War and Peace

False friends6 entries

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

the silver

the knives, forks and spoons

china

fine plates and cups

in society

at the parties of rich important families

It seems funny to me

it seems strange to me

reflected

copied, as in a mirror

it was plain

it was clear

Idioms38 entries

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

newly decorated

with new paint, paper and furniture

the households of the newly married

the homes of people who have just married

has long had something on his mind

has been thinking about something for a long time

you are capable of

you are able to do

the woman of your choice

the woman you have chosen

seen her plainly as she is

seen what she is really like

good for nothing

no longer any use

expecting anything from yourself

still hoping to do great things

at every step

all the time

ranged side by side with

placed next to

what’s the good?

what use is it?

in amazement

very surprised

a man’s honor is safe

a husband need never fear she will shame him

what would I not give now

how much I would give

uttered French phrases between his teeth

spoke French words through half-closed lips, as if bored

fit for nothing

no good at anything

in their true colors

as they really are

there were something in them

they had something real and worthwhile inside them

You have everything before you

your whole future is still ahead of you

how highly he thought of his friend

how much he admired his friend

in the highest degree

very strongly

strength of will

the power to make himself do what he decides

above all

most of all

was often struck by

often noticed with surprise

particularly addicted

loved very much

blushed crimson

went bright red in the face

Without a name and without means

with no family name of my own and no money

For the present

for now

I haven’t the least idea

I have no idea at all

I am fond of you

I like you very much

the one live man among our whole set

the only one of all our friends who is really alive

it’s all the same

it makes no difference

leading that sort of life

living that kind of life

It suits you so badly

it is so wrong for you

and the rest of it

and all the other things like that

What would you have

what else can I do

as if suddenly struck by a happy thought

as if a good idea had suddenly entered his head

Leading such a life

living like that

Phrasal verbs5 entries

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

determines to speak out

decides to say it openly

tie yourself up with

bind yourself to

weighs you down

makes you feel heavy and tired

relaxing into

slowly changing into

give up

stop

Noun phrases6 entries

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

a model of perfection

an example of how a man should be

lack of capacity for

not being able to do

a careless, merry smile

a happy smile with no worry in it

women!

he means women are why he lives this way: he likes them too much to stop

‘women and wine’

a life spent chasing women and drinking

your word of honor

your solemn promise

Words from other languages1 entry

comme il faut

French: proper and respectable

Old word forms9 entries

Old forms of words you know. Learn them once.

Neither cared to begin talking

neither of them wanted to start talking

you should consider yourself

you think of yourself as

what I am to do

what I should do

as it was

though it was

Choose what you will

choose whatever you want

I have long been thinking of it

I have been thinking about it for a long time

One’s head aches

your head hurts

one spends all one’s money

you spend all your money

He asked me for tonight

Anatole invited me for tonight

Words62 entries

In the order you will meet them.

continually

again and again

rubbed

moved his hand back and forth on

a sigh

a long, sad breath out

elegant

beautiful and in good taste

luxurious

very rich and comfortable

table napkins

small cloths for wiping hands and mouth at mealsan object or practice the period took for granted

nervous agitation

a worried, restless feeling

ceased

stopped

irrevocable

that can never be undone

noble

fine and honourable

trifles

small unimportant things

the drawing room

the world of parties and polite visits (a drawing room was where guests were met)an object or practice the period took for granted

a court lackey

a servant of the ruler's household, who only obeysan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

an idiot

a very stupid person

spectacles

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

good-natured

kind and friendly

still more apparent

even easier to see

gazed

looked for a long time

unmarried

single, with no wife

lolled

sat leaning far back, doing nothing

easy chairs

soft comfortable armchairsan object or practice the period took for granted

quivering

shaking a little

lifeless

dull, with no energy

impassioned

full of strong feeling

almost morbid irritation

an anger so strong it seemed almost like an illness

his career

his rise in life

torments

causes great pain to

Drawing rooms

the big front rooms where guests are metan object or practice the period took for granted

gossip

talk about other people's private lives

balls

large evening parties with dancingan object or practice the period took for granted

vanity

too much pride in how one looks and seems

triviality

things of no importance

amiable

friendly and pleasant

a caustic wit

a clever way of saying sharp, hurtful things

that stupid set

that silly group of people

society women

women from the rich important families who go to partiesan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

vain

too proud of how they look

trivial

caring only about small things

concluded

finished speaking

incapable

not able to do anything

a spoiled life

a ruined life, a life that has failed

lacked

did not have

astonished

very surprised

extensive reading

having read a great many books

his capacity for

his great ability in

philosophical meditation

long deep thinking about life and its meaningan ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

regarded

saw

a defect

a fault

friendly×2

warm, like a friend

simplest

most plain and ordinary

commendation

praise

essential

needed

reassuring

comforting

An illegitimate son

a son born to parents who were not married to each otheran ordinary word the author has stipulated a meaning for

consult you

ask your advice

affectionate

warm and loving

his own superiority

the feeling that he himself was better

debauchery

wild living, with drinking and women

dissipation

wasting life on pleasure

shrugging

lifting and dropping

the Kurágins’ set

the group of people around Prince Vasíli's family

the dissipated life

the wild life of drinking and pleasure

Words inside the phrases26 entries

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

addicted

unable to stop doing something

agitation

a worried, restless feeling

amazement

great surprise

blushed

went red in the face

caustic

sharp and hurtful

comme

part of the French words for proper

consult

ask for advice

convict

a prisoner

crimson

deep red

decorated

made beautiful with paint, paper and furniture

dissipated

spent in wild pleasure

enchanted

under a magic spell

extinguished

stopped burning, like a fire

faut

part of the French words for proper

grease

thick oil

imprint

a mark pressed into something

irritation

anger at small things

lackey

a servant who only obeys

morbid

sick in the mind, dark

napkins

small cloths for wiping hands at meals

newness

being new

perfection

being perfect

philosophical

about deep questions of life

superiority

being better than others

uttered

said

weighs

presses down heavily