Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Part III

by J.R.R. Tolkien
In this medieval poem, originally composed in Middle English in the 14th century, a mysterious green knight issues a challenge to the knights of King Arthur's court. Learn these words from the translation by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Here are links to our lists for the poem: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. parley
    discuss, as between enemies
    ‘But if you would, lady gracious, then leave grant me,
    and release your prisoner and pray him to rise,
    I would abandon this bed and better array me;
    the more pleasant would it prove then to parley with you.’
  2. decry
    express strong disapproval of
    ‘In good faith, Sir Gawain,’ said the gracious lady,
    ‘the prowess and the excellence that all others approve,
    if I scorned or decried them, it were scant courtesy...'
  3. disport
    play boisterously
    ‘Now He that prospers all speech for this disport repay you!
    But that you should be Gawain, it gives me much thought.’
  4. aver
    declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
    ‘Yea verily,’ the other averred, ‘here is venison the fairest
    that I’ve seen in seven years in the season of winter!’
  5. babel
    a confusion of voices and other sounds
    Then such a baying and babel of bloodhounds together
    arose that the rock-wall rang all about them.
  6. tarn
    a mountain lake, especially one formed by glaciers
    In a tangle under a tall cliff at the tarn’s edges,
    where the rough rock ruggedly in ruin was fallen,
    they fared to the find, followed by hunters
    who made a cast round the crag and the clutter of stones,
    till well they were aware that it waited within:
    the very beast that the baying bloodhounds had spoken.
  7. pell-mell
    in a wild or reckless manner
    Many times he turns to bay,
    and maims the pack pell-mell;
    he hurts many hounds, and they
    grievously yowl and yell.
  8. dolorous
    showing sorrow
    ...the chief thing to praise,
    is the loyal practice of love: very lore of knighthood—
    for, talking of the toils that these true knights suffer,
    it is the title and contents and text of their works:
    how lovers for their true love their lives have imperilled,
    have endured for their dear one dolorous trials...
  9. manifold
    many and varied; having many features or forms
    But for me to take up the task on true love to lecture,
    to comment on the text and tales of knighthood
    to you, who I am certain possess far more skill
    in that art by the half than a hundred of such
    as I am, or shall ever be while on earth I remain,
    it would be folly manifold, in faith, my lady!
  10. beholden
    under a moral obligation to someone
    All your will I would wish to work, as I am able,
    being so beholden in honour, and so help me the Lord
    desiring ever the servant of yourself to remain.
  11. tarry
    stay longer than you should
    Here he was hallooed when hunters came on him,
    yonder was he assailed with snarling tongues;
    there he was threatened and oft thief was he called,
    with ever the trailers at his tail so that tarry he could not.
  12. laggard
    someone who takes more time than necessary
    Yea! he led the lord and his hunt as laggards behind him
    thus by mount and by hill till mid-afternoon.
  13. guile
    the use of tricks to deceive someone
    For all sakes that men swear by conceal not the truth in guile.
  14. guerdon
    a reward or payment
    Beneath your honour it is to have here and now
    a glove for a guerdon as the gift of Sir Gawain:
    and I am here on an errand in unknown lands,
    and have no bearers with baggage and beautiful things
    (unluckily, dear lady) for your delight at this time.
  15. proffer
    present for acceptance or rejection
    She proffered it and pressed him, and he her pleading refused,
    and swore swiftly upon his word that accept it he would not.
Created on Wed Sep 04 09:04:58 EDT 2019 (updated Mon Aug 11 12:50:52 EDT 2025)

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