A Clash of Kings: Prologue–Chapter 13

by George R.R. Martin
In the second volume of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, six rival houses continue to battle to rule the kingdom of Westeros.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 13, Chapters 14–27, Chapters 28–41, Chapters 42–55, Chapters 56–69

Here are links to our lists for other volumes in A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin: A Game of Thrones, A Storm of Swords, A Dance with Dragons
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. sinewy
    possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful
    Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone and by the grace of the gods rightful heir to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, was broad of shoulder and sinewy of limb, with a tightness to his face and flesh that spoke of leather cured in the sun until it was as tough as steel.
  2. dissemble
    make believe with the intent to deceive
    Stannis had never learned to soften his speech, to dissemble or flatter; he said what he thought, and those that did not like it could be damned.
  3. brook
    put up with something or somebody unpleasant
    "I will not treat with Renly," Stannis answered in a tone that brooked no argument.
  4. malevolent
    wishing or appearing to wish evil to others
    Above, the comet blazed red and malevolent.
  5. shimmer
    shine with a weak or fitful light
    At her throat, the ruby shimmered redly.
  6. manacle
    shackle that can be locked around the wrist
    Arya was pretty sure that some of the other men were killers too, the three in the manacles for sure, but the queen wasn't looking for them, so it wasn't the same.
  7. restrain
    keep under control; keep in check
    Sansa always felt safer when Cersei was there to restrain her son.
  8. meager
    deficient in amount or quality or extent
    It was a poor thing indeed, and the meager throng that had gathered to watch filled but half the seats.
  9. sever
    cut off from a whole
    When Joffrey proclaimed her father's death, it had been Janos Slynt who seized Lord Eddard's severed head by the hair and raised it on high for king and crowd to behold, while Sansa wept and screamed.
  10. subtle
    difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
    His sister fancied herself subtle, but he had grown up with her.
  11. retain
    secure and keep for possible future use or application
    "I am your brother, you know. You need me, whether you care to admit it or no. Your son needs me, if he's to have a hope of retaining that ugly iron chair."
  12. fortified
    having something added to increase the strength
    When Lancel saw that Robert was going after boar, he gave him strongwine. His favorite sour red, but fortified, three times as potent as he was used to.
    "Fortified" also means "secured with bastions"--while this definition does not apply to the example sentence, it emphasizes that the results of the fortified wine have led to war that requires fortifying defensive structures.
  13. exult
    feel extreme happiness or elation
    I am walking, he thought, exulting.
  14. sallow
    unhealthy looking
    "It's been a bad year for wolves," volunteered a sallow man in a travel-stained green cloak.
  15. harbinger
    something indicating the approach of something or someone
    He'd seen the harbinger that had come to Maester Aemon with word of summer's end, the great raven of the Citadel, white and silent as Ghost.
  16. effrontery
    audacious behavior that you have no right to
    He has the effrontery to tell me to my face that I'm too old to ride with him.
  17. cozen
    be dishonest with
    "Don't cozen me, Snow, you know I won't have it. Let me have a look at these maps."
    Compare with "dissemble" in this list. Both verbs connect to dishonesty, but cozening requires less time and cleverness than dissembling. Born with physical power that helped him earn some military and political power, Stannis never felt the need to dissemble, and he does not have patience with those who do dissemble. Similarly, as the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Mormont cares more about protecting the realm than about being cozened with flattery.
  18. mottled
    having spots or patches of color
    Scars covered his arm halfway to the elbow, and the mottled pink flesh still felt tight and tender, but it was healing.
  19. vengeance
    harming someone in retaliation for something they have done
    But bearded or no, he was still a youth of fifteen, and wanted vengeance no less than Rickard Karstark.
  20. carrion
    the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food
    The carcasses of burnt and butchered animals dotted the ground, under living blankets of carrion crows that rose, cawing furiously, when disturbed.
  21. impiety
    unrighteousness by virtue of lacking respect for a god
    The old man had challenged the Lord of Light and been struck down for his impiety, or so the gossips told each other.
  22. flout
    treat with contemptuous disregard
    I had flouted the king’s laws all my life.
  23. lout
    an awkward, foolish person
    The dwarf has chased off the lout who ruled the gold cloaks and put in his place a knight with an iron hand.
  24. weary
    physically and mentally fatigued
    So many kings, my tongue grows weary of the word.
  25. reave
    steal goods; take as spoils
    The Drowned God had made them to reave and rape, to carve out kingdoms and write their names in fire and blood and song.
  26. feckless
    not fit to assume responsibility
    Aeron Greyjoy had been the most amiable of his uncles, feckless and quick to laugh, fond of songs, ale, and women.
  27. thrall
    someone held in bondage
    A pair of gaunt children and some thralls stared at him with dull eyes, but there was no sign of his lord father, nor anyone else he recalled from boyhood.
  28. quiescent
    being quiet or still or inactive
    Irri and Jhiqui carried the others in a cage of woven wood slung between their mounts, and rode close behind her, so Dany was never out of their sight. It was the only way to keep them quiescent.
  29. dolorous
    showing sorrow
    Jon was paired with dour Eddison Tollett, a squire grey of hair and thin as a pike, whom the other brothers called Dolorous Edd.
    Edd's nature is what earned him his nickname, so that makes the adjectives "dour" and "dolorous" seem like synonyms. But a "dour" ("showing a brooding ill humor") person is often less sympathetic than a dolorous one. In giving him the nickname, the brothers both brighten Edd's humor while making fun of and encouraging his ill humor.
  30. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
    "A year ago Robert was king, and the realm was at peace," declared Jarman Buckwell, the square stolid man who commanded the scouts.
Created on Sat Jan 11 20:37:00 EST 2014 (updated Mon Oct 01 16:59:13 EDT 2018)

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