The Return of the King: Book Five: Chapters 1-3

by J.R.R. Tolkien
In the third and final part of The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf, Aragorn, and their companions attempt to defend Minas Tirith from the forces of Sauron, while Sam and Frodo continue their quest to destroy the One Ring.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Book Five: Chapters 1-3, Book Five: Chapters 4-6, Book Five: Chapters 7-10, Book Six: Chapters 1-5, Book Six: Chapters 6-9

Here are links to our lists for other works by J.R.R. Tolkien: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Hobbit
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. beacon
    a fire that can be seen from a distance
    The beacons of Gondor are alight, calling for aid. War is kindled. See, there is the fire on Amon Dîn, and flame on Eilenach; and there they go speeding west: Nardol, Erelas, Min-Rimmon, Calenhad, and the Halifirien on the borders of Rohan.
  2. valiant
    having or showing heroism or courage
    ‘And as for valour, that cannot be computed by stature. He has passed through more battles and perils than you have, Ingold, though you be twice his height; and he comes now from the storming of Isengard, of which we bear tidings, and great weariness is on him, or I would wake him. His name is Peregrin, a very valiant man.’
  3. summons
    a request to be present
    ‘This is the last portion of the wall to be put in defence: the least open to attack, for it looks towards our friends of Rohan. Do you know aught of them? Will they answer the summons, think you?’
  4. quay
    wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline
    There Anduin, going in a wide knee about the hills of Emyn Arnen in South Ithilien, bent sharply west, and the out-wall rose upon its very brink; and beneath it lay the quays and landings of the Harlond for craft that came upstream from the southern fiefs.
  5. fief
    a piece of land held under the feudal system
    But beyond, in the great fief of Belfalas, dwelt Prince Imrahil in his castle of Dol Amroth by the sea, and he was of high blood, and his folk also, tall men and proud with sea-grey eyes.
  6. stewardship
    the position of someone who manages the affairs of others
    I must come to your Lord Denethor, while his stewardship lasts.
  7. bastion
    projecting part of a rampart or other fortification
    For partly in the primeval shaping of the hill, partly by the mighty craft and labour of old, there stood up from the rear of the wide court behind the Gate a towering bastion of stone, its edge sharp as a ship-keel facing east.
  8. citadel
    a stronghold for shelter during a battle
    A strong citadel it was indeed, and not to be taken by a host of enemies, if there were any within that could hold weapons; unless some foe could come behind and scale the lower skirts of Mindolluin, and so come upon the narrow shoulder that joined the Hill of Guard to the mountain mass.
  9. wrought
    shaped to fit by altering the contours of a pliable mass
    The Guards of the gate were robed in black, and their helms were of strange shape, high-crowned, with long cheek-guards close-fitting to the face, and above the cheek-guards were set the white wings of sea-birds; but the helms gleamed with a flame of silver, for they were indeed wrought of mithril, heirlooms from the glory of old days.
  10. livery
    a uniform, especially worn by servants and chauffeurs
    This was the livery of the heirs of Elendil, and none wore it now in all Gondor, save the Guards of the Citadel before the Court of the Fountain where the White Tree once had grown.
  11. monolith
    a single great stone, often in the form of a column
    Monoliths of black marble, they rose to great capitals carved in many strange figures of beasts and leaves; and far above in shadow the wide vaulting gleamed with dull gold, inset with flowing traceries of many colours.
  12. twain
    two items of the same kind
    ‘One of the twain. The other is with Théoden of Rohan and may come hereafter. Halflings they are, as you see, yet this is not he of whom the omens spoke.’
  13. belie
    represent falsely
    ‘I see that strange tales are woven about you,’ said Denethor, ‘and once again it is shown that looks may belie the man — or the halfling...'
  14. fealty
    the loyalty that one owes to a country, sovereign, or lord
    ‘Here do I swear fealty and service to Gondor, and to the Lord and Steward of the realm, to speak and to be silent, to do and to let be, to come and to go, in need or plenty, in peace or war, in living or dying, from this hour henceforth, until my lord release me, or death take me, or the world end. So say I, Peregrin son of Paladin of the Shire of the Halflings.’
  15. alcove
    a small recess opening off a large room or garden
    Pippin saw then that they had been standing in alcoves on either side of the door, unseen as he and Gandalf entered.
  16. smolder
    burn slowly and without a flame
    He turned his dark eyes on Gandalf, and now Pippin saw a likeness between the two, and he felt the strain between them, almost as if he saw a line of smouldering fire, drawn from eye to eye, that might suddenly burst into flame.
  17. flagon
    a large metal or pottery vessel with a handle and spout
    Then men came bearing a chair and a low stool, and one brought a salver with a silver flagon and cups, and white cakes.
  18. liege
    a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service
    ‘Now tell me your tale, my liege,’ said Denethor, half kindly, half mockingly.
  19. dotard
    someone whose age has impaired his or her intellect
    ‘Nay, my lord, when you are a dotard you will die. You can use even your grief as a cloak. Do you think that I do not understand your purpose in questioning for an hour one who knows the least, while I sit by?’
  20. goodly
    large in size, amount, or degree
    Within, upon the first floor above the street, up a wide carven stair, he showed them to a fair room, light and airy, with goodly hangings of dull gold sheen unfigured.
  21. standard
    any distinctive flag
    The last of them were floating away, just overhead, as wisps of white cloud borne on the stiffening breeze from the East, that was now flapping and tugging the flags and white standards of the citadel.
  22. onslaught
    an offensive against an enemy
    But we await now a new onslaught there. Maybe the chief onslaught of the war that comes.
  23. pillage
    steal goods; take as spoils
    This is no longer a bickering at the fords, raiding from Ithilien and from Anórien, ambushing and pillaging. This is a great war long-planned, and we are but one piece in it, whatever pride may say.
  24. obscure
    make unclear or less visible
    And even at that moment the sun for a second faltered and was obscured, as though a dark wing had passed across it.
  25. blanch
    turn pale, as if in fear
    He blanched and cowered against the wall.
  26. tithe
    a levy of one tenth of something
    ‘So few! Two hundreds, what are they? We hoped for ten times the number. That will be the new tidings of the black fleet. They are sparing only a tithe of their strength. Still every little is a gain.’
  27. hue
    take on color or become colored
    Grim was his face, grey-hued and weary.
  28. muster
    a gathering of military personnel for duty
    As for the king, he will go to the muster that he commanded at Edoras, four nights from now. And there, I think, he will hear tidings of war, and the Riders of Rohan will go down to Minas Tirith.
  29. bearing
    characteristic way of holding one's body
    Their horses were strong and of proud bearing, but rough-haired; and one stood there without a rider, Aragorn’s own horse that they had brought from the North; Roheryn was his name.
  30. stricken
    grievously affected especially by disease
    Then she stared at him as one that is stricken, and her face blanched, and for long she spoke no more, while all sat silent.
  31. skulk
    lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
    ‘Lord,’ she said, ‘if you must go, then let me ride in your following. For I am weary of skulking in the hills, and wish to face peril and battle.’
  32. quail
    draw back, as with fear or pain
    The company halted, and there was not a heart among them that did not quail, unless it were the heart of Legolas of the Elves, for whom the ghosts of Men have no terror.
  33. hindmost
    located farthest to the rear
    The others pressed on, but he was ever hindmost, pursued by a groping horror that seemed always just about to seize him; and a rumour came after him like the shadow-sound of many feet.
  34. hamlet
    a community of people smaller than a village
    Lights went out in house and hamlet as they came, and doors were shut, and folk that were afield cried in terror and ran wild like hunted deer.
  35. sonorous
    full and loud and deep
    But most of the time, especially on this last day, Merry had ridden by himself just behind the king, saying nothing, and trying to understand the slow sonorous speech of Rohan that he heard the men behind him using.
  36. gable
    the triangular wall between the sloping ends of a roof
    For it stooped upon Meduseld, and as it came low, almost to the gable, there came a cry that stopped our hearts.
  37. concourse
    a large gathering of people
    On all the level spaces there was great concourse of men.
  38. hallow
    render holy by means of religious rites
    A rash vow he spoke, as he drained the horn at that feast which Brego made to hallow new-built Meduseld, and he came never to the high seat of which he was the heir.
  39. prudence
    discretion in practical affairs
    But we will speak no longer counsels of prudence. We will come. The weapontake was set for the morrow. When all is ordered we will set out.
  40. somber
    serious and gloomy in character
    No shape of cloud could be seen, unless it were far away westward, where the furthest groping fingers of the great gloom still crawled onwards and a little light leaked through them. Overhead there hung a heavy roof, sombre and featureless, and light seemed rather to be failing than growing.
  41. marshal
    make ready for action or use
    ‘Then call the heralds, Éomer,’ said Théoden. ‘Let the Riders be marshalled!’
  42. girth
    a band around a horse's belly that holds the saddle in place
    Already the companies were preparing to start: men were tightening girths, looking to saddles, caressing their horses; some gazed uneasily at the lowering sky.
  43. lithe
    moving and bending with ease
    Thus it came to pass that when the king set out, before Dernhelm sat Meriadoc the hobbit, and the great grey steed Windfola made little of the burden; for Dernhelm was less in weight than many men, though lithe and well-knit in frame.
  44. quench
    put out, as of fires, flames, or lights
    And so King Théoden departed from his own realm, and mile by mile the long road wound away, and the beacon hills marched past: Calenhad, Min-Rimmon, Erelas, Nardol. But their fires were quenched.
  45. wane
    grow smaller
    All the lands were grey and still; and ever the shadow deepened before them, and hope waned in every heart.
Created on Wed Jan 31 16:33:24 EST 2018 (updated Wed Feb 21 13:54:52 EST 2018)

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