- choleranounChapter 1 →
A deadly infectious disease spread through contaminated water that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, killing thousands during World War I military campaigns.
“At the start of the winter came the permanent rain and with the rain came the cholera.”
- capesnounChapter 1 →
Loose, sleeveless outer garments worn over the shoulders like a cloak, used here as military rain gear to keep soldiers dry on the march.
“the troops were muddy and wet in their capes.”
- messnounChapter 2 →
The room or hall where military officers eat their meals together and spend off-duty time socializing.
- blushedverbChapter 2 →
Turned red in the face from embarrassment or shyness, an involuntary reaction showing the priest's innocence among the rougher officers.
“The priest was young and blushed easily and Rinaldi was teasing him.”
- whirledverbChapter 2 →
Spun around rapidly; here describes the dizzy, disorienting sensation of a room seeming to rotate when a person is very drunk.
“the smoke of cafés and nights when the room whirled and you needed to look at the wall to make it stop.”
- rattanadjectiveChapter 3 →
Made from the tough, flexible stem of a tropical palm plant, often woven or used as a cane; here describing a thin walking stick.
“It was a rattan stick and she carried it as though it were a swagger stick.”
- swagger sticknounChapter 3 →
A short, thin cane carried by military officers as a symbol of authority and confidence, not used for walking but as a mark of rank.
“It was a rattan stick and she carried it as though it were a swagger stick.”
- shellingnounChapter 4 →
The firing of explosive artillery shells at enemy positions; a sustained bombardment by heavy guns during warfare.
“The shelling moved further up the line.”
- trench mortarnounChapter 5 →
A short-range artillery weapon fired from a trench that launches explosive shells in a high arc; widely used in World War I to hit nearby enemy positions.
- dugoutnounChapter 5 →
A shelter dug into the earth or a hillside to protect soldiers from enemy fire and the elements during trench warfare.
- bodilyadverbChapter 5 →
With the whole physical body; here used to describe the sensation of feeling one's entire self being violently thrown outward by the blast.
“I felt myself rush bodily out of myself and out and out and out and all the time bodily in the wind.”
- convalescencenounChapter 8 →
The period of gradual recovery and rest after a serious illness or injury, before a person is fully well again.
- Voluntary Aid DetachmentnounChapter 3 →
A British civilian organization whose volunteer members, mostly women, provided nursing and other support to military hospitals during World War I.
- detachmentnounChapter 12 →
A cool, emotionally uninvolved attitude; here describing how military interrogators calmly condemned men to death as if the outcome did not affect them personally.
“The questioners had that beautiful detachment and devotion to stern justice of men dealing in death without being in any danger of it themselves.”
- sternadjectiveChapter 12 →
Harsh, strict, and unforgiving; here describing a rigid, pitiless form of military justice used to punish officers during the retreat.
“The questioners had that beautiful detachment and devotion to stern justice of men dealing in death without being in any danger of it themselves.”
- separate peacephraseChapter 9 →
A private, personal decision to stop fighting a war and withdraw from it, made by an individual rather than by official agreement between governments.
“I was going to forget the war. I had made a separate peace.”
- obligationnounChapter 12 →
A duty or responsibility one is bound to fulfill; here the sense of loyalty and commitment Frederic feels he owes to the army and the war effort.
“Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation.”
- embankmentnounChapter 11 →
A raised bank or mound of earth built alongside a road or railway to support it or hold back water; here the slope beside a muddy road.
“Aymo lay in the mud with the angle of the embankment.”
- sardonicadjectiveChapter 9 →
Grimly mocking or cynical in a way that shows bitter contempt; here describing Rinaldi's sharp, darkly humorous manner after being worn down by the war.
- hemorrhagenounChapter 22 →
A severe, uncontrolled flow of blood from a ruptured blood vessel inside the body, which can quickly become fatal if not stopped.
- caesarean sectionnounChapter 22 →
A surgical operation in which a baby is delivered by cutting through the mother's abdomen and uterus rather than through natural childbirth.
- stillbornadjectiveChapter 22 →
Born dead; used to describe a baby that has died inside the womb before or during delivery and shows no signs of life at birth.
- anesthesianounChapter 20 →
A medically induced state of unconsciousness or numbness produced by drugs so that a patient feels no pain during a procedure or difficult labor.
- idyllnounChapter 18 →
A period of perfect peace, happiness, and simple pleasure, cut off from the troubles of the outside world; here the calm mountain life Frederic and Catherine share.
- palpableadjectiveChapter 19 →
So strong or obvious that it can almost be physically felt or touched; here describing a tension or mood that fills the air even without being spoken aloud.
A Farewell to ArmsNovel by Ernest Hemingway