Eragon: List 4

by Christopher Paolini
In the first book of The Inheritance Cycle, a fifteen-year-old boy finds a dragon egg in the woods and becomes a Dragon Rider.

This list covers "Of Reading and Plots"–"Du Sundavar Freohr."

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6
40 words 24 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. fitful
    intermittently stopping and starting
    Eragon rose with a start and found himself crying uncontrollably before sinking back into a fitful sleep.
  2. jerkin
    an old-fashioned sleeveless and collarless jacket
    He pulled his jerkin over his shirt and laced it securely.
  3. winnow
    select desirable parts from a group or list
    By looking only for the names of ships that sailed in the northern areas, they winnowed out many of the scrolls.
  4. chastise
    scold or criticize severely
    Brom shot him a cautioning look and growled, “Walk back to the house normally. You can celebrate there.”
    Chastised, Eragon adopted a staid demeanor, but inside he still bubbled with energy.
  5. staid
    characterized by dignity and propriety
    Brom shot him a cautioning look and growled, “Walk back to the house normally. You can celebrate there.”
    Chastised, Eragon adopted a staid demeanor, but inside he still bubbled with energy.
  6. machination
    a crafty and involved plot to achieve your ends
    If we go to them, you will be entangled in their politics and machinations. Their leaders may send you on missions just to make a point, even though you might not be strong enough for them.
  7. respite
    a pause for relaxation
    The light was disappearing quickly, and the horses were tired, but they spurred them on without respite.
  8. headlong
    excessively quick
    He sighed in relief, resting against Saphira’s neck, while on the ground Brom slowed his headlong rush.
  9. entrails
    internal organs collectively
    “Keep your offer and tell your master that the crows can eat his entrails for all I care!”
  10. stupor
    a state of being half-awake
    His stupor yielded to sleep that covered him like a soft blanket.
  11. scry
    divine the future, especially by gazing into a crystal ball
    Eragon stared at the water and thought about Brom’s instructions for scrying. Maybe I can see where Saphira is.
  12. discretion
    the trait of judging wisely and objectively
    I’ve been teaching you how to do things, but not whether you should. It takes discretion, something you obviously lack. All the magic in Alagaësia won’t help you if you don’t know when to use it.
  13. tributary
    a branch that flows into the main stream
    The travelers followed the Toark River southeast, along the edge of the Spine. It grew steadily as tributaries flowed into it from every side, feeding its bulging girth.
  14. tenebrous
    dark and gloomy
    Several miles east, a mountain of bare rock speared the sky with spires and columns, a tenebrous nightmare ship.
  15. squalid
    foul and run-down and repulsive
    They forged deeper into Dras-Leona, leaving the squalid entrance behind.
  16. imbibe
    take in liquids
    At the bar, Eragon discovered that Brom’s method of recovery involved imbibing copious amounts of hot tea and ice water and washing it all down with brandy.
  17. alcove
    a small recess opening off a large room or garden
    Black statues stood in alcoves, with sticks of incense smoking in their cold hands.
  18. drivel
    a worthless message
    “It was mostly drivel, but I did talk with a man who knew where the oil was taken. It’s just an old warehouse. Other than that, I didn’t discover anything useful.”
  19. vestibule
    a large entrance or reception room or area
    A vestibule to the left of the altar caught his attention.
  20. belfry
    a tower in which bells are hung
    He bounded through the archway and dashed down a corridor that led to a priory with a belfry.
  21. galvanize
    stimulate to action
    Galvanized, Eragon put on another burst of speed.
  22. dervish
    a Muslim monk of an order noted for fast ceremonial dancing
    The gale grew stronger, flinging dirt through the air and twisting like a dervish.
  23. pinion
    restrain or bind
    Her wings were pinioned to her sides by black chains; there were shackles on her legs.
  24. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    He scuttled to his wounded companion, and they glared into the darkness, hissing angrily.
  25. belie
    be in contradiction with
    The wound was short and thin, belying its depth.
  26. wan
    lacking in intensity or brightness; dim or feeble
    An oxbow moon provided wan light, but he knew that it would only make it easier for the Ra’zac to track them.
  27. pallor
    an unnatural lack of color in the skin
    As the long hours passed, a gray pallor crept over Brom, and his eyes slowly dimmed.
  28. faceted
    having many different sides
    It joined over Brom’s motionless face and flowed upward into a tall faceted spire.
  29. listless
    marked by low spirits; showing no enthusiasm
    A tear slid down his listless face and evaporated in the sunlight, leaving a salty crust on his skin.
  30. impart
    transmit, as knowledge or a skill
    One fact he imparted to me was the name of a man, Dormnad, who lives in Gil'ead.
  31. filigree
    delicate and intricate ornamentation
    Eragon watched in wonder as tendrils of white diamond twisted over the tomb’s surface in a web of priceless filigree.
  32. allay
    lessen the intensity of or calm
    The first week went by without any sign of the Ra’zac, which allayed some of Eragon’s fears.
  33. flourish
    a showy gesture
    Eragon disengaged with a flourish, thrust, and then riposted as Murtagh parried, dancing away.
  34. loath
    strongly opposed
    They had become friends during their travels, and he was loath to tear that apart.
  35. din
    a loud, harsh, or strident noise
    Then a gate clanged open somewhere, and the din of steel-shod boots marching on a stone floor filled the air.
  36. ruminate
    reflect deeply on a subject
    He reached for the water pitcher, ruminating about the elf and Shade.
  37. languorous
    lacking spirit or liveliness
    He tried to adopt a languorous expression. I have to act like I don’t understand what’s going on.
  38. ingenuous
    lacking in sophistication or worldliness
    He waited until the Shade stirred before asking ingenuously, “Why are you here?”
  39. arcane
    requiring secret or mysterious knowledge
    I must attend to certain matters, but while I am gone you would do well to think on who you would rather serve: a Rider who betrayed your own order or a fellow man like me, though one skilled in arcane arts.
  40. mollify
    cause to be more favorably inclined
    “Very well,” said the Shade, mollified.
Created on Mon Apr 26 09:15:36 EDT 2021 (updated Mon May 03 12:53:02 EDT 2021)

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