Vocabulary ladder

War and Peace

Book One, XVII

False friends4 entries

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

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

applying her handkerchief to her eyes: wiping her eyes with her handkerchief
What is the matter with you: what is wrong with you
Don’t you wish to serve me?: do you not want to work for me?
find you another place: send you away to work somewhere else
out of sorts: in a bad mood
found expression in: showed itself in
were not ill-spent: were money well used
What are your commands: what would you like me to do
in a tone only used by persons: in a voice used only by people
a man of good family: a man from a respected family
managed all his affairs: ran all his business and money
he reflected a moment: he thought for a moment
don’t be uneasy: do not worry
approaching anger: anger about to start
There is never any ‘impossible’ with him: he never says a thing cannot be done
I am in great need of this sum: I badly need this money
with a blush: going red
at the appropriate moment: at the right moment
The countess wept too: the countess cried too
They wept because: they cried because
such a base thing as money: something as low as money

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

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

Old forms of words you know. Learn them once.

In the order you will meet them.

Countess×9: Title of a noble ladyrank
crossly: angrily
the maid×2: the woman servant
her maid: her woman servant
count×10: master of the houserank
waddling: walking with short, rocking steps, like a duck
ruffling: rubbing
his waistcoat: the short jacket with no sleeves, worn under his coatan object or practice the period took for granted
bustling: hurrying about
his pocketbook: his walletan object or practice the period took for granted
five hundred rubles: a large sum of Russian moneymoney
cambric handkerchief: handkerchief of fine thin cottonan object or practice the period took for granted
wiping: rubbing clean
waistcoat: short jacket with no sleevesan object or practice the period took for granted
obey: do as they are told
the summons: the call
the count: the master of the houserank
deferential: respectful and humble
tattered: torn and worn
departed: left
sorrow: sadness
agitating: upsetting
dignified: calm and serious
instantly: at that very moment
stooped: bent forward
embrace: hug
embracing: hugging
weeping: crying
kindhearted: kind

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