Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Part II

by J.R.R. Tolkien
In this medieval poem, originally composed in Middle English in the 14th century, a mysterious green knight issues a challenge to the knights of King Arthur's court. Learn these words from the translation by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Here are links to our lists for the poem: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. severally
    one at a time or in the order given
    And so this Yule passed over and the year after,
    and severally the seasons ensued in their turn...
  2. doublet
    a man's close-fitting jacket, worn during the Renaissance
    The stern man stepped thereon and the steel things handled,
    dressed in a doublet of damask of Tharsia,
    and over it a cunning capadoce that was closed at the throat
    and with fair ermine was furred all within.
  3. betide
    become of; happen to
    ...and armlets well burnished upon both of his arms,
    with gay elbow-pieces and gloves of plate,
    and all the goodly gear to guard him whatever
    betide...
  4. popinjay
    an archaic term for a parrot
    ...a light kerchief was laid o’er the beaver,
    all braided and bound with the brightest gems
    upon broad silken broidery, with birds on the seams
    like popinjays depainted, here preening and there,
    turtles and true-loves, entwined as thickly
    as if many sempstresses had the sewing full seven winters
    in hand.
  5. unsullied
    spotlessly clean and fresh
    So it suits well this knight and his unsullied arms;
    for ever faithful in five points, and five times under each,
    Gawain as good was acknowledged and as gold refined,
    devoid of every vice and with virtues adorned.
  6. behoove
    be appropriate or necessary
    To behave with more heed would have behoved one of sense,
    and that dear lord duly a duke to have made,
    illustrious leader of liegemen in this land as befits him;
    and that would better have been than to be butchered to death,
    beheaded by an elvish mail for an arrogant vaunt.
  7. vaunt
    extravagant self-praise
    To behave with more heed would have behoved one of sense,
    and that dear lord duly a duke to have made,
    illustrious leader of liegemen in this land as befits him;
    and that would better have been than to be butchered to death,
    beheaded by an elvish man for an arrogant vaunt.
  8. palisade
    a strong fence made of stakes driven into the ground
    ...the castle most comely that ever a king possessed
    placed amid a pleasaunce with a park all about it,
    within a palisade of pointed pales set closely
    that took its turn round the trees for two miles or more.
  9. expound
    add details to clarify an idea
    Now fairly shall we mark the fine points of manners,
    and the perfect expressions of polished converse.
    How speech is well spent will be expounded unasked,
    since we have found here this fine father of breeding.
  10. bedeck
    decorate
    ...the other was clad with a cloth that enclosed all her neck,
    enveloped was her black chin with chalk-white veils,
    her forehead folded in silk, and so fumbled all up,
    so topped up and trinketed and with trifles bedecked
    that naught was bare of that beldame but her brows all black...
  11. troth
    a solemn pledge of fidelity
    ‘And I shall try, by my troth, to contend with the best
    ere I forfeit this hood, with the help of my friends!’
  12. jollity
    feeling jovial and full of good humor
    Thus with laughter and jollity the lord made his jests
    to gladden Sir Gawain with games that night...
  13. tryst
    a secret rendezvous, especially a romantic one
    For the terms of a tryst were between us established
    to meet that man at that mark, if I remained alive,
    and the named New Year is now nearly upon me,
    and I would look on that lord, if God will allow me,
    more gladly, by God's son, than gain any treasure.
  14. behest
    an authoritative command or request
    Then he called to the knight, crying out loudly:
    ‘You have promised to do whatever deed I propose.
    Will you hold this behest here, at this moment?’
  15. bandy
    discuss lightly
    They laughed one and all;
    they drank and they dallied, and they did as they pleased,
    these lords and ladies, as long as they wished,
    and then with customs of France and many courtly phrases
    they stood in sweet debate and soft words bandied,
    and lovingly they kissed, their leave taking.
Created on Wed Sep 04 08:53:20 EDT 2019 (updated Mon Aug 11 12:46:39 EDT 2025)

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