All 44 Uses of
capital
in
War and Peace
Uses with a very common or rare meaning:
- Influence in society, however, is a capital which has to be economized if it is to last.†
Chpt 1
- "Capital!" said Prince Hippolyte in English, and began slapping his knee with the palm of his hand.†
Chpt 1
- When she said this, he did not reply and only bowed, but again everybody saw his smile, which said nothing, unless perhaps, "Opinions are opinions, but you see what a capital, good-natured fellow I am."†
Chpt 1
- "But do you know, my dear, that was a capital joke," said the count; and seeing that the elder visitor was not listening, he turned to the young ladies.†
Chpt 1
- You abandon Vienna, give up its defense—as much as to say: 'Heaven is with us, but heaven help you and your capital!'†
Chpt 2
- "Really I don't care about that, I don't care at all," said Prince Andrew, beginning to understand that his news of the battle before Krems was really of small importance in view of such events as the fall of Austria's capital.†
Chpt 2
- And she has been fooled in the first place because her provinces have been pillaged—they say the Holy Russian army loots terribly—her army is destroyed, her capital taken, and all this for the beaux yeux * of His Sardinian Majesty.†
Chpt 2
- He tried to say, "That's capital; of course she'll forget her childish promises and accept the offer," but before he had time to say it Natasha began again.†
Chpt 4
- When you reach the capital, first of all devote some time to solitude and self-examination and do not resume your former way of life.†
Chpt 5
- Across the paper was scrawled in pencil, without capital letters, misspelled, and without punctuation: "Unsoundly constructed because resembles an imitation of the French military code and from the Articles of War needlessly deviating."†
Chpt 6
- Especially such a capital fellow as Bezukhov!†
Chpt 6
- "Yes," he thought, "they are capital people, who of course have not the slightest idea what a treasure they possess in Natasha; but they are kindly folk and form the best possible setting for this strikingly poetic, charming girl, overflowing with life!"†
Chpt 6
- Seeing, on the other side, some Cossacks (les Cosaques) and the wide-spreading steppes in the midst of which lay the holy city of Moscow (Moscou, la ville sainte), the capital of a realm such as the Scythia into which Alexander the Great had marched—Napoleon unexpectedly, and contrary alike to strategic and diplomatic considerations, ordered an advance, and the next day his army began to cross the Niemen.†
Chpt 9
- In the course of conversation he mentioned Moscow and questioned Balashev about the Russian capital, not merely as an interested traveler asks about a new city he intends to visit, but as if convinced that Balashev, as a Russian, must be flattered by his curiosity.†
Chpt 9
- In this letter, availing himself of permission given him by the Emperor to discuss the general course of affairs, he respectfully suggested—on the plea that it was necessary for the sovereign to arouse a warlike spirit in the people of the capital—that the Emperor should leave the army.†
Chpt 9
- "That's capital!"†
Chpt 9 *
- To Moscow, our ancient Capital!†
Chpt 9
- …that threatened Russia, the hopes the Emperor placed on Moscow and especially on its illustrious nobility, Sonya, with a quiver in her voice due chiefly to the attention that was being paid to her, read the last words: "We ourselves will not delay to appear among our people in that Capital and in other parts of our realm for consultation, and for the direction of all our levies, both those now barring the enemy's path and those freshly formed to defeat him wherever he may appear.†
Chpt 9
- The words that had struck him in the Emperor's appeal—that the sovereign was coming to the capital for consultation with his people—strengthened this idea.†
Chpt 9
- * "Moscow, the Asiatic capital of this great empire, the sacred city of Alexander's people, Moscow with its innumerable churches shaped like Chinese pagodas."†
Chpt 10
- You surely did not expect to see that Asiatic capital.†
Chpt 10
- Paris would have been the capital of the world, and the French the envy of the nations!†
Chpt 10
- Count Rostopchin was telling a fourth group that he was prepared to die with the city train bands under the walls of the capital, but that he still could not help regretting having been left in ignorance of what was happening, and that had he known it sooner things would have been different….†
Chpt 11
- Bennigsen opened the council with the question: "Are we to abandon Russia's ancient and sacred capital without a struggle, or are we to defend it?"†
Chpt 11
- "Russia's ancient and sacred capital!" he suddenly said, repeating Bennigsen's words in an angry voice and thereby drawing attention to the false note in them.†
Chpt 11
- Whether feeling it necessary to make a sacrifice before abandoning the capital or guided by other, personal considerations, these generals seemed not to understand that this council could not alter the inevitable course of events and that Moscow was in effect already abandoned.†
Chpt 11
- Here is this capital at my feet.†
Chpt 11
- One word from me, one movement of my hand, and that ancient capital of the Tsars would perish.†
Chpt 11
- …of the first of September, after his interview with Kutuzov, Count Rostopchin had returned to Moscow mortified and offended because he had not been invited to attend the council of war, and because Kutuzov had paid no attention to his offer to take part in the defense of the city; amazed also at the novel outlook revealed to him at the camp, which treated the tranquillity of the capital and its patriotic fervor as not merely secondary but quite irrelevant and unimportant matters.†
Chpt 11
- He told Kutuzov that he had come because Moscow, the capital, was no more and only the army remained.†
Chpt 11
- "Paris—the capital of the world," Pierre finished his remark for him.†
Chpt 11
- "Moscow, our ancient capital, the New Jerusalem, receives her Christ"—he placed a sudden emphasis on the word her—"as a mother receives her zealous sons into her arms, and through the gathering mists, foreseeing the brilliant glory of thy rule, sings in exultation, 'Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh!'†
Chpt 12
- Kutuzov's action decides the fate of the capital and of your empire!†
Chpt 12
- "Have they surrendered my ancient capital without a battle?" asked the Emperor quickly, his face suddenly flushing.†
Chpt 12
- I am ready to submit myself in all things to His will; but tell me, Michaud, how did you leave the army when it saw my ancient capital abandoned without a battle?†
Chpt 12
- In Petersburg and in the provinces at a distance from Moscow, ladies, and gentlemen in militia uniforms, wept for Russia and its ancient capital and talked of self-sacrifice and so on; but in the army which retired beyond Moscow there was little talk or thought of Moscow, and when they caught sight of its burned ruins no one swore to be avenged on the French, but they thought about their next pay, their next quarters, of Matreshka the vivandiere, and like matters.†
Chpt 12
- He had never danced like that in Moscow and would even have considered such a very free and easy manner improper and in bad form, but here he felt it incumbent on him to astonish them all by something unusual, something they would have to accept as the regular thing in the capital though new to them in the provinces.†
Chpt 12
- Your last reports were written on the twentieth, and during all this time not only has no action been taken against the enemy or for the relief of the ancient capital, but according to your last report you have even retreated farther.†
Chpt 13
- You will be responsible if the enemy is able to direct a force of any size against Petersburg to threaten this capital in which it has not been possible to retain many troops; for with the army entrusted to you, and acting with resolution and energy, you have ample means to avert this fresh calamity.†
Chpt 13
- The Russians retreat and abandon their ancient capital.†
Chpt 13
- Tranquillity is returning to this capital and order is being restored in it.†
Chpt 13
- We have a new sutler and he has such capital things.†
Chpt 14
- I bought a capital one from our sutler!†
Chpt 14
- "It's capital for us here, but what of him?†
Chpt 14
Definition:
-
(meaning too common or rare to warrant focus) Capital has many other senses including an uppercase letter (such as B in contrast to b); and anything that is more important than other similar things -- especially a city from which a nation is governed. Capital is often confused with capitol which is the building (or buildings) from which a nation is governed. See a comprehensive dictionary for other senses of capital.