries

Old forms of words you know. Learn them once.

If it were not for

if I did not have

one cannot delay

we cannot wait

Words40 entries

In the order you will meet them.

the wide courtyard

the big open yard inside the house walls

her old mantle

her old loose capean object or practice the period took for granted

coldly

without warmth

the hall porter×2

the servant who guards the front dooran object or practice the period took for granted

scrutinizing

looking closely at

the glass porch

the glass-covered entrancean object or practice the period took for granted

statues in niches

stone figures standing in hollows in the wallan object or practice the period took for granted

exclaimed×2

said loudly

imploringly

begging

inquiringly

with a questioning look

cloak

long loose coatan object or practice the period took for granted

sullenly

in a bad mood

footman×2

male servantan object or practice the period took for granted

knee breeches

short trousers ending at the kneean object or practice the period took for granted

a swallow-tail coat

a coat with two long tails at the backan object or practice the period took for granted

the halfway landing

the flat place halfway up the stairs

dyed silk dress

old silk dress coloured again to look newan object or practice the period took for granted

Venetian mirror

a fine mirror made in Venice, Italyan object or practice the period took for granted

bronze

brown metal

a velvet coat

a coat of soft, thick clothan object or practice the period took for granted

a single star

one star-shaped medal of honouran object or practice the period took for granted

dark-haired

with dark hair

celebrated

famous

offensive

rude

indicating

pointing to

arranging his lace frill

straightening the fancy collar at his neckan object or practice the period took for granted

awaiting

waiting for

regiment

army unit

brusque

short and rude

respectfully

politely

a gambler

a man who plays for money

worn

tired-looking

satisfaction

pleasure

a rival

someone trying to win the same prize

tenderly

lovingly

Evidently

clearly

stern

cold and hard

meanwhile

while I am busy

shrugged

lifted and dropped

conducted

led