Eragon: List 6

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 "Bless the Child, Argetlam"–"The Mourning Sage."

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6
40 words 16 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. repast
    the food served and eaten at one time
    He lit it, saying, “A worthy repast, though it needed a good draught of mead to wash it down properly.”
  2. tenacious
    stubbornly unyielding
    He tried to pull away, but her hand was like an iron talon around his ankle—he could not break her tenacious hold.
  3. boon
    something that is desirable, favorable, or beneficial
    It was not something done lightly in Alagaësia, as a blessing could easily go awry and prove to be more curse than boon—especially if it was spoken with ill intent or lack of conviction.
  4. grotto
    a small cave, usually with attractive features
    The walls were lined with the dark openings of caves, which differed in size from grottoes no larger than a man to a gaping cavern larger than a house.
  5. embroil
    force into some kind of situation or course of action
    It seems, Eragon, that we are embroiled in a new type of warfare here.
  6. duplicity
    the act of deceiving or acting in bad faith
    The Twins dislike us—we should be on our guard for any duplicities they might attempt.
  7. arcade
    a structure composed of arches supported by columns
    He stood in an open arcade that curved gently to the left and encircled Tronjheim’s central chamber. Between the slender columns supporting the arches, Eragon could see Isidar Mithrim sparkling brilliantly above him, as well as the city-mountain’s distant base.
  8. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    He tried to catch up with Solembum, but glimpsed him only fleetingly in the abandoned passageways.
  9. frivolous
    not serious in content, attitude, or behavior
    He didn’t care for my ‘frivolous’ attitude toward magic.
  10. plait
    make by braiding or interlacing
    She scooped a pile of reeds from the floor and deftly started plaiting them together, closing the subject to discussion.
  11. ensconce
    fix firmly
    Unfortunately, only the evilest spirits seek to possess humans, and once ensconced they never leave.
  12. visage
    the human face
    His visage was grim, weathered, and hewn of many years’ experience.
  13. brethren
    people who are members of the same social or cultural group
    He held me for over a century and, even now, still has two of my brethren, whom I would free if possible.
  14. quarry
    extract from or as if from an excavation
    Do you know why this seat was quarried so flat and angular? So that no one would sit comfortably on it.
  15. colonnade
    structure consisting of a row of evenly spaced columns
    Rows of graceful colonnades branched up to the dark, ribbed ceiling five stories above. Between the pillars, black-marble bookcases stood back to back.
  16. intersperse
    place between or among
    Racks of scrolls covered the walls, interspersed with narrow walkways reached by three twisting staircases.
  17. prolific
    intellectually productive
    This library may be our most precious possession. It isn’t all our work, though—there are human writings here as well. Yours is a short-lived—but prolific—race.
  18. stature
    high level of respect gained by impressive achievement
    As we were saying, Du Vrangr Gata has heard of your mighty feats, and we have come to extend an invitation of membership. We would be honored to have one of your stature as a member.
  19. facade
    a showy misrepresentation to conceal something unpleasant
    The Twins abruptly dropped their facade of smiles.
  20. benediction
    a blessing or ceremonial prayer invoking divine protection
    He is pleased that you are doing well, but he cautions you against actions like your benediction yesterday.
  21. impudent
    improperly forward or bold
    The two of them looked at Eragon impudently, as if to ask, “What?”
  22. obliquely
    not in a direct or straightforward manner
    They turned so they faced Eragon obliquely and, bending at the waists, drew a large pentagram on the ground.
  23. reprieve
    a relief from harm or discomfort
    Eragon was hot and thirsty, but refrained from asking for a reprieve—he would continue as long as they did.
  24. invocation
    an incantation used in conjuring or summoning
    Drawing himself upright, he gathered together what power he had left and parted his lips to deliver the invocation.
  25. voluminous
    large in number or quantity
    A leather strip encircled her brow, restraining her voluminous black hair, which tumbled behind her shoulders in a lustrous cascade.
  26. raiment
    especially fine or decorative clothing
    Plain black leather clothed her shapely frame, poor raiment for one so fair.
  27. inexorably
    in a manner impervious to change or persuasion
    Eragon was inexorably dragged forward by his own fascination.
  28. acquit
    behave in a certain manner
    Go and acquit yourself well.
  29. sinuous
    curved or curving in and out
    Their sinuous forms wove together like twisting ropes of windblown smoke.
  30. presumptuous
    going beyond what is appropriate, permitted, or courteous
    “I shouldn’t wear it, then,” said Eragon, afraid that he had been presumptuous.
  31. wiry
    lean but strong
    Arya and a man with wiry arms were there as well.
  32. surmise
    infer from incomplete evidence
    “And it’s old enough for some of the tunnels to have collapsed,” said Ajihad. “That’s how we surmise it was discovered from the surface..."
  33. hauberk
    a long tunic of chain mail formerly worn as defensive armor
    The dwarves were garbed in heavy battle gear. Burnished steel hauberks hung to their knees, and thick round shields, stamped with the crests of their clan, rested on their left arms.
  34. sanguine
    inclined to a healthy reddish color
    Farthen Dûr’s crater again grew black, except for the sanguine lantern glow and the fires heating the pitch.
  35. myopic
    unable to see distant objects clearly
    Eragon alternated between myopically examining the links of his mail and spying on Arya.
  36. palisade
    a strong fence made of stakes driven into the ground
    Behind the palisade Orik had helped build, the first row of archers pulled on their bows and fired.
  37. vanguard
    the leading units moving at the head of an army
    They dashed against the rows of stakes, covering them with slick blood and limp corpses as the ranks at the vanguard were crushed against the posts.
  38. magisterial
    befitting an eminent person
    He recoiled at the touch of another consciousness—one so vast and powerful it was like a mountain looming over him. This was who was blocking the pain, he realized. Like Arya’s mind, music ran through this one: deep amber-gold chords that throbbed with magisterial melancholy.
  39. bout
    a period of illness
    Eragon struggled to understand as another bout of lightheadedness made him close his eyes.
  40. trepidation
    a feeling of alarm or dread
    “How long have I been here?” he asked with trepidation.
Created on Mon Apr 26 09:16:03 EDT 2021 (updated Mon May 03 12:41:15 EDT 2021)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.