War and Peace

False friends11 entries

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

very fine

very good to hear

prove

show itself to be

animated

lively and heated

compliment

say polite things to

gravity

seriousness

drawing

pulling

her work

the sewing in her hands

“Capital!”

an English word of the time meaning excellent!

proposition

statement offered for argument

grave

serious

to attend

to listen

Idioms34 entries

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

laying their petitions before

formally begging a favour from

granting the petitions of the nations

giving whole countries what they beg him for

make one’s head whirl

make a person dizzy with disbelief

reaping the reward of

now getting back what they have earned by

remains on the throne

stays as ruler

with the air of a man

looking like a man

things will have gone too far

it will be too late to change anything

under observation

watching him closely

leave it to

let them decide for themselves

throw itself into the arms of

gladly give itself to

gone too far

passed the point where it can be undone

aiming his remarks at him

saying things meant to sting him

how far

how much

Not in the least

not at all

regard him as

think of him as

stop short

stop before the thing was finished

for the sake of

just to save

rose superior to

stood above, and had power over

suppressed its abuses

stopped the wrongs done in its name

freedom of speech and of the press

the right to say what you think and to print it

without availing himself of it

without using it

retained in full force

kept, working exactly as before

high-sounding words

words that sound noble and mean little

On the contrary

the very opposite is true

horror-struck

frozen with shock

say what you will

whatever anyone argues

all at once

all of them at the same time

gave his hand to

touched them with his bare hand

treat you to it

give it to you as a pleasure

the point will be lost

the joke will stop working

collecting his ideas

trying to get his thoughts in order

make some calls

pay short visits to other people's houses

unfavorable to the narrator

bad for the man telling it

could contain himself no longer

could not stop himself laughing any more

Phrasal verbs15 entries

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

breaking into the conversation

starting to speak while others were talking

gone over to

changed sides and joined

crowded in

came in all together, eager to serve him in his palace

went on

kept speaking

broke into the conversation

started to speak while others were talking

take on himself

accept as his own

come over

move across

restored it to

given it back to

rid them of

free them from

chimed in

agreed at that moment

tone down

make less sharp

started up

jumped to his feet

get up behind the carriage

climb onto the step at the back where servants rode

came down

fell loose

broke up into

separated into

Noun phrases1 entry

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

small talk

light talk about nothing important

Words from other languages13 entries

Monsieur×2

French for Mister; using it here refuses him any higher title

‘Dieu me la donne, gare à qui la touche!’

French: God has given me the crown, and anyone who touches it will answer for it

‘Dio mi l’ha dato. Guai a chi la tocchi!’

the same words in Italian, the language of the country he had just crowned himself over

the vicomte

the French nobleman; a vicomte is a lord of middle rank

madame

French: a polite way of speaking to a married woman

“Bâton de gueules, engrêlé de gueules d’azur—maison Condé,”

French words for the exact pattern on that family's shield; the point is that he is showing off knowledge nobody asked for

Monsieur le Vicomte

French: sir, said to a lord of middle rank

the duc

French for the duke; here a young French noble whom Buonaparte had shot

Monsieur Pierre×3

French: Mister Pierre; the writer names him the French way

“Dieu! Mon Dieu!”

French: God! My God!

my dear Monsieur Pierre

French: my dear Mister Pierre, both warm and polite

a duc

French for a duke, a lord of the highest rank

une dame

French: a lady

Old word forms13 entries

Old forms of words you know. Learn them once.

let him who touches it beware

anyone who touches it will answer for it

Why,

an old way of showing surprise, not the question word

for

because

said she

she said

smile their appreciation

show by smiling that they thought it clever

What,

an old cry of shock, not the question word

cried he

he said loudly

I should have called him a great man

I would have called him a great man

that he might

so that he could

Well, after that...

an old cry of shock, meaning there is nothing left to say

I should like

I would like

kindly

warm and friendly

Here×2

at this point, not in a place

Words113 entries

In the order you will meet them.

sarcastic×2

saying one thing and meaning the opposite, to mock

The sovereigns×2

the kings and emperors of Europe

endure

accept without acting

menace

a danger

betrayal

the breaking of a promise to their own side

ambassadors

official messengers sent from one ruler to another

the usurper×2

the man who seized a throne that was not his

disdainfully

in a way that shows he thinks little of them

gazing

looking steadily

vicomte×16

French nobleman

lorgnette

a pair of glasses on a handle, raised to the eyes to look throughan object or practice the period took for granted

tracing

drawing the outline of

better acquainted

who knows more

intrigues

secret plots

exile

forcing people to live outside their own country

executions

killings ordered by the state

shrugged×2

lifted and dropped his shoulders, meaning he could say no more

melancholy

sadness

reference

mention

form of government

the way a country is to be ruledan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

its rightful king

the king they believe has the true claiman ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

amiable

friendly

the royalist emigrant

a Frenchman who ran from the Revolution and still wants a kingan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

doubtful

not at all certain

rightly

correctly

the old regime

the way France was ruled before the Revolutionan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

blushing

going red in the face

the aristocracy

the noble families

public opinion

what ordinary people thinkan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

quoting

repeating the exact words of

antechambers

the small waiting rooms outside a great man's rooman object or practice the period took for granted

justified

right

the most partial

even those most on his side

ceased

stopped

epigram

a short clever saying

inappropriate

not fit to be said among these people

a political necessity

something a ruler had to do to stay safe in poweran ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

greatness of soul×2

a big and noble heart

that deed

that act

muttered

said in a low unclear voice

assassination

the killing of an important person by surprise

exclaimed

called out suddenly

slapping

hitting lightly with an open hand

solemnly

very seriously

spectacles

glasses worn on the nosean object or practice the period took for granted

desperately

as a man with nothing left to lose

fled

ran away

anarchy

a state with no government at all

quelled

put an end to

the general good

what is best for everybodyan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

heeding

taking any notice of

preserved

kept

equality of citizenship×2

every person counting the same before the lawan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

the rightful king

the king the old families count as the true onean ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

a grand thing×2

a great and fine thing

betraying

showing without meaning to

provocative

made to anger people

regicide×3

the killing of a king

tolerant

patient, as with a child

robbery

stealing by force

interjected

said suddenly, over the other voices

ironical

saying the opposite of what is meant, to mock

extremes

things carried much too far

the rights of man

the claim that every person is owed certain things simply for being a personan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

emancipation from prejudices

being set free from old beliefs people hold without asking whyan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

Liberty

freedom

contemptuously

as if the words were worth nothing

prove

show

discredited

shown to be worthless

preached

taught as right

their hostess

the lady giving the party

outburst×2

sudden loud speech

sacrilegious

insulting to holy things

exasperated

made angry

vigorous

strong and determined

the orator

the one making the speech

executing

putting to death by order of the state

untried

never brought before a courtan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

an imposture

a false show meant to deceive

a swindle

a trick played to get something for himself

shrugging

lifting and dropping her shoulders, showing disgust

a low fellow

a man of no honour

gloomy

dark and unhappy

instantaneously

in that same moment

childlike

like a young child's

forgiveness

that people should stop blaming him

this young Jacobin

this young man for the Revolution; Jacobin was the name for its fiercest supportersan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

a statesman

a man who governs a country

distinguish

tell apart

a private person

a man acting for himself and not for the statean ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

the plague-stricken

men dying of a disease that spreads and kills fast

justify

show to be right

evidently×2

plainly, as anyone could see

the awkwardness

the uncomfortable feeling

charming

very pleasing

Vicomte

A French noble titlerank

emphatically

with great force

eagerly

in a way that showed how much he wanted it

stingy

hating to spend money

footmen

male servants who rode at the back of a carriage to show their owner's wealthan object or practice the period took for granted

a lady’s maid

a woman servant who dressed her and went everywhere with heran object or practice the period took for granted

the maid

the woman servantan object or practice the period took for granted

a livery

the uniform a great house gave its servants to wearan object or practice the period took for granted

spluttered

made broken sounds, unable to speak clearly

gasps

short sharp breaths

the anecdote

the short story about something that happened

unintelligible

impossible to make sense of

social tact

the skill of saying the right thing so nobody is hurt

agreeably

pleasantly

unamiable

unfriendly

insignificant

too small to matter

balls

large evening parties where people dancean object or practice the period took for granted

theatricals

plays performed for and by the guests themselvesan object or practice the period took for granted

Words inside the phrases43 entries

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

acquainted

knowing about something

anecdote

a short story about something that happened

aristocracy

the noble families of a country

availing

making use of

awkwardness

an uncomfortable feeling that something is wrong

azur

French for the colour blue

chimed

joined in, adding a quick word

coronation

the ceremony where a ruler is crowned

dame

French for lady

dato

Italian for given

donne

French for gives

emancipation

being set free

emigrant

a person who has left their own country to live in another

engrêlé

French word used in describing a family shield, for an edge cut in small curves

gare

French for beware

greatness

being great

gueules

French word used in describing a family shield, for the colour red

imposture

a false show meant to deceive

livery

the uniform a great house gave its servants to wear

maid

a woman servant

maison

French for house, meaning a noble family

martyr

a person killed for what they believe, and honoured for it

narrator

the person telling a story

necessity

something that must be done

orator

a person making a speech

plague

a disease that spreads fast and kills many

prejudices

opinions held without thinking or asking why

rallied

gathered together again for a fight

reaping

cutting and gathering a crop; here, getting back what you earned

reinforcement

more soldiers arriving to help those already fighting

rightful

having the true claim to a thing

royalist

a person who wants a king to rule

sovereigns

kings and emperors, the rulers of countries

statesman

a man who governs a country

suppressed

put a stop to by force

swindle

a cheat done to get money

tact

the skill of saying the right thing so nobody is hurt

tocchi

Italian for touches

touche

French for touches

unfavorable

bad for someone

usurper

a man who seizes a throne that is not his

vicomte

French title for a lord of middle rank

whirl

to spin round fast