A Storm of Swords: Chapters 13–26

by George R.R. Martin
The battle for control of the kingdom of Westeros continues in the third volume of George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 12, Chapters 13–26, Chapters 27–40, Chapters 41–54, Chapters 55–68, Chapter 69–Epilogue

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 Clash of Kings, A Dance with Dragons
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. unperturbed
    free from emotional agitation or nervous tension
    Hot Pie leapt up, knocking over his tankard, but Tom and the others were unperturbed.
  2. frenzy
    state of violent mental agitation
    Only the scent of the great grey direwolf could send the hounds into such a frenzy of baying and barking.
  3. specter
    a ghostly appearing figure
    Lord Rickard Karstark pushed past the Greatjon, like some grim specter with his black mail and long ragged grey beard, his narrow face pinched and cold.
  4. lumber
    move heavily or clumsily
    The mammoth turned its massive head to regard the two of them briefly, one huge tusk passing over the top of Jon's head as the beast lumbered by, leaving huge footprints in the soft mud and fresh snow along the river.
  5. scepter
    a ceremonial or emblematic staff
    He had no crown nor scepter, no robes of silk and velvet, but it was plain to Jon that Mance Rayder was a king in more than name.
  6. pinion
    wing of a bird
    Red pain lanced through him sudden and fierce as pinions beat round his head.
  7. rancor
    a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
    The two older wildlings looked at Jon with ill-concealed rancor as Jarl said, "You heard, we ride at daybreak.
  8. whelp
    young of any of various canines such as a dog or wolf
    Only then we heard that Robert was dead, and Lord Eddard as well, and Cersei Lannister's whelp had ascended the Iron Throne.
    The speaker is Harwin, who used to be a guardsman for House Stark. In using the phrase "Cersei Lannister's whelp" Harwin portrays Cersei as nothing more than a beastly mother and dismisses the king by insulting Joffrey's humanity, age, and right to the throne.
  9. slough
    cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers
    The bear was dead, pale and rotting, its fur and skin all sloughed off and half its right arm burned to bone, yet still it came on.
  10. ruthlessness
    feelings of extreme heartlessness
    To look at her today, you would never suspect Cersei was capable of such ruthlessness.
  11. vanguard
    the leading units moving at the head of an army
    Ser Kevan was his brother's vanguard in council, Tyrion knew from long experience; he never had a thought that Lord Tywin had not had first.
    "Vanguard" also means "the position of greatest importance"--this would be a fitting description for Lord Tywin, not Ser Kevan. Even though Ser Kevan might seem to be taking a leading position on the council, he does so under the direction of his brother, who not only served as the general of armies but also as the Hand of the King.
  12. enmity
    a state of deep-seated ill-will
    The enmity had waned a bit after Dorne had become part of the Seven Kingdoms...until the Dornish prince they called the Red Viper had crippled the young heir of Highgarden in a tourney.
    Compare with "rancor" in this list. The nouns are synonymous, although the bitterness of "rancor" can be seen in the two words' Latin roots: "rancere" means "to stink" while "in" and "amicus" mean "not a friend." In the example sentences, specific characters and instances are mentioned, but the rancor between the wildlings and the Night's Watch and the enmity between Dorne and Highgarden have developed from centuries of warring.
  13. comport
    behave well or properly
    "Enough! I will have no more of this unseemly squabbling. You are both Lannisters, and will comport yourselves as such."
  14. tantamount
    being essentially equal to something
    To refuse him would be tantamount to declaring that we did not trust him.
  15. acquiesce
    agree or express agreement
    Their brother had been much younger when Cersei wed the first time; he might not acquiesce to a second marriage quite so easily.
  16. broach
    bring up a topic for discussion
    Lord Tyrell will not broach the matter of the Stark girl until after Joffrey's wedding.
  17. nubile
    (of young women) attractive and eligible to marry
    The Stark girl is young, nubile, tractable, of the highest birth, and still a maid.
  18. discomfit
    cause to lose one's composure
    "It was no murder, ser," said Lord Rickard Karstark, no more discomfited by the ropes about his wrists than by the blood that trickled down his face.
  19. ilk
    a kind of person
    "The Kingslayer cut them down. These two were of his ilk. Only blood can pay for blood."
  20. aloof
    distant, cold, or detached in manner
    For the moment he held the riverlands, but his kingdom was surrounded by enemies to every side but east, where Lysa sat aloof on her mountaintop.
  21. feral
    wild and menacing
    They saw nothing living but a few feral dogs that went slinking away at the sound of their approach.
  22. havoc
    violent and needless disturbance
    It would play havoc with Joffrey's claim to the crown, to be sure, but in the end it had been swords that had won the Iron Throne for Robert, and swords could keep Joffrey there as well, regardless of whose seed he was.
  23. cadaverous
    of or relating to a corpse
    The cadaverous sellsword in the ragged leather cloak reined up a moment, then fell in beside him.
  24. chastise
    scold or criticize severely
    And mind your tongue, or I'll chastise you again.
    The definition doesn't fit the example sentence, because a severe censure is only a verbally critical punishment. But the threat that the sellsword gives here is meant to be a reminder of how, at his signal, his men had beaten Jaime until he was stumbling and bleeding.
  25. adamant
    impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
    The outlaws were adamant. "Go on with you, skinny squirrel," said Greenbeard.
  26. argot
    a characteristic language of a particular group
    Kraznys's High Valyrian was twisted and thickened by the characteristic growl of Ghis, and flavored here and there with words of slaver argot.
  27. cull
    remove something that has been rejected
    "Those who cannot are culled in training, along with those who cannot run all day in full pack, scale a mountain in the black of night, walk across a bed of coals, or slay an infant."
  28. resilient
    rebounding readily
    Tell her they are like Valyrian steel, folded over and over and hammered for years on end, until they are stronger and more resilient than any metal on earth.
  29. gaudy
    tastelessly showy
    The Other's servants oft hide black hearts in gaudy light, so R'hllor gives his priests the power to see through falsehoods.
  30. disquiet
    make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed
    It was good to learn that Salla had not sold him, but the thought of the red woman spying out his secrets with her fires disquieted him more than he could say.
    Compare with "discomfit" in this list. The two verbs are synonymous, but they are better fits for their own example sentences. Lord Karstark has physical discomforts such as ropes and blood that would discomfit most people (but not so much him because he believes he had done what was right). Davos is disquieted more than he could say by the red woman's ability to spy out his secrets without him saying a word, and this makes him even quieter.
Created on Sat Jan 11 21:45:09 EST 2014 (updated Mon Oct 01 17:02:25 EDT 2018)

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