The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: 40 words to know before you read it
The 40 words Arthur Conan Doyle uses again and again in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes that are outside the 4,000 most common in English. Learn them first and the opening chapters read much more easily. Each comes with its pronunciation and a sentence from the book.
singular/ˈsɪŋɡjəɫɝ/33× in the book
… of his summons to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder, of his clearing up of the singular tragedy of the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee, and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so delicately and successfully for the reigning family of Holland.
instant/ˈɪnstənt/31× in the book
It was all done in an instant, and there was the gentleman thanking me on the one side and the lady on the other, while the clergyman beamed on me in front.
goose/ˈɡus/27× in the book
“I hope a wild goose may not prove to be the end of our chase,” observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily.
coronet/ˈkɔɹəˈnɛt/25× in the book
The lowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double the sum which I have asked.
keen/ˈkin/25× in the book
… and with the dark incidents of the Study in Scarlet, I was seized with a keen desire to see Holmes again, and to know how he was employing his extraordinary powers.
maid/ˈmeɪd/25× in the book
… shouted to the cabman to wait, and brushed past the maid who opened the door with the air of a man who was thoroughly at home.
grey/ˈɡɹeɪ/24× in the book
He wore rather baggy grey shepherd’s check trousers, a not over-clean black frock-coat …
carriage/ˈkæɹɪdʒ/22× in the book
It is her carriage.
stepfather/ˈstɛpˌfɑðɝ/21× in the book
“Your father,” said Holmes, “your stepfather, surely, since the name is different.”
advertisement/ˌædvɝˈtaɪzmənt/21× in the book
As he glanced down the advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper flattened out upon his knee …
colour/ˈkəɫɝ/19× in the book
If my hair would only change colour, here’s a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.’
peculiar/pəkˈjuɫjɝ/19× in the book
Do you note the peculiar construction of the sentence—‘This account of you we have from all quarters received.’
fancy/ˈfænsi/19× in the book
Just a trifle more, I fancy, Watson.
morrow/ˈmɑɹoʊ/18× in the book
“If you will be good enough to call to-morrow afternoon at three o’clock I should like to chat this little matter over with you.”
deduce/dɪˈdus/18× in the book
“I see it, I deduce it.
afterwards/ˈæftɝwɝdz/18× in the book
Four or five minutes afterwards the sitting-room window will open.
centre/ˈsɛntɝ/17× in the book
… who had stepped from her carriage, was the centre of a little knot of flushed and struggling men, who struck savagely at each other with their fists and sticks.
mil/ˈmɪɫ/17× in the book
… has referred the case to me, and hence it is that two middle-aged gentlemen are flying westward at fifty miles an hour instead of quietly digesting their breakfasts at home.”
dreadful/ˈdɹɛdfəɫ/17× in the book
It is true that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful mess, but as I have changed my clothes I can’t imagine how you deduce it.
cigar/sɪˈɡɑɹ/17× in the book
… he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars, and indicated a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner.
geese/ˈɡis/17× in the book
“Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your geese,” said he.
instantly/ˈɪnstəntɫi/17× in the book
It was instantly opened by a bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step in.
endeavour/ɪnˈdɛvɝ/16× in the book
“The man who wrote it was presumably well to do,” I remarked, endeavouring to imitate my companion’s processes.
armchair/ˈɑɹmˌtʃɛɹ/16× in the book
… but with a kindly eye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars …
shutter/ˈʃətɝ/16× in the book
Holmes rushed at the bell-pull, tore back a small sliding shutter, and, plunging in his hand, pulled out a photograph and a letter.
frighten/ˈfɹaɪtən/16× in the book
She was so frightened by their violence that she ran away and told her mother when she reached home that she had left the two McCarthys quarrelling near Boscombe Pool, and that she was afraid that they were going to fight.
ventilator/ˈvɛnəˌɫeɪtɝ/15× in the book
You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where the little opening for the ventilator is.”
cellar/ˈsɛɫɝ/15× in the book
Snapping away with a camera when he ought to be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures.
lane/ˈɫeɪn/15× in the book
“I then lounged down the street and found, as I expected, that there was a mews in a lane which runs down by one wall of the garden.
colonel/ˈkɝnəɫ/14× in the book
At the time of the war he fought in Jackson’s army, and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel.
stairs/ˈstɛɹz/13× in the book
A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairs and in the passage, paused immediately outside the door.
gem/ˈdʒɛm/13× in the book
A search was made at once not only of his person but of his room and of every portion of the house where he could possibly have concealed the gems; but no trace of them could be found …
honour/ˈɑnɝ/12× in the book
Whom have I the honour to address?”
madam/ˈmædəm/12× in the book
“My dear madam,” said I, “I am an old campaigner, and if I were not I can very well see that no apology is needed.
opium/ˈoʊpiəm/12× in the book
Isa Whitney, brother of the late Elias Whitney, D.D., Principal of the Theological College of St. George’s, was much addicted to opium.
fasten/ˈfæsən/12× in the book
she cried, glancing from one to the other of us, and finally, with a woman’s quick intuition, fastening upon my companion, “I am so glad that you have come.
swiftly/ˈswɪftɫi/12× in the book
He was pacing the room swiftly, eagerly, with his head sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him.
weary/ˈwɪɹi/12× in the book
My limbs were weary and stiff, for I feared to change my position …
stain/ˈsteɪn/12× in the book
That trick of staining the fishes’ scales of a delicate pink is quite peculiar to China.
whistle/ˈhwɪsəɫ/12× in the book
Holmes whistled.
Pronunciation: ipa-dict (MIT), from Wiktionary.
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