Word |
Page 1st Used |
Meaning as used in The Lord of the Rings |
Context of use, sentence used in |
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Book II, Chapter 1 |
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| |
|
Many Meetings |
|
chattels |
222 |
A slave. |
Not all his servants and chattels are wraiths! |
brands |
224 |
A burning or partly burned piece of wood. |
The moment the flood appeared, he rushed out, followed by Aragorn and the others with flaming
brands. |
dais |
227 |
A high or principal table in a hall, as for distinguished persons at a feast; also a raised
platform at the end of a room. |
Elrond, as was his custom, sat in a great chair at the end of the long table upon the dais
; and next to him on the one side sat Glorfindel, on the other side sat Gandalf. |
hale |
227 |
Free from disease or bodily infirmity, robust, or vigorous. |
Venerable he seemed as a king crowned with many winters, and yet hale
as a tried warrior in the fulness of his strength. |
errantry |
228 |
Journeying; traveling, as a medieval knight in quest of adventure; roving adventurously; also
wandering or straying. |
But her brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, were out upon errantry: for they rode often
far afield with the Rangers of the North, forgetting never their mother's torment in the dens of the orcs. |
abashed |
228 |
To embarrass with awe or shame; confuse with a sense of inferiority, error, etc. |
Such loveliness in living thing Frodo had never seen before nor imagined in his mind; and he was
both surprised and abashed to find that he had a seat at Elrond's table among all these folk so high and fair. |
carven |
230 |
Carved; fashioned or ornamented by carving. |
In it were no tables, but a bright fire was burning in a great hearth between the carven
pillars upon either side. |
forlorn |
233 |
Lost; hopeless, abandoned, deserted or forsaken. |
He was alone and felt rather forlorn, although all about him the folk of Rivendell
were gathered. |
tarried |
234 |
To delay; also, to wait for, or await. |
that tarried in Arvernien; |
panoply |
234 |
A complete suit of armor, or full armor of a soldier. |
In panoply of ancient kings, |
shorn |
234 |
Cut, carved, made of. |
his arrows shorn of ebony, |
habergeon |
234 |
Same as haubergeon. A short hauberk, reaching to the middle of the thighs; hence any
hauberk. Hauberk: a piece of armor orig. intended for the protection of the neck and shoulders, but early developed into a long coat of mail reaching below the knees. |
of silver was his
habergeon, |
adamant |
234 |
In ancient times, some impenetrably hard substance: variously identified later, esp. as the
diamond or loadstone. In modern use it is only a poetical or rhetorical name for the embodiment of surpassing hardness; that which is impregnable to any applicatio |
of adamant his helmet tall, |
unheralded |
235 |
Not proclaimed or announced beforehand. |
unheralded
he homeward sped. |
carcanet |
235 |
An ornamental collar or necklace, as of gold or jewels; also, a similar ornamental circlet or band
worn on the head. |
the fire upon her carcanet. |
wan |
235 |
Dark or gloomy; also, wanting in brightness, pale or faint, as stars, light, etc. |
the yellow gold and jewels wan. |
haven |
236 |
A harbor or port. |
to haven white he came at last, |
thither |
236 |
To or toward that place or point. |
herself was set, who thither came |
yore |
237 |
Of old; years ago; long ago. |
in Elder Days, in years of yore. |
Hither |
237 |
On or toward this side; on the side or in the direction of the person speaking; nearer. I.e.
Middle-Earth, as opposed to Valinor. |
on Hither Shores where mortals are; |
cheek |
238 |
To address or confront with impudence or effrontery. |
Otherwise he obviously thought the whole thing rather above my head, and he said that if I had the
cheek to make verses about Eärendil in the house of Elrond, it was my affair. |
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Book II, Chapter 2 |
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The Council of Elrond |
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gossamer |
240 |
A fine filmy substance, consisting of cob web formed by various small spiders, seen on grass and
bushes, or floating in the air in calm weather esp. in autumn; a thread or a web of this substance; hence, an extremely delicate variety of gauze. |
He walked along the terraces above the loud-flowing Bruinen and watched the pale, cool sun rise
above the far mountains, and shine down, slanting through the thin silver mist; the dew upon the yellow leaves was glimmering, and the woven nets of gossamer t |
baldric |
241 |
A belt, sometimes richly ornamented, worn diagonally from shoulder to hip, and often supporting a
sword, horn, etc. |
On a baldric
he wore a great horn tipped with silver that was now laid upon his knees. |
Whence |
241 |
From what place?; hence, from source or origin? |
Whence
it came we did not at first perceive. |
delved |
242 |
To dig. |
Too deep we delved there, and woke the nameless fear. |
deem |
243 |
To form or have an opinion; judge; think; believe; consider. |
That is the doom that we must deem. |
nick |
243 |
A critical moment or point. |
You have come and are here met, in this very nick of time, by chance as it may seem.
|
hosts |
244 |
An army. |
But Sauron of Mordor assailed them, and they made the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, and the
hosts of Gil-galad and Elendil were mustered in Arnor. |
weregild |
244 |
Payment. A fine for manslaughter and other crimes against the person, by pain which to the
relative of the deceased in the case of manslaughter, or to the injured person in the case of a wound or the like, the offender freed himself from every further obl |
"This I will have as weregild
for my father, and my brother," he said; and therefore whether or no, he took it to treasure it. |
Bane |
244 |
A slayer; something deadly, as poison; a thing that ruins or spoils. |
But soon he was betrayed by it to his death; and so it is named in the North Isildur's Bane
. |
esquire |
245 |
An attendant upon a knight; any of various officials in the service of a king or nobleman. |
One of these was Ohtar, the esquire
of Isildur, who bore the shards of the sword of Elendil; and he brought them to Valandil, the heir of Isildur, who being but a child had remained here in Rivendell. |
citadel |
245 |
A fortress commanding a city, serving as protection and final point of defense; ant strongly
fortified place. |
Their chief city was Osgiliath, Citadel
of the Stars, through the midst of which the River flowed. |
verily |
246 |
In very truth; truly; really; indeed. |
Give me leave, Master Elrond,' said he, 'first to say more of Gondor; for verily
from the land of Gondor I am come. |
bulwark |
246 |
Any powerful defense or safeguard. |
By our valour the wild folk of the East are still restrained, and the terror of Morgul kept at
bay; and thus alone are peace and freedom maintained in the lands behind us, bulwark of the West. |
loth |
247 |
Loath. To be hateful; also, to feel hatred, disgust, or intense aversion. |
Loth
was my father to give me leave, and long have I wandered by roads forgotten, seeking the house of Elrond, of which many have heard, but few knew
where it lay.' |
boon |
248 |
A petition; a favor sought or granted; a great privilege; a blessing. |
'I was not sent to beg any boon, but to seek only the meaning of a riddle,' answered
Boromir proudly. |
stalwart |
249 |
Strongly and stoutly build, as persons or animals, the bodily form, etc. |
'If Gondor has been a stalwart tower, we have played another part. |
trove |
250 |
Something of value found. |
'You speak for me also,' he cried, and turning to Elrond he said: 'The Wise may have good reason
to believe that the halfling's trove is indeed the Great Ring of long debate, unlikely though that may seem to those who know less. |
Necromancer |
251 |
One who practices necromancy. The pretended art of divination through communication with the dead;
the black art, hence, magic in general, enchantment, conjuration. |
'Some here will remember that many years ago I myself dared to pass the doors of the
Necromancer in Dol Guldur, and secretly explored his ways, and found thus that our fears were true: he was none other than Sauron, our Enemy of old, at length taking shap |
feigned |
251 |
To put on an appearance of; simulate; to make believe, pretend. |
Then he gave way before us, but only feigned
to flee, and soon after came to the Dark Tower and openly declared himself. |
forsook |
252 |
Preterit of forsake. To give up or renounce; also to quit or leave entirely; desert;
abandon. |
'With that thought, I forsook the chase, and passed swiftly to Gondor. |
glede |
253 |
Gleed. A live or burning coal; a fire or flame, cinders or coke. |
It was hot when I fist took it, hot as glede, and my hand was scorched, so that I doubt
if ever again I shall be free of the pain of it. |
mere |
254 |
A lake; a pond. |
Lurking by a stagnant mere, peering in the water as the dark eve fell, I caught him,
Gollum. |
fraught |
255 |
Loaded, stored, or filled with. |
For if that tongue is not soon to be heard in every corner of the West, then let all put doubt
aside that this thing is indeed what the Wise have declared: the treasure of the Enemy, fraught with all his malice; and in it lies a great part of his strength |
rue |
255 |
To make sorrowful; or grieve; make repentant or sorry; affect with pity or compassion. |
We shall all rue it bitterly, I fear. |
devices |
258 |
Command or order; will; desire; opinion; judgement; also, the act of planning; also, a plan or
scheme for effecting a purpose. |
It was by the devices of Saruman that we drove him from Dol Guldur. |
declaim |
260 |
To speak aloud rhetorically; make a formal speech or oration. |
'He drew himself up then he began to declaim, as if he were making a speech long
rehearsed. |
policies |
260 |
A definite course of action adopted as expedient or from other considerations; also, a specif.
course or line of action adopted and pursued by a government or ruler. |
Against it the old allies and policies will not avail us at all. |
bide |
260 |
To wait; remain; continue; dwell; abide. |
We can bide
our time, we can keep our thought in our hearts, deploring maybe evils done by the way, but approving the high and ultimate purpose: Knowledge, Rule, Order; all the things that we have written so far striven in vain to accomplish, hindered rat
|
tribute |
263 |
A tax or impost paid by one prince or state to another in acknowledgement of submission or as the
price of peace, security, and protection; rent or homage paid in money or an equivalent by a subject to his sovereign or a vassal to his lord. |
"They pay a tribute
of horses," he answered, "and send many yearly to Mordor, or so it is said; but they are not yet under the yoke. |
yoke |
263 |
To become joined, united; to bring into subjection, servitude; also, figurative, any power, rule,
or influence entailing subjection or bondage. |
See text above for tribute. |
vie |
263 |
To strive in competition or rivalry with another; contend for superiority. |
The horses of the Nine cannot vie with him; tireless, swift as the flowing wind.
|
abide |
264 |
To endure; tolerate. |
"I can't abide
changes," said he, "not at my time of life, and least of all changes for the worst." |
folly |
265 |
Unwise or light-minded conduct; also, a foolish action; also, a foolish, but costly undertaking.
|
It was impossible to find you, Frodo, in the wilderness, and it would have been folly
to try with all the Nine at my heels. |
tryst |
265 |
An appointment to meet at a certain time and place; also an appointed meeting. |
But such a thing has not happened before, that Gandalf broke tryst
and did not come when he promised. |
waning |
267 |
Wanting, deficient; to decrease in size or in quantity. |
Only the waning
might of Gondor stands now between him and a march in power along the coasts into the North; and if he comes, assailing the White Towers and the Havens, hereafter the Elves may have no escape from the lengthening shadows of Middle-earth.'
|
mayhap |
268 |
Perhaps. |
Mayhap
the Sword-that-was-Broken may still stem the tide - if the hand that wields it has inherited not an heirloom only, but the
sinews of the Kings of Men.' |
stem |
268 |
Resistance, opposition; a check. |
See text above for mayhap. |
sinews |
268 |
Figurative, that which supplies strength or sustains the activities of anything. |
See text above for mayhap. |
nicety |
269 |
Accuracy or precision. - to a nicety, to precisely the point or degree required; to
perfection. |
For he is very wise, and weighs all things to a nicety in the scales of his malice.
|
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Book II, Chapter 3 |
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|
The Ring Goes South |
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Hunter's Moon |
274 |
The full moon next after the harvest-moon; the full moon of mid to late October. |
The Hunter's Moon
waxed round in the night sky, and put to flight all the lesser stars. |
storied |
277 |
Ornamented with designs representing historical, legendary, or similar subjects, by means of
painting, sculpture, needlework, or other art. |
Aragorn and Gandalf walked together or sat speaking of their road and the perils they would meet;
and they pondered the storied and figured maps and books of lore that were in the house of Elrond. |
figured |
277 |
Formed or shaped; also, marked or adorned with figures; or with a pattern or design. |
See text above for storied. |
lay |
277 |
A short narrative or other poem, esp. one intended to be sung; a song. |
In those last days the hobbits sat together in the evening in the Hall of Fire, and there among
many tales they heard told in full the lay of Beren and Lúthien and the winning of the Great Jewel; but in the day, while Merry and Pippin were out and about, |
tunic |
278 |
A garment like a shirt or a gown. |
Bilbo put it on him, and fastened Sting upon the glittering belt; and then Frodo put over the top
his old weather-stained breeches, tunic, and jacket. |
girt |
279 |
Preterit and past participle of gird. To bind or encircle a person, the waist, etc., with a belt
or girdle. |
Gandalf bore his staff, but girt
at his side was the elven-sword Glamdring, the mate of Orcrist that lay now upon the breast of Thorin under the Lonely Mountain. |
et |
280 |
Eat. Preterit of eat. Old form of eat. |
You could have stayed here and et the best hay till the new grass comes.' |
rearguard |
281 |
A part of an army detached from the main body to bring up and guard the rear, esp. in a retreat.
|
The others were in file behind, and Legolas whose eyes were keen was the rearguard.
|
lament |
283 |
A mournful expression of grief or sorrow, as for the dead or for any loss or misfortune. |
Only I hear the stones lament them: deep they delved us, fair they wrought us,
high they builded us; but they are gone. |
marches |
288 |
The distance covered in a single course of marching. |
Even so it will take us more than two marches
before we can reach the top of the pass. |
hocks |
290 |
The joint in the hind leg of a the horse, etc., above the fetlock-joint, corresponding to the
ankle in man, but raised from the ground and protruding backward when bent; also the part of the leg back of the knee in man. |
Bill the pony stood patiently but dejectedly in front of the hobbits, and screened them a little;
but before long the drifting snow was above his hocks, and it went on mounting. |
| |
|
Book II, Chapter 4 |
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| |
|
A Journey in the Dark |
|
harbourless |
296 |
Without shelter. |
We might spend a year in such a journey, and we should pass through many lands that are empty and
harbourless. |
etten |
298 |
Preterit of eat, eaten. |
'But we aren't etten yet, and there are some stout folk here with us. |
fathom |
301 |
A unit of linear measurement, orig. the distance covered by outstretched arms, now a definite
measure of 6 feet, use chiefly in measuring the length of cables etc., and the depths of water by sounding. 30 feet. 5 fathoms = 30 feet. |
Rounding the corner they saw before them a low cliff, some five fathoms
high, with a broken and jagged top. |
pallid |
301 |
Pale; esp., unnaturally pale in complexion or hue. |
Beyond the ominous water were reared vast cliffs, their stern faces pallid
in the fading light: final and impassable. |
doorwards |
307 |
A watchman, warder, keeper; also, a body of persons, as soldiers, whose duty it is to keep guard.
|
They usually stood open and the doorwards sat here. |
score |
307 |
Icelandic skor, notch, incision, tally (notched for each twenty), hence twenty; also a group or
set of twenty. 10 score = 200. |
I can still remember ten score of them without searching in my mind. |
rending |
310 |
To separate into parts with force or violence; tear. |
A noise of rending and crashing came dully through the ponderous stone.
|
ponderous |
310 |
Of great weight, or heavy. |
See text above for rending. |
clippety-clippe ly-clip. |
211 |
|
They were going fast, with a light clippety-clippely-clip. |
blind |
312 |
Without light, dark. |
He is surer of finding the way home in a blind
night than the cats of Queen Berúthiel.' |
whiles |
312 |
At times. |
And he was in any case the bearer of the Ring: it hung upon its chain against his breast, and at
whiles it seemed a heavy weight. |
dolven |
316 |
Delve. Make or obtain by digging. |
All about them as they lay hung the darkness, hollow and immense, and they were oppressed by the
loneliness and vastness of the dolven halls and endlessly branching stairs and passages. |
Buckler |
317 |
A small, round shield, generally clasped by the hand only; any means of defense, protection. |
Buckler
and corslet, axe and sword, |
corslet |
317 |
Armor for the body, esp. the breastplate and the piece for the back taken together. |
See text above for Buckler. |
covets |
318 |
To wish for, esp. eagerly; usually, to desire inordinately, or without due regard to the rights of
others; desire wrongfully; eager to posses that to which one has no right. |
Of what they brought to light the Orcs have gathered nearly all, and given it in tribute to
Sauron, who covets it. |
staggered |
318 |
To shock or render helpless with amazement or the like. |
He felt staggered
to think that he had been walking about with the price of the Shire under his jacket. |
| |
|
Book II, Chapter 5 |
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| |
|
The Bridge of Khazad-Dúm |
|
scimitars |
322 |
Simitar. A short, curved, single-edged sword used by the Turks, Persians, etc. |
Some of the swords were crooked: orc-scimitars with blackened blades. |
affray |
326 |
An attack, an assault. |
The affray was sharp, but the orcs were dismayed by the fierceness of the defence.
|
swart |
326 |
Of a swart or blackish in color or hue, dark colored esp. as in skin, complexion. |
His broad flat face was swart, his eyes were like coals, and his tongue was red; he
wielded a great spear. |
truncheon |
326 |
Broken piece. A piece broken off, esp. from a spear or lance; the shaft of a spear. |
But even as the orc flung down the truncheon
and swept out his scimitar, Andúril came down upon his helm. |
ranks |
330 |
A row, line, or series of things or persons. |
The ranks
of the orcs had opened, and they crowded away, as if they themselves were afraid. |
wreathed |
330 |
To encircle or adorn with. |
The flames roared up to greet it, and wreathed
about it; and a black smoke swirled in the air. |
thongs |
330 |
A narrow strip or hide or leather, used as a fastening, as the lash of a whip etc.; also, a
similar strip of some other material. |
In its right hand was a blade like a stabbing tongue of fire; in its left it held a whip of many
thongs. |
falter |
330 |
To become unsteady in movement, as a person, an animal, or the legs, steps, etc.; stagger,
stumble, or totter. |
He faltered and leaned heavily on his staff. |
wizened |
331 |
Withered or shriveled as from drying. |
...Gandalf could be seen, glimmering in the gloom; he seemed small, and altogether alone: grey and
bent, like a wizened tree before the onset of a storm. |
onset |
331 |
A beginning or start. |
See text above for wizened. |
| |
|
Book II, Chapter 6 |
|
| |
|
Lothlórien |
|
gird |
333 |
To prepare (oneself) for action; to brace up (oneself) for, to, or to do something. |
Let us gird ourselves and weep no more! |
sward |
333 |
A stretch of turf. |
About it lay a smooth sward, shelving
down on all sides to its bare unbroken rim. |
shelving |
333 |
To slope gradually. |
See text above for sward. |
whin |
334 |
Basaltic rock; any of various other hard rocks; also, a mass or piece of such rock. |
It was rough and broken, fading to a winding track between heather and whin
that thrust amid the cracking stones. |
freshet |
336 |
A small stream of fresh water; also a flood or overflowing of a stream, due to heavy rains or
melted snow. |
Some way below the mere they came on a deep well of water, clear as crystal, from which a
freshet fell over a stone lip and ran glistening and gurgling down a steep rocky channel. |
fallow |
339 |
Pale yellowish or brownish color. |
In the dim light of the stars their stems were grey, and their quivering leaves a hint of
fallow gold. |
fend |
339 |
To make shift for, look after, provide for. |
We must fend for ourselves tonight. |
mew |
342 |
A gull; esp., the common European gull, Larus Canus; the sea-mew. |
As mew upon the wing. |
sundered |
344 |
Separate; the state of being put asunder, separated, parted, to become separated. |
Even our own kindred are in the North are sundered from us. |
scrabbling |
346 |
To scratch or scrape about, as with the claws or hands. |
Then he heard faintly a sound like sniffing: and something seemed to be scrabbling
on the bark of the tree-trunk. |
haft |
348 |
A handle, esp. of a cutting or thrusting instrument, as a knife, sword, dagger, etc. |
He planted his feet firmly apart, and laid his hand upon the haft of his axe. |
amends |
349 |
Reparation, as for wrong or injury; atonement; satisfaction, compensation. |
`I shall claim full amends
for every fall and stubbed toe, if you do not lead us well,' said Gimli as they bound a cloth about his eyes. |
aforetime |
350 |
In time past; formerly. |
Yet I do not believe that the world about us will ever again be as it was of old, or the light of
the Sun as it was aforetime. |
arrayed |
351 |
To set in due order; orderly arrangement; ordered state of things. |
Upon it, as a double crown, grew two circles of trees: the outer had bark of snowy white, and were
leafless but beautiful in their shapely nakedness; the inner were mallorn-trees of great height, still arrayed in pale gold. |
drear |
353 |
Shortened form of dreary. |
Beyond the river the land appeared flat and empty, formless and vague, until far away it rose
again like a wall, dark and drear. |
| |
|
Book II, Chapter 7 |
|
| |
|
The Mirror of Galadriel |
|
fosse |
355 |
A ditch; trench, or canal; esp., a moat in a fortification. |
Beyond it was a deep fosse lost in soft shadow, but the grass upon its brink
was green, as if it glowed still in memory of the sun that had gone. |
brink |
355 |
The edge or margin of a steep place or of land bordering the water; the verge or extreme edge of
anything. |
See text above for fosse. |
thronged |
355 |
A great number of things crowded or considered together; also to fill or occupy with as with a
crowd. |
Upon the further side there rose to a great height a green wall encircling a green hill
thronged with mallorn-trees taller than any they had yet seen in all the land. |
wont |
357 |
Accustomed; used, to accustom as to a thing; also to render (a thing) customary or usual. |
Her voice was clear and musical, but deeper than a woman's wont. |
glowering |
358 |
To stare or gaze intently; also, to look angrily or with sullen dislike or discontent. |
She looked upon Gimli, who sat glowering and sad, and she smiled. |
lamentation |
361 |
A mournful expression of grief or sorrow, as for the dead or for any loss or misfortune; the act
of lamenting, or the words, cries, or sounds uttered. |
Often they heard nearby Elvish voices singing, and knew that they were making songs of
lamentation for his fall, for they caught his name among the sweet sad words that they could not understand. |
gaffer |
363 |
A rustic title or term for an old man. |
'It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish, as my old gaffer used to say. |
ewer |
363 |
A pitcher with a wide spout, esp. one to hold water for absolutions; in decorative art, a vessel
having a spout and a handle; esp. a tall and slender vessel with a foot or base. |
At the bottom, upon a low pedestal carved like a branching tree, stood a basin of silver, wide and
shallow, and beside it stood a silver ewer. |
bits |
365 |
A small piece or quantity of anything. |
They've dug up Bagshot Row, and there's the poor old gaffer going down the Hill with his bits
of things on a barrow. |
barrow |
365 |
A flat, rectangular frame used by two or more persons for carrying a load, esp. such a frame with
projecting shafts at each end for handles; also a modification of this, generally in the form of a shallow box with flaring sides supported in front by a whe |
See text above for bits. |
wrack |
367 |
Wreck or wreckage cast ashore by the sea; also, shipwreck hence, ruin or destruction. |
Then he saw against the Sun, sinking blood-red into a wrack
of clouds, the black outline of a tall ship with torn sails riding up out of the West. |
wherefore |
368 |
Interrogative adverb. For what? |
Do you not see now wherefore your coming is to us as the footstep of Doom? |
assuaged |
368 |
To make milder or less severe; mitigate (pain, wrath, etc.). |
'The love of the Elves for their land and their works is deeper than the depths of the sea, and
their regret is undying and cannot ever wholly be assuaged. |
lo |
368 |
An exclamation of surprise, greeting, etc. Also, Look! see! behold! |
Then she let her hand fall, and the light faded, and suddenly she laughed again, and lo
! she was shrunken: a slender elf-woman, clad in simple white, whose gentle voice was soft and sad. |
| |
|
Book II, Chapter 8 |
|
| |
|
Farewell to Lórien |
|
hythe |
374 |
Hithe. A port or haven; esp., a landing place on a river. |
On the bank of the Silverlode, at some distance up from the meeting of the streams, there was a
hythe of white stones and white wood. |
lade |
375 |
To load, as with a burden of cargo; charge of fill abundantly; load oppressively or burden. |
They will not sink, lade them as you will; but they are wayward
if mishandled. |
wayward |
375 |
bottom l |
See text above for lade. |
wistfully |
375 |
Pensive or melancholy; longing; showing a feeling of longing tinged with melancholy; an
ostentatious display. |
Sam sat in the bows, clutching the sides, and looking back wistfully to the shore.
|
burnished |
375 |
To make metal smooth and bright. |
Its beak shone like burnished gold, and its eyes glinted like jet
set in yellow stones; its huge white wings were half lifted. |
jet |
375 |
A black, inflammable fossil substance, susceptible of a high polish, found in beds of lignite and
elsewhere, used for making beads, jewelry, buttons, etc.; also, the color of this substance, a deep, glossy black; also, the color of jet; black as jet. Jet |
See text above for burnished. |
strand |
375 |
The land bordering the sea or ocean, or, formerly, a river. |
And by the strand of Ilmarin there grew a golden Tree. |
twined |
376 |
To become twisted together, as two things, or as one thing with another; also, to wind by itself.
|
And in a fading crown have twined the golden elanor. |
stayed |
376 |
Stay - To stop or halt; cease or desist; pause or wait; as for a moment, before proceeding or
continuing. |
Aragorn stayed his boat as the Swan-ship drew alongside. |
cataracts |
376 |
A descent of water over a steeply falling surface; a waterfall, esp. one of considerable size;
hence any furious rush or downpour of water. |
There it casts its arms about the steep shores of the isle, and falls then with a great noise and
smoke over the cataracts of Rauros down into the Nindalf, the Wetwang as it is called in your tongue. |
fen |
376 |
Low land covered wholly or partly with water; boggy land; a marsh. |
That is a wide region of sluggish fen where the stream becomes tortuous
and much divided. |
tortuous |
376 |
Twisting, winding. Full of twist, turns and bends. |
See text above for fen. |
mead |
377 |
An alcoholic liquor made by fermenting a mixture of honey and water; also any of various
non-alcoholic beverages. |
Now Galadriel rose from the grass, and taking a cup from one of her maidens she filled it with
white mead and gave it to Celeborn. |
tresses |
379 |
Tress - a plait or braid of the hair or head; also, any long lock or curl of hair, esp. of a
woman, not plaited (a braid, as of hair or straw) or braided. |
Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses, and cut off three golden hairs, and
laid them in Gimli's hand. |
phial |
379 |
Same as vial. A small vessel for liquids. As one of glass; now, esp., a small glass bottle
for holding medicines or the like. Also, a store or accumulation (of wrath, indignation, etc.) poured out upon an offender, victim, or other object (from the seven |
She held up a small crystal phial: it glittered as she moved it, and rays of white
light sprang from her hand. |
graven |
380 |
Carved, sculpted; engraved. |
Yet as is the way of Elvish words, they remained graven
in his memory, and long afterwards he interpreted them, as well as he could: the language was that of Elven-song and spoke of things little known on Middle-earth. |
fretting |
382 |
To move in agitation or commotion, as water. |
Frodo sat and listened to the faint lap and gurgle of the River fretting
among the tree-roots and driftwood near the shore, until his head nodded and he fell into an uneasy sleep. |
| |
|
Book II, Chapter 9 |
|
| |
|
The Great River |
|
husbanding |
383 |
Careful or thrifty management. |
Aragorn let them drift with the stream as they wished, husbanding
their strength against weariness to come. |
meads |
384 |
A meadow. |
Here and there through the openings Frodo could catch sudden glimpses of rolling meads
, and far beyond them hills in the sunset, and away on the edge of sight a dark line, where marched the southernmost ranks of the Misty Mountains. |
shoals |
384 |
Of little depth, as water; shallow; also, a sand-bank or sand-bar in the bed of a body of water,
esp. one which shows at low water. |
Soon the River broadened and grew more shallow; long stony beaches lay upon the east, and there
were gravel-shoals in the water, so that careful steering was needed. |
wold |
384 |
An open, elevated tract of country: esp. applied in plural, to districts in parts of England (as
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire), resembling the downs of the southern counties. |
The Brown Lands rose into bleak wolds, over which flowed a chill air from the East.
|
eyot |
385 |
An islet; an ait (a small island in a river). |
That night they camped on a small eyot close to the western bank. |
whatever-it-wa s |
|
Denoting an unnamed person, thing, quality, etc.; chiefly used as a perfunctory designation of
anything a speaker is reluctant or unable to describe specifically. |
For the whatever-it-was was coming along fast now and getting close behind Gimli.
|
plashing |
386 |
To splash, or move with a splash, in water or the like, as oars, fish, etc. |
I thought I heard some soft plashing
and a sniffing noise, a while back; but you hear a lot of such queer sounds by a river at night.' |
gunwale |
387 |
The upper edge of a vessel's or boat's side. |
A long whitish hand could be dimly seen as it shot out and grabbed the gunwale; two
pale lamplike eyes shone coldly as they peered inside, and then they lifted and gazed up at Frodo on the eyot. |
writhen |
387 |
Twisted; contorted. |
Behind them stood low crumbling cliffs, and chimneys of grey weathered stone dark with ivy; and
beyond these again there rose high ridges crowned with wind-writhen firs. |
shingle |
389 |
Small, water-worn stones or pebbles such as lie in loose sheets or beds on the seashore. |
Sam thought he could glimpse black figures running to and fro upon the long shingle
-banks that lay under the eastern shore. |
fenny |
392 |
See definition for fen. |
The vale of Entwash is flat and fenny, and fog is a deadly peril there for those on
foot and laden. |
portage |
392 |
The act of carrying; carriage, esp., the carrying of boats, goods, etc. overland from one
navigable water to another; a place or course over which this must be done. |
No road was made by the Men of Gondor in this region, for even in their great days their realm did
not reach up Anduin beyond the Emyn Muil; but there is a portage-way somewhere on the western shore, if I can find it. |
lee |
393 |
Shelter; esp., the side or part that is sheltered or turned away from the wins. |
We have found it, but it lies well back from the water-side here, and runs under the lee
of a rock-wall, a furlong or more from the shore. |
briars |
394 |
Brier. A prickly plant or shrub; esp. the sweetbrier or the greenbrier. |
Then with little further hindrance, save from sprawling briars
and many fallen stones, they moved forward all together. |
draggled |
394 |
To hang trailing; become draggled; also, to follow slowly. |
Slowly the sky above grew lighter, and then suddenly the clouds broke, and their draggled
fringes trailed away northward up the River. |
thrawn |
394 |
Twisted; crooked. |
Before the travellers lay a wide ravine, with great rocky sides to which clung, upon shelves and
in narrow crevices, a few thrawn trees. |
cowered |
395 |
To bend with knees and back; stand or squat in a bent position; esp. to crouch in fear or shame.
|
Awe and fear fell upon Frodo, and he cowered
down, shutting his eyes and not daring to look up as the boat drew near. |
pent |
396 |
Penned or shut in or up; closely confined. |
The pent
waters spread out into a long oval lake, pale Nen Hithoel, fenced by steep grey hills whose sides were clad with trees, but their heads were bare, cold-gleaming in the sunlight. |
| |
|
Book II, Chapter 10 |
|
| |
|
The Breaking of the Fellowship |
|
wains |
403 |
Wagon; vehicle, or cart. |
From the havens of Harad ships of war put out to sea; and out of the East Men were moving
endlessly: swordsmen, spearmen, bowmen upon horses, chariots of chieftains and laden with wains. |
reek |
404 |
A strong, unpleasant smell. |
Mount Doom was burning, and a great reek rising. |
screws |
406 |
To put compulsion on. |
If he screws himself up to go, he'll want to go alone. |
