Vocabulary ladder

War and Peace

Book One, IX

False friends4 entries

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

directions
orders
addressing
speaking to
the stones of the pavement
the stone path beside the street far below
features
face

Idioms60 entries

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

the nearer he drew to the house
the closer he got to his home
the impossibility of going to sleep
that he could not possibly sleep
desired so passionately
wanted so badly
was so accustomed to
was so used to
The thought immediately occurred to him
he suddenly thought
was of no account
did not count
honor and dishonor will be all the same
keeping a promise or breaking it will make no difference
indulged in reflections of this sort
let himself think in this way
on the sly
secretly
trying to set him at the others
trying to make the bear attack the others
I bet a hundred on
I will risk a hundred rubles, Russian money, that this man wins
here’s a bet on
a bet is being made here
At one draught
in one long drink without stopping
in the midst of
in the middle of
of medium height
neither tall nor short
particularly striking
easy to notice
looking about him merrily
looking around him happily
from under his brows
with his head down, looking up
clearly and distinctly
very clearly
the terms of the bet
the exact rules of the bet
addressing himself particularly to
speaking mainly to
remarkably finely curved
were shaped unusually well
formed a sharp wedge
made a sharp point
a man of small means and no connections
poor, with no important family or friends
had placed himself on such a footing
had made his position so strong
flurried and intimidated
nervous and afraid
with his swaggering air
walking proudly, wanting everyone to look at him
smashed a pane
broke a sheet of glass in the window
Take it right out
take the frame out completely
addressing those in the room
speaking to everyone there
the latter
the Englishman
the sloping ledge×2
the narrow stone shelf, slanting down
the terms of the wager
the rules of the bet
to attract attention
to make people look
gave no indication
did not show
who had been losing that evening
who had lost money at cards that night
lowered his legs
let his legs hang over the edge
adjusted himself on his seat
moved until he sat firmly
placed them on the window sill
put them on the shelf at the bottom of the window
though it was already quite light
though morning had come and it was already bright
seize hold of
grab
What then?
and then what would happen?
arranged himself on his seat
moved until he sat firmly again
comes meddling
tries to stop me
emitting the words separately
pushing out each word on its own
without taking his eyes from the window
never looking away from the window
All were still
no one moved
yet further back
even further back
made a backward movement with his spine
moved his body back suddenly
trembled nervously
shook hard
refrained from touching it
did not touch it
he was aware of a stir all around
he felt people moving all around him
standing on the window sill
standing on the shelf at the bottom of the window
smelt strongly of rum
smelled strongly of the alcohol
There’s a bet for you!
that was a real bet!
What next?
what madness will come next?
you go giddy even on a staircase
you feel dizzy even on stairs
was sent flying
was thrown back
you’ll never manage him that way
you will never control him like that
I’ll take your bet tomorrow
I will accept your bet tomorrow

Phrasal verbs13 entries

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

were lying about
were lying everywhere
threw off
quickly removed
kept on refilling
filled again and again
being forced out
being pulled out by force
tugged at
pulled hard at
holding on
gripping the frame to stay safe
went on
kept
took up the bottle
lifted the bottle
were lit up
had light shining on them
looked on sideways
watched from the side
pursing up his lips
pushing his lips tightly together
I’ll get round him
I will persuade him
Come on then
let us go, then

Noun phrases12 entries

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

the usual set
the usual group of friends
a drinking bout
a night of heavy drinking
words of honor
serious promises
the lighted porch
the covered entrance, with lamps burning
the remains of supper
what was left of supper
general commotion
noise and confusion everywhere
Mind, no holding on!
careful: he must not hold on to anything
a tall, handsome fellow
a tall, good-looking man
its sober ring
its clear sound, like a man who is not drunk
the outer ledge
the narrow stone shelf outside
the most striking feature
the part of his face you noticed first
determined and drunken gesture
firm, drunk movement of the hand

Old word forms2 entries

Old forms of words you know. Learn them once.

I should like to go
I would like to go
might understand him
so that he could understand him

Words79 entries

In the order you will meet them.

cloudless
with no clouds
an open cab
a hired horse carriage with no roofan object or practice the period took for granted
deserted
empty of people
visits of a kind
visits to women paid for sexdeliberate indirection the period required
recalled
remembered
dissipation
wild living, spent on pleasure
gathering
party
extraordinary
very strange
ascended
went up
anteroom
entrance room
cloaks
long loose coats worn over clothesan object or practice the period took for granted
overshoes
rubber shoes worn over boots in bad weatheran object or practice the period took for granted
dispersed
gone home
cloak
long loose coatan object or practice the period took for granted
footman
a male servant who serves food and drinkan object or practice the period took for granted
growling
deep angry sound
romping
playing roughly
cried another
shouted another man
cried a third
shouted a third man
the host
the man giving the party
fine linen shirt
shirt of expensive thin clothan object or practice the period took for granted
unfastened
open
drunken voices
voices of drunk men
cried×5
shouted
notorious×2
famous for bad things
gambler
man who plays games for money
duelist
man who often fights other men with guns or swords over matters of honoran object or practice the period took for granted
tipsy
a little drunk
chatter
fast, silly talk
an English naval officer
an officer who serves on fighting ships at searank
rum×6
a very strong alcohol made from sugaran object or practice the period took for granted
resolute
firm, sure of itself
insolent
rude and proud
tens of thousands of rubles
huge sums of Russian moneymoney
clearheadedness
clear thinking
rakes and scapegraces
wild young men who lived for pleasure and trouble
sill
the flat shelf at the bottom of a window
footmen×3
male servantsan object or practice the period took for granted
evidently
clearly
strode
walked with long steps
smash
break
seized×2
grabbed
crossbeam
the wooden bar across the window
tugged
pulled hard
wrenched
pulled with a hard twist
oak
strong heavy wood
bragging
saying he can do more than he can
First-rate
excellent
window sill×6
the shelf at the bottom of the window
cried he
he shouted
imperials×3
gold coins, each worth ten rubles of Russian moneymoney
stooped×2
bent down
hammering
banging
challenge
offer to try the same
release
stop holding
lad
boy
hussar of the Life Guards
a soldier on horseback in the ruler's own guardrank
muttered
said quietly
The lad
the young man
awkwardly
not smoothly, almost falling
tripping over his spurs
catching his feet on the metal spikes riders wear on their boot heelsan object or practice the period took for granted
folly
madness
sensible
wiser
startle
make him jump with fright
compressed
pressed tight
erect
straight
the affair
the whole thing
perceptibly
so that one could see it
tilting
leaning
elapsed
passed
sufficient
enough
wavered
shook from side to side
strain
effort
clutch
grab
radiant
shining with joy
neatly
cleanly and easily
purse
small money bagan object or practice the period took for granted
frowning
with an unhappy, serious face
exclaimed
shouted