The Return of the King: Book Six: Chapters 6-9

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. stature
    the height of a standing person
    For the other Companions steeds were furnished according to their stature; and Frodo and Samwise rode at Aragorn’s side, and Gandalf rode upon Shadowfax, and Pippin rode with the knights of Gondor; and Legolas and Gimli as ever rode together upon Arod.
  2. hapless
    unfortunate and deserving pity
    Then a minstrel and loremaster stood up and named all the names of the Lords of the Mark in their order: Eorl the Young; and Brego builder of the Hall; and Aldor brother of Baldor the hapless; and Fréa, and Fréawine, and Goldwine, and Déor, and Gram; and Helm who lay hid in Helm’s Deep when the Mark was overrun...
  3. plight
    give to in marriage
    Faramir, Steward of Gondor, and Prince of Ithilien, asks that Éowyn Lady of Rohan should be his wife, and she grants it full willing. Therefore they shall be trothplighted before you all.
  4. bliss
    a state of extreme happiness
    And he answered: ‘I have wished thee joy ever since first I saw thee. It heals my heart to see thee now in bliss.’
  5. cunningly
    in a skillful or attractive manner
    Then Éowyn gave to Merry an ancient horn, small but cunningly wrought all of fair silver with a baldric of green; and wrights had engraven upon it swift horsemen riding in a line that wound about it from the tip to the mouth; and there were set runes of great virtue.
  6. impregnable
    incapable of being attacked or tampered with
    All the stone-circle had been thrown down and removed, and the land within was made into a garden filled with orchards and trees, and a stream ran through it; but in the midst of all there was a lake of clear water, and out of it the Tower of Orthanc rose still, tall and impregnable, and its black rock was mirrored in the pool.
  7. intricate
    having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate
    Quickbeam bowed like a tree bending in the wind and handed to Aragorn two great black keys of intricate shape, joined by a ring of steel.
  8. urchin
    a poor and often mischievous city child
    ‘So you have come to gloat too, have you, my urchins?’ he said.
  9. punctual
    acting or arriving exactly at the time appointed
    After the celebration of Bilbo’s birthday the four hobbits stayed in Rivendell for some days, and they sat much with their old friend, who spent most of his time now in his room, except at meals. For these he was still very punctual as a rule, and he seldom failed to wake up in time for them.
  10. fortnight
    a period of fourteen consecutive days
    When nearly a fortnight had passed Frodo looked out of his window and saw that there had been a frost in the night, and the cobwebs were like white nets.
  11. vintage
    a season's yield of wine from a vineyard
    ‘Almost the last drop of the Smaug vintage,’ he said.
  12. cudgel
    a club that is used as a weapon
    When they had called many times, at last the Gate-keeper came out, and they saw that he carried a great cudgel.
  13. unkempt
    not properly maintained or cared for
    When they came to Bill Ferny’s house they saw that the hedge there was tattered and unkempt, and the windows were all boarded up.
  14. bustle
    a rapid active commotion
    Mr. Butterbur had at any rate not changed his manner of talking, and still seemed to live in his old breathless bustle.
  15. retentive
    good at remembering
    Bree memories being retentive, Frodo was asked many times if he had written his book.
  16. ruffian
    a cruel and brutal fellow
    ‘But we don’t want no more rabble and ruffians. And we don’t want no outsiders at Bree, nor near Bree at all. We want to be let alone. I don’t want a whole crowd o’ strangers camping here and settling there and tearing up the wild country.’
  17. uncanny
    suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
    Evidently there was no wish for any uncanny events in the Common Room again.
  18. sheepish
    showing a sense of shame
    With a sheepish glance at his leader, who looked wrathful but did not dare to interfere, Shirriff Smallburrow fell back and walked beside Sam, who got down off his pony.
  19. cavalcade
    a procession of people traveling by foot, horse, or vehicles
    It was rather a comic cavalcade that left the village, though the few folk that came out to stare at the ’get-up’ of the travellers did not seem quite sure whether laughing was allowed.
  20. sulky
    sullen or moody
    The two hobbits at a sharp word from the leader came back sulkily.
  21. dawdle
    hang or fall in movement, progress, development, etc.
    ‘I’ll wait for you outside The Green Dragon, if you haven’t forgotten where that is. Don’t dawdle on the way!’
  22. stagger
    astound or overwhelm, as with shock
    ‘Well I am staggered!’ said Pippin. ‘Of all the ends to our journey that is the very last I should have thought of: to have to fight half-orcs and ruffians in the Shire itself — to rescue Lotho Pimple!’
  23. compelling
    tending to persuade by forcefulness of argument
    Far over hill and field it echoed; and so compelling was that call that Sam himself almost turned and dashed back.
  24. hubbub
    loud confused noise from many sources
    Behind him Sam heard a hubbub of voices and a great din and slamming of doors.
  25. prod
    poke or thrust abruptly
    By the large round door at the top of the steps from the wide yard stood Mrs. Cotton and Rosie, and Nibs in front of them grasping a hay-fork.
    ‘It’s me!’ shouted Sam as he trotted up. ‘Sam Gamgee! So don’t try prodding me, Nibs. Anyway, I’ve a mail-shirt on me.’
  26. enliven
    make more excited or spirited
    Some of the village-folk had lit a large fire, just to enliven things, and also because it was one of the things forbidden by the Chief.
  27. dumbfounded
    as if rendered speechless with astonishment and surprise
    When the Shirriffs came up to the lower one they were dumbfounded; but as soon as they saw how things were, most of them took off their feathers and joined in the revolt.
  28. ruthless
    without mercy or pity
    They knew that the countryside had risen against them, and plainly meant to deal with the rebellion ruthlessly, at its centre in Bywater.
  29. considerable
    large in number, amount, extent, or degree
    The very considerable rise in the fame and fortune of the Cottons dates from this time; but at the top of the Roll in all accounts stand the names of Captains Meriadoc and Peregrin.
  30. lop
    cut off from a whole
    He pointed to where the tree had stood under which Bilbo had made his Farewell Speech. It was lying lopped and dead in the field.
  31. prattle
    speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly
    I thought you’d gone off in one o’ them ships you used to prattle about, sailing, sailing.
  32. insolent
    marked by casual disrespect
    ‘You are dirty and insolent, Sandyman,’ said Merry.
  33. shabby
    showing signs of wear and tear
    Then lifting up his silver horn he winded it, and its clear call rang over the Hill; and out of the holes and sheds and shabby houses of Hobbiton the hobbits answered, and came pouring out, and with cheers and loud cries they followed the company up the road to Bag End.
  34. amble
    walk leisurely
    You thought you had done very well out of it all, and could now just amble back and have a nice quiet time in the country.
  35. apace
    rapidly; in a speedy manner
    Meanwhile the labour of repair went on apace, and Sam was kept very busy.
  36. surpass
    be or do something to a greater degree
    Spring surpassed his wildest hopes. His trees began to sprout and grow, as if time was in a hurry and wished to make one year do for twenty.
  37. begotten
    generated by procreation
    All the children born or begotten in that year, and there were many, were fair to see and strong, and most of them had a rich golden hair that had before been rare among hobbits.
  38. jovial
    full of or showing high-spirited merriment
    ‘Lordly' folk called them, meaning nothing but good; for it warmed all hearts to see them go riding by with their mail-shirts so bright and their shields so splendid, laughing and singing songs of far away; and if they were now large and magnificent, they were unchanged otherwise, unless they were indeed more fairspoken and more jovial and full of merriment than ever before.
  39. supplement
    add to what seems insufficient
    Here Bilbo’s hand ended and Frodo had written:
    THE DOWNFALL OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS AND THE RETURN OF THE KING
    (as seen by the Little People; being the memoirs of Bilbo and Frodo of the Shire, supplemented by the accounts of their friends and the learning of the Wise.)
  40. extract
    a passage selected from a larger work
    Together with extracts from Books of Lore translated by Bilbo in Rivendell.
Created on Wed Feb 21 12:55:14 EST 2018 (updated Wed Feb 21 13:55:28 EST 2018)

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