The Return of the King: Book Six: Chapters 1-5

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. welter
    a confused multitude of things
    The vast vapours that arose in Mordor and went streaming westward passed low overhead, a great welter of cloud and smoke now lit again beneath with a sullen glow of red.
  2. irrevocable
    incapable of being retracted
    He felt that if once he went beyond the crown of the pass and took one step veritably down into the land of Mordor, that step would be irrevocable.
  3. premonition
    an early warning about a future event
    He took off the Ring, moved it may be by some deep premonition of danger, though to himself he thought only that he wished to see more clearly.
  4. stark
    providing no shelter or sustenance
    In such an hour of labour Sam beheld Mount Doom, and the light of it, cut off by the high screen of the Ephel Dúath from those who climbed up the path from the West, now glared against the stark rock faces, so that they seemed to be drenched with blood.
  5. vigilance
    alert attentiveness
    But as with Narchost and Carchost, the Towers of the Teeth, so here too the vigilance had failed, and treachery had yielded up the Tower to the Lord of the Ringwraiths, and now for long years it had been held by evil things.
  6. forbear
    resist doing something
    He felt that he had from now on only two choices: to forbear the Ring, though it would torment him; or to claim it, and challenge the Power that sat in its dark hold beyond the valley of shadows.
  7. notion
    an odd or fanciful or capricious idea
    ‘And anyway all these notions are only a trick,’ he said to himself.
  8. covet
    wish, long, or crave for
    The mithril coat! Of course, Frodo was wearing it, and they would find it. And from what Sam had heard Gorbag would covet it.
  9. flout
    treat with contemptuous disregard
    ‘You won’t go again, you say? Curse you, Snaga, you little maggot! If you think I’m so damaged that it’s safe to flout me, you’re mistaken. Come here, and I’ll squeeze your eyes out, like I did to Radbug just now. And when some new lads come, I’ll deal with you: I’ll send you to Shelob.’
  10. surly
    unfriendly and inclined toward anger or irritation
    ‘They won’t come, not before you’re dead anyway,’ answered Snaga surlily.
  11. swag
    goods or money obtained illegally
    I’ve fought for the Tower against those stinking Morgul-rats, but a nice mess you two precious captains have made of things, fighting over the swag.
  12. elude
    escape, either physically or mentally
    As far as Sam could see, Shagrat hunted Snaga round the roof, until ducking and eluding him the smaller orc with a yelp darted back into the turret and disappeared.
  13. lope
    run easily
    Then he licked his knife, and put it between his teeth, and catching up the bundle he came loping towards the near door of the stairs.
  14. bemused
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
    The hideous vision had seemed so real to him, half bemused as he was still with wound and fear.
  15. hue and cry
    loud and persistent clamor or protest from many people
    With a desperate spurt Frodo and Sam dashed along the bridge; but they had hardly reached its further end when they heard the hue and cry begin.
  16. drab
    lacking brightness or color; dull
    Barely a mile out into the plain it clustered like some huge nest of insects, with straight dreary streets of huts and long low drab buildings.
  17. stint
    supply sparingly and with restricted quantities
    He had stinted himself, and in his parched mouth his tongue seemed thick and swollen; but for all his care they now had very little left, perhaps half his bottle, and maybe there were still days to go.
  18. cistern
    an artificial reservoir for storing liquids
    For at long intervals on that highway cisterns had been built for the use of troops sent in haste through the waterless regions.
  19. romp
    light-hearted recreation activity
    Whether because Frodo was so worn by his long pains, wound of knife, and venomous sting, and sorrow, fear, and homeless wandering, or because some gift of final strength was given to him, Sam lifted Frodo with no more difficulty than if he were carrying a hobbit-child pig-a-back in some romp on the lawns or hayfields of the Shire.
  20. insatiable
    impossible to fulfill, appease, or gratify
    The crouching shape backed away, terror in its blinking eyes, and yet at the same time insatiable desire.
  21. stratagem
    an elaborate or deceitful scheme to deceive or evade
    From all his policies and webs of fear and treachery, from all his stratagems and wars his mind shook free; and throughout his realm a tremor ran, his slaves quailed, and his armies halted, and his captains suddenly steerless, bereft of will, wavered and despaired.
  22. spire
    a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building
    Towers fell and mountains slid; walls crumbled and melted, crashing down; vast spires of smoke and spouting steams went billowing up, up, until they toppled like an overwhelming wave, and its wild crest curled and came foaming down upon the land.
  23. vassal
    a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord
    Behind them in long swift lines came all their vassals from the northern mountains, speeding on a gathering wind.
  24. impotent
    lacking power or ability
    Enormous it reared above the world, and stretched out towards them a vast threatening hand, terrible but impotent: for even as it leaned over them, a great wind took it, and it was all blown away, and passed; and then a hush fell.
  25. ebb
    fall away or decline
    Their last strength of mind and body was swiftly ebbing.
  26. keen
    demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
    And so it was that Gwaihir saw them with his keen far-seeing eyes, as down the wild wind he came, and daring the great peril of the skies he circled in the air: two small dark figures, forlorn, hand in hand upon a little hill, while the world shook under them, and gasped, and rivers of fire drew near.
  27. stately
    impressive in appearance
    They stepped out of the beech-grove in which they had Iain, and passed on to a long green lawn, glowing in sunshine, bordered by stately dark-leaved trees laden with scarlet blossom.
  28. clamorous
    conspicuously and offensively loud
    And so the red blood blushing in their faces and their eyes shining with wonder, Frodo and Sam went forward and saw that amidst the clamorous host were set three high-seats built of green turves.
  29. sable
    of a dark somewhat brownish black
    Behind the seat upon the right floated, white on green, a great horse running free; upon the left was a banner, silver upon blue, a ship swan-prowed faring on the sea; but behind the highest throne in the midst of all a great standard was spread in the breeze, and there a white tree flowered upon a sable field beneath a shining crown and seven glittering stars.
  30. gainsay
    take exception to
    When the Captains were but two days gone, the Lady Éowyn bade the women who tended her to bring her raiment, and she would not be gainsaid, but rose; and when they had clothed her and set her arm in a sling of linen, she went to the Warden of the Houses of Healing.
  31. presage
    a sign of something about to happen
    She did not answer, but as he looked at her it seemed to him that something in her softened, as though a bitter frost were yielding at the first faint presage of Spring.
  32. revel
    unrestrained merrymaking
    The days that followed were golden, and Spring and Summer joined and made revel together in the fields of Gondor.
  33. puissant
    powerful
    ‘You desired to have the love of the Lord Aragorn. Because he was high and puissant, and you wished to have renown and glory and to be lifted far above the mean things that crawl on the earth. And as a great captain may to a young soldier he seemed to you admirable. For so he is, a lord among men, the greatest that now is...'
  34. vie
    compete for something
    I will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying.
  35. barren
    not bearing offspring
    I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren.
  36. commend
    give to in charge
    And the Warden said: ‘Then I release her from my charge and bid her farewell, and may she suffer never hurt nor sickness again. I commend her to the care of the Steward of the City, until her brother returns.’
  37. remit
    diminish or abate
    All penalty is remitted for your valour in battle, and still more because all that you did was for the love of the Lord Faramir.
  38. scion
    a descendent or heir
    Lo! here is a scion of the Eldest of Trees! But how comes it here? For it is not itself yet seven years old.
  39. reverence
    a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
    Then the withered tree was uprooted, but with reverence; and they did not burn it, but laid it to rest in the silence of Rath Dínen.
  40. alight
    come down
    Then the King welcomed his guests, and they alighted; and Elrond surrendered the sceptre, and laid the hand of his daughter in the hand of the King, and together they went up into the High City, and all the stars flowered in the sky.
Created on Wed Feb 21 12:47:17 EST 2018 (updated Wed Feb 21 13:55:39 EST 2018)

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