A Feast for Crows: Chapters 16–25

by George R.R. Martin
Following their victory in the "War of the Five Kings," the Lannisters consolidate their power on the Iron Throne. Although the war in the Seven Kingdoms has wound down, new conflicts arise in its bitter aftermath.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 6, Chapters 7–15, Chapters 16–25, Chapters 26–34, Chapters 35–45
40 words 14 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. cumbersome
    difficult to handle or use, especially because of size or weight
    A lance was heavier and more cumbersome than a sword, and swords were proving trial enough.
  2. baleful
    deadly or sinister
    The green light of the wildfire had bathed the face of the watchers, so they looked like nothing so much as rotting corpses, a pack of gleeful ghouls, but some of the corpses were prettier than others. Even in the baleful glow, Cersei had been beautiful to look upon.
  3. implacable
    incapable of being appeased or pacified
    Their father had been as relentless and implacable as a glacier, where Cersei was all wildfire, especially when thwarted.
  4. obsequious
    attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
    Soft, bald, and obsequious, Swyft had an absurd little white puff of beard where most men had a chin.
  5. fete
    have a celebration in someone's honor
    “Last night he feted thirty of the Most Devout on suckling pig and Arbor gold, and by day he hands out hardbread to the poor to prove his piety.”
  6. lark
    any carefree episode
    When she was small she would sometimes don her brother’s clothing as a lark.
  7. anathema
    a formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication
    “One will serve as well as another,” the queen announced abruptly, “but whosoever dons the crystal crown must pronounce an anathema upon the Imp.”
  8. remit
    send in payment
    And does it matter who is regent for little Lord Robert, so long as the Vale remits its taxes?
  9. complicit
    associated with or involved in some crime or wrongdoing
    “My lords may not know,” said Qyburn, “but in the winesinks and pot shops of this city, there are those who suggest that the crown might have been somehow complicit in Lord Walder’s crime.”
  10. mollify
    cause to be more favorably inclined
    “A little spittle on Lord Walder’s tomb is not like to disturb the grave worms,” Qyburn agreed, “but it would also be useful if someone were to be punished for the Red Wedding. A few Frey heads would do much to mollify the north.”
  11. ostensibly
    from appearances alone
    “For years now, the Night’s Watch has begged for men. Lord Stannis has answered their plea. Can King Tommen do less? His Grace should send the Wall a hundred men. To take the black, ostensibly, but in truth...”
    “...to remove Jon Snow from the command,” Cersei finished, delighted.
  12. bandy
    curved outward at the knees
    The Barber was a thickset man with bandy legs and long arms, but his eyes were not so keen as they had been when he was young.
  13. shamble
    walk by dragging one's feet
    That was as much as Hotho dared hope for, and he shambled off, content.
  14. restive
    impatient especially under restriction or delay
    He spoke of ships long lost and battles eight hundred years forgotten, and the crowd grew restive.
  15. jaunty
    marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners
    Asha set the collar on her head at a jaunty angle, so the gold gleamed against her dark hair.
  16. ilk
    a kind of person
    The true king, not Robert and his ilk.
  17. cozen
    cheat or trick
    This all might be some ploy to cozen her.
  18. espouse
    take up the cause of someone and use it as one's own
    It was on her lips to ask her guide which king Lord Brune had espoused, but it made no matter any longer.
  19. withers
    the highest part of the back at the base of an animal's neck
    In the grey-green light, the ground ahead looked solid enough, but when they’d ridden out it had swallowed their horses up to their withers.
  20. aquiline
    curved down like an eagle's beak
    Ser Gerold Dayne had an aquiline nose, high cheekbones, a strong jaw.
  21. swarthy
    naturally having skin of a dark color
    Garin was next, a loose-limbed, swarthy, long-nosed fellow with a jade stud in one ear.
  22. disparage
    express a negative opinion of
    Low of roof and wide abeam, the poleboats had hardly any draft to speak of; the Young Dragon had disparaged them as “hovels built on rafts,” but that was hardly fair.
  23. paean
    a hymn of praise
    There were no services, no songs, no paeans of praise to please the god.
  24. redoubtable
    worthy of respect or honor
    And Yohn Royce, mightiest of them all, the redoubtable Bronze Yohn, Lord of Runestone, Nestor’s cousin and the chief of the senior branch of House Royce.
  25. becoming
    displaying or setting off to best advantage
    The dress she picked was lambswool, dark brown and simply cut, with leaves and vines embroidered around the bodice, sleeves, and hem in golden thread. It was modest and becoming, though scarce richer than something a serving girl might wear.
  26. bluster
    act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner
    “Jape all you like, Littlefinger,” Lord Belmore blustered. “The boy shall come with us.”
  27. pliant
    capable of being influenced or formed
    She had played the dutiful daughter, the blushing bride, the pliant wife.
  28. choleric
    easily moved to anger
    He seemed less choleric today, and even managed a sort of tremulous smile.
  29. dour
    showing a brooding ill humor
    That afternoon the dour Braavosi envoy turned up for his audience.
  30. importune
    beg persistently and urgently
    Robert could have put an end to his importuning for good with one firm “No,” but the notion of conquering the Summer Isles had appealed to her drunken lout of a husband.
  31. recourse
    act of turning to for assistance
    The Knight of Flowers had no recourse but to follow at her heels like the puppy he was.
  32. remiss
    failing in what duty requires
    “I have been remiss. With a realm to rule, a war to fight, and a father to mourn, somehow I overlooked the crucial matter of naming a new master-at-arms. I shall rectify that error at once.”
  33. salutary
    tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health
    Looked at in the right light, it could be seen as a salutary lesson.
  34. cretin
    a person of subnormal intelligence
    “Witless fools. Only cretins would hazard their heads upon a wooden dragon.”
  35. coffer
    the funds of a government, institution, or individual
    Any men of substance shall be fined. Half their worth should be sufficient to teach them a sharp lesson and refill our coffers, without quite ruining them.
  36. inexorably
    in a manner impervious to change or persuasion
    His wavy blond hair had retreated, whilst his belly advanced inexorably against his doublet.
  37. entrails
    internal organs collectively
    Show me where they’re hiding, I will gladly slit their bellies open, pull their entrails out, and burn them.
  38. penance
    voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for something
    Going barefoot was my penance. Even holy septons can be sinners, and my flesh was weak as weak could be.
  39. absolve
    grant remission of a sin to
    After the service he absolved their sins and left them with some turnips, a sack of beans, and two of his precious oranges.
  40. accost
    approach and speak to someone aggressively or insistently
    “There is food in these marshes, but only for those with the eyes to find it, and these men are strangers here, survivors from some battle. If they should accost us, ser, I beg you, leave them to me.”
Created on Fri Aug 26 14:52:43 EDT 2022 (updated Fri Sep 09 09:30:06 EDT 2022)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.