Prince Caspian: "Prince Caspian" by C.S. Lewis, Chapters 12–15

by C.S. Lewis
A year after their last visit, the Pevensie children return to find that centuries have passed in Narnia. While there, they help a young prince fight for his rightful place on the throne.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–7, Chapters 8–11, Chapters 12–15

Here are links to our lists for other books in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. sentinel
    a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
    Meanwhile Trumpkin and the two boys arrived at the dark little stone archway which led into the inside of the Mound, and two sentinel badgers (the white patches on their cheeks were all Edmund could see of them) leaped up with bared teeth and asked them in snarling voices, "Who goes there?"
  2. brunt
    the main part, especially of a force or shock
    "I'm not likely to forget it," came the angry voice, "when my Dwarfs bore the brunt of the attack and one in five of them fell."
  3. clerk
    an employee who performs office work
    You, you great clerk, you master magician, you know-all; are you still asking us to hang our hopes on Aslan and King Peter and all the rest of it?
  4. disclose
    make known to the public information previously kept secret
    "And it is in the presence of these two that you wish to disclose your plan?" said Caspian.
  5. tyrant
    a cruel and oppressive dictator
    "But, heaven and earth!" said the King, "haven't we always been told that she was the worst enemy of all? Wasn't she a tyrant ten times worse than Miraz?"
  6. sorcery
    the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces
    So that is your plan, Nikabrik! Black sorcery and the calling up of an accursed ghost.
  7. gaunt
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    Peter had a glimpse of a horrible, grey, gaunt creature, half man and half wolf, in the very act of leaping upon a boy about his own age, and Edmund saw a badger and a Dwarf rolling on the floor in a sort of cat fight.
  8. avenge
    take action in return for a perceived wrong
    "Please," said Caspian, "could it not be me? I want to avenge my father."
  9. parchment
    a superior paper resembling sheepskin
    And while the Doctor spread out a parchment and opened his ink-horn and sharpened his pen, Peter lent back with half-closed eyes and recalled to his mind the language in which he had written such things long ago in Narnia's golden age.
  10. effusion
    flow under pressure
    For to prevent the effusion of blood, and for the avoiding all other inconveniences likely to grow from the wars now levied in our realm of Narnia, it is our pleasure to adventure our royal person on behalf of our trusty and well-beloved Caspian in clean wager of battle...
  11. impressive
    producing a strong effect
    But any giant looks impressive if only he will keep quiet.
  12. effrontery
    audacious behavior that you have no right to
    "I see what it is," said Miraz, after staring at them as if his eyes would start out of his head, "you are as lily-livered as hares yourselves and have the effrontery to imagine my heart after the likeness of yours!
  13. martial
    suggesting war or military life
    And if I do refuse it (as all good reasons of captaincy and martial policy urge me to do) you will think, and teach others to think, I was afraid.
  14. abate
    become less in amount or intensity
    "And it would not be quite fair to Miraz," Peter continued, "to have in sight anything that might abate the edge of his courage."
  15. imposing
    impressive in appearance
    To make up for this, Glenstorm on the right of the lists, stock-still except when he stamped a hind hoof occasionally on the turf, looked much more imposing than the Telmarine baron who faced him on the left.
  16. anxiety
    a vague unpleasant emotion in anticipation of a misfortune
    Caspian and Edmund grew white with sickening anxiety.
  17. stagger
    walk with great difficulty
    Peter staggered, slipped sideways and fell on one knee.
  18. wrought
    shaped to fit by altering the contours of a pliable mass
    The Dwarf-wrought mail was sound and did not break.
  19. spectator
    a close observer; someone who looks at something
    The spectators were holding their breath.
  20. rampart
    an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
    In a few minutes all Miraz's followers were running down to the Great River in the hope of crossing the bridge to the town of Beruna and there defending themselves behind ramparts and closed gates.
  21. frisk
    play boisterously
    Then the whole party moved off—Aslan leading, Bacchus and his Maenads leaping, rushing, and turning somersaults, the beasts frisking round them, and Silenus and his donkey bringing up the rear.
  22. divine
    of such excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods
    She looked out of the window and saw the divine revellers singing up the street and a stab of joy went through her heart.
  23. reverent
    feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
    But all the Talking Beasts surged round the Lion, with purrs and grunts and squeaks and whinneys of delight, fawning on him with their tails, rubbing against him, touching him reverently with their noses and going to and fro under his body and between his legs.
  24. sufficient
    of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement
    "Do you feel yourself sufficient to take up the Kingship of Narnia?"
  25. coronation
    the ceremony of installing a new monarch
    Therefore, under us and under the High King, you shall be King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel and Emperor of the Lone Islands. You and your heirs while your race lasts. And your coronation—but what have we here?
  26. dignity
    the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
    "permit me to remind you that a very small size has been bestowed on us Mice, and if we did not guard our dignity, some (who weigh worth by inches) would allow themselves very unsuitable pleasantries at our expense.
  27. bestow
    give as a gift
    Then, at Aslan's command, Peter bestowed the Knighthood of the Order of the Lion on Caspian, and Caspian, as soon as he was knighted, himself bestowed it on Trufflehunter and Trumpkin and Reepicheep, and made Doctor Cornelius his Lord Chancellor, and confirmed the Bulgy Bear in his hereditary office of Marshal of the Lists.
  28. taunt
    a cruel or scornful remark
    After this the Telmarine soldiers, firmly but without taunts or blows, were taken across the ford and all put under lock and key in the town of Beruna and given beef and beer.
  29. beacon
    a fire that can be seen from a distance
    Thus Aslan feasted the Narnians till long after the sunset had died away, and the stars had come out; and the great fire, now hotter but less noisy, shone like a beacon in the dark woods, and the frightened Telmarines saw it from far away and wondered what it might mean.
  30. commerce
    social exchange, especially of opinions or attitudes
    There will be no more commerce between the worlds by that door.
Created on Wed Sep 09 16:14:35 EDT 2015 (updated Wed Aug 14 10:28:16 EDT 2019)

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