imp The
Black Gate Opens, The
Mouth of Sauron: "
’So, you have yet another of these imps with you!’ he cried. ’What use you find in them I cannot guess…’", [
Definitions: a mischievous child or a small
demon. Folkloric
imps were often mischievous rather than
evil or harmful. In some religions, they were attendants of the gods.]
invest The History of
Galadriel and
Celeborn:
"The scouts and vanguard of Sauron's host were already approaching when Celeborn made a sortie and drove them back; but though he was able to join his force to that of Elrond they could not return to Eregion, for Sauron's host was far greater than theirs, great enough both to hold them off and closely to invest Eregion.", [definition: to surround with troops or ships so as to prevent escape or entry.]
ironmongery The
Scouring of The Shire: The
Gaffer sees
Sam and...
"What's come of his weskit? I don't hold with wearing ironmongery, whether it wears well or no.", [Meanings: hardware, items made from metals.]
jackdaw Unfinished
Tales, The Sources of the Legends of
Isildur’s Death (At
King Elessar’s command
Orthanc was to be restored and all its secrets were to be searched out.): "
Many things of worth were found, jewels and heirlooms of Eorl, filched from Edoras…and other such things, more ancient and beautiful, from mounds and tombs far and wide. Saruman in his degradation had become not a dragon but a jackdaw.", [
Definition: a common black and grey bird that is related to and smaller than the crow.
In Folklore: one fable concerns a
jackdaw or crow that dresses itself in the feathers of other
birds before competing against them, only to have them recognized and stripped away by their owners; in some versions all its own feathers are also torn away. The lesson to be learned is that borrowed finery brings humiliation. (Maybe this resembles Saruman to some extent.)]
jerkin The Muster of
Rohan:
"’No mail have we to fit you,’ said Eowyn, ‘nor any time for the forging of such a hauberk; but here is also a stout jerkin of leather, a belt, and a knife…’”, [Definition: a man's short close-fitting jacket, made usually of light-coloured leather, and often without sleeves, worn over the doublet in the 16th and 17th centuries.]
jet Farewell to
Lorien (The Fellowship sees Galadriel and Celeborn’s swan boat):
“It’s beak shone like burnished gold, and its eyes glinted like jet set in yellow stones; its huge white wings were half lifted.”, [Definition: a black or dark brown lignite gemstone derived from wood that has changed under extreme pressure.]
ken The Shadow of the Past, (
Gandalf speaking to
Frodo):
“But at the western edge of Mirkwood the trail turned away. It wandered off southwards and passed out of the Wood-elves’ ken, and was lost.”, [Definition: the range of perception, understanding, or knowledge.]
kine Barrels Out of Bond:
“…the elves being very merry began to sing a song round the river-door…
Back to pasture, back to mead, Where the kine and oxen feed!...”, [Definition: archaic plural of “cow”.]
kirtle The
Fall of Gondolin, The Last Version:
“Then Tuor bowed in reverence, for it seemed to him that he beheld a mighty king. A tall crown he wore like silver, from which his long hair fell down as foam glimmering in the dusk; and as he cast back the grey mantle that hung about him like a mist, behold! he was clad in a gleaming coat, close-fitted as the mail of a mighty fish, and in a kirtle of deep green that flashed and flickered with sea-fire as he strode slowly towards the land.”, [Definition: a tunic or coat worn by men, especially in the Middle Ages.]
knave Children of
Hurin, Chapter 1:
“But Maeglin…said to Hurin: ‘The King’s grace is greater than you know, and some might wonder wherefore the strict law is abated for two knave-children of Men. It would be safer if they had no choice but to abide here as our servants to their life’s end.’”, [Archaic definitions: a boy servant, a male servant, a man of humble birth or position.]
knell Mount Doom: “
The clatter of his precious pans as they fell down into the dark was like a death-knell to his heart.”, [Definition: a stroke or sound of a bell especially when rung slowly (as for a death, funeral, or disaster). Also an indication of the end or the failure of something.]
knight The Field of Cormallen: “
For the present Merry and I are busy. We are knights of the City and of the Mark, as I hope you observe.", [Definition: a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state or representative for service to the monarch, or the country, especially in a military capacity.]
laburnum An Unexpected Party, (After being dismissively good-morninged, Gandalf starts to get some respect):
“…particularly excellent fireworks! … They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!”, [Meaning: a genus of flowering trees in the pea family. Native to southern Europe.]
lappet The Fall of Gondolin, The Last Version:
“Then it seemed to Tuor that Ulmo parted his grey mantle, and cast to him a lappet, and as it fell about him it was for him a great cloak wherein he might wrap himself over all, from head to foot.”, [Definition: a fold or flap on a garment.]
lathspell The King of
the Golden Hall,
Grima speaking to Gandalf:
"Lathspell I name you, Ill-news; and illnews is an ill guest they say.", [Meaning: ill news. From Old English words “lath” and “spel”, meaning “loath” and “news”, respectively.]
laund Journey to the Cross-roads:
"About them lay long launds of green grass dappled with celandine and anemones, white and blue, now folded for sleep…”, [Definition: (archaic) A grassy plain or pasture, especially surrounded by woodland; a glade.]
lawks A Conspiracy Unmasked:
"'Lawks!' said Merry, looking in. The stone floor was swimming. 'You ought to mop all that up before you get anything to eat, Peregrin,' he said. 'Hurry up, or we shan't wait for you.'", [Meaning: used to express surprise. A euphemism for "Lord".]
lay The Field of Cormallen, (one of the wishes of Master Samwise comes true):
“Lo! lords, and knights and men of valour unashamed, kings and princes, and fair people of Gondor, and Riders of Rohan, and ye sons of Elrond, and Dunedain of the North, and Elf and Dwarf, and greathearts of the Shire, and all free folk of the West, now listen to my lay. For I will sing to you of Frodo of the Nine Fingers and the Ring of Doom.”, [Definition: a simple narrative poem or ballad, song.]
lea The Children Of Hurin (Appendix 1, The Evolution of The
Great Tales):
''…through flowery frith and fair acres they fared, and found of folk empty the leas and leasows and the lawns of Narog, the teeming tilth by trees enfolded twixt hills and river.”, [Definition: an open area of grassy or arable land.]
league The Ring Goes South:
"Gandalf stood at Frodo's side and looked out under his hand, 'We have done well,' he said. ''We have reached the borders of the country that Men call Hollin...Five-and-forty leagues as the crow flies we have come...'", [Definition: any of various units of distance from about 2.4 to 4.6 statute miles (3.9 to 7.4 kilometers).]
leaguer Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin:
“…Turgon shut his ear to word of the woes without, and vowed to march never at the side of any son of Feanor; and his people he forbade ever to pass the leaguer of the hills.”, [Literal definition: siege or military blockade of a city.], [This use of
leaguer seems to be metaphorical: the surrounding
mountains (hills) serve the same as a besieging army to keep the people in.]
lealty The Fall of Gondolin, The Original Tale, Turgon’s final words to his people:
“Fight not against doom, O my children! Seek ye who may safety in flight, if perhaps there be time yet: but let Tuor have your lealty.”, [Definition: chiefly Scottish term for loyalty or fealty.]
leasow The Children Of Hurin (Appendix 1, The Evolution of The Great Tales):
''…through flowery frith and fair acres they fared, and found of folk empty the leas and leasows and the lawns of Narog, the teeming tilth by trees enfolded twixt hills and river.”, [Definition: a pasture.]
lee Lothlorien (The company rests and listens to the “voice” of the waterfall, and
Legolas sings a song of Nimrodel.):
"…The elven-ship in haven grey Beneath the mountain-lee Awaited her for many a day Beside the roaring sea…”, [Definition: the side (as of a ship) or area that is sheltered from the wind.]
leech The
Battle of the Pelennor Fields:
"…Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth…looked then on Eowyn…’Men of Rohan!’ he cried. ‘Are there no leeches among you?’”, [Archaic definition: physician, surgeon.]
liege Minas Tirith:
"’Now tell me your tale, my liege,’ said Denethor, half kindly, half mockingly. ‘For the words of one whom my son so befriended will be welcome indeed.’”, [Definitions: 1. a loyal subject, or 2. a feudal superior to whom allegiance and service are due.]
linch Homeward Bound (Gandalf and Barliman): "
’…if you have any pipeweed, we’ll bless you.’…When he came back he brought them enough to last them for a day or two, a wad of uncut leaf. ‘Southlinch,’ he said, ‘and the best we have; but not the match of Southfarthing, as I’ve always said, though I’m all for Bree in most matters, begging your pardon.’", [Definition: alternative spelling of
lynch, an Old English term for an agricultural terrace. Sometimes used in the diminutive form
lynchet, meaning a small
lynch.]
lintel The Fall of Gondolin, The Last Version:
“Then Tuor went up the wide stairs, now half-hidden in thrift and campion, and he passed under the mighty lintel and entered the shadows of the house of Turgon; and he came at last to a high-pillared hall.”, [Definition: a horizontal architectural member spanning and usually carrying the load above an opening.]
lissom Of
Beren and
Luthien: “Farewell sweet earth and northern sky, for ever blest, since here did lie and here with lissom limbs did run beneath the Moon, beneath the Sun…”, [Definition: easily flexed, lithe.]
livid The Stairs of
Cirith Ungol:
“…red flash. Far beyond the eastern mountains it leapt into the sky and splashed the lowering clouds with crimson…And Minas Morgul answered. There was a flare of livid lightnings: forks of blue flame springing up from the tower and from the encircling hills into the sullen clouds. ”, [Range of Meanings: enraged, discolored by bruising (black and blue), deathly pale, reddish.]
longfather The Pyre of Denethor:
"’I would have things as they were in all the days of my life,’ answered Denethor, ‘and in the days of my longfathers before me…’”, also Appendix C: “The
Longfather-Tree of Master Samwise”, [Meaning: male ancestors.] [Comment: The term is not in the dictionary but is present in works by other more-recent fantasy authors. Perhaps Tolkien originated the term??]
loth The
Council of Elrond,
Boromir is speaking:
"Loth was my father to give me leave, and long have I wandered by roads forgotten, seeking the house of Elrond, of which many had heard, but few knew where it lay." [Definition: Unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom.]
lubber The Choices of Master Samwise:
"’Hola! Gorbag! What are you doing up here? Had enough of war already?’…’Orders, you lubber. And what are you doing, Shagrat? Tired of lurking up there? Thinking of coming down to fight?’", [Definition: a big clumsy fellow.]
lumber-room Chapter titled '
Strider', in Gandalf's letter to Frodo:
"I hope Butterbur sends this promptly. A worthy man, but his memory is like a lumber-room: thing wanted always buried.", [British meaning: primarily, a room used for storing old unused furniture.]
lumme Roast Mutton:
"'Blimey, Bert, look what I've copped!' said William. 'What is it?' said the others coming up. 'Lumme, if I knows! What are yer?' 'Bilbo Baggins, a bur -- a hobbit,' said poor Bilbo...", [British meaning: used to express surprise, interest, or approval. From a contraction of "love me".]
maker The Battle of the Pelennor Fields:
“So long afterward a maker in Rohan said in his song of the Mounds of Mundburg: We heard of the horns in the hills ringing…”, [Archaic meaning: poet.]
malachite The Fall of Gondolin, The Last Version (Tuor and Voronwe approach the Fifth Gate):
“…but above the Gate upon the midmost globe stood an image of the White Tree Telperion, wrought of silver and malachite, with flowers made of great pearls of Balar.”, [Definition: a green mineral that is a basic carbonate of copper.]
manger Minas Tirith: "
Shadowfax lifted up his head and neighed, so that the stable shook, and they covered their ears. Then they took their leave, seeing the manger was well filled. ‘And now for our manger,’ said Beregond, and he led Pippin back to the citadel…", [Definition #1: a trough or open box in a stable designed to hold feed or fodder for livestock. Definition #2: a sumptuous meal or a banquet, also figuratively.]
mantle Of Beren and Luthien:
“…Luthien was the most beautiful of all the Children of Iluvatar. Blue was her raiment as the unclouded heaven, but her eyes were grey as the starlit evening; her mantle was sewn with golden flowers, but her hair was dark as the shadows of twilight.” [Definition: a loose sleeveless garment worn over clothes, cloak.]
march The Muster of Rohan: "
…Five nights and days east and onward rode the Eorlingas through Folde and Fenmarch and the Firienwood, six thousand spears to Sunlending…", [Definition: In medieval Europe, a
march or mark was, in broad terms, any kind of borderland, as opposed to a national "heartland". More specifically, a
march was a border between
realms or a neutral buffer zone under joint control of two states in which different laws might apply. (Note 1: Fen
march is at a boundary between Rohan and Gondor. West
march is the land near the western boundary of The Shire. Note 2: synonym with
mark.)]
marge The Fall of Gondolin, The Last Version:
“The trees were burned or uprooted; and the stone-marges of the pool were broken, so that the waters of Ivrin strayed and wrought a great barren marsh amid the ruin.”, [Archaic Definition: margin.]
marish A Short Cut to Mushrooms:
"’Short cuts make long delays,’ argued Pippin. ‘The country is rough round here, and there are bogs and all kinds of difficulties down in the Marish…’", [Meaning: an archaic synonym for “marsh”, or soft and wet land.]
mark The Riders of Rohan: "’
I serve only the Lord of the Mark, Theoden King son of Thengel,’ answered Eomer.", [Definition stated in Unfinished Tales,
Cirion and Eorl:
“The term Mark signified a borderland, especially one serving as a defence of the inner lands of a realm.” (Note: synonym with
march.]
marrow (#1) The Old Forest: "
…Tom Bombadil…’I know the tune for him. Old grey Willow-man! I’ll freeze his marrow cold, if he don’t behave himself. I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. Old Man Willow!’", [Definitions: The inmost, best or essential part. The seat of animal vigor.]
marrow (#2) Roverandom: "
…Rover lay down on the hot sand and went to sleep, and dreamed of bones, and of chasing cats up plum-trees only to see them change into wizards with green hats who threw enormous plums like marrows at him.", [Definition: the mature fruit of certain Cucurbita pepo cultivars (a mature zucchini.) Note: Giant
marrows are grown competitively in the United Kingdom, where the term "
marrow" is often restricted to the striped, thick-skinned cultivar.]
mathom Prologue: "
...anything that Hobbits had no immediate use for, but were unwilling to throw away, they called a mathom. Their dwellings were apt to become rather crowded with mathoms...", [Meaning: (The quote gives the meaning.) Note: the word is likely inspired by Old English
māþþum /
māðum, meaning “treasure” or “
precious object” — a delightful irony, since a
mathom is both treasure and clutter at once.]
mattock The Clouds Burst:
“Dain had come…The dwarves are exceedingly strong for their height…In battle they wielded heavy two-handed mattocks…”, [Definition: a digging and grubbing tool with features of an adze and an ax or pick.]
maw The Silmarillion, Of Beren and Luthien:
"Carcharoth, the Red Maw, he is named in the tales of those days, and Anfauglir, the Jaws of Thirst.", [Definition: the throat, gullet, or jaws especially of a voracious animal.]
mead Treebeard:
“But the Entwives gave their minds to the lesser trees, and to the meads in the sunshine beyond the feet of the forests; and they saw the sloe in the thicket, and the wild apple and the cherry blossoming in spring…”, [Archaic, synonym: meadow.]
meed The Fall of Gondolin, The Original Tale:
“Yet as meed of treachery did Melko threaten Meglin with the torment of the Balrogs.”, [Definition: an earned reward or wage.]
meet The Battle of The Pelennor Fields, Eomer King beside fallen Theoden:
"'Mourn not overmuch! Mighty was the fallen, meet was his ending. When his mound is raised, women then shall weep. War now calls us!' Yet he himself wept as he spoke.", [Archaic definition: precisely adapted to a particular need or circumstance. Very proper.]
mere The Fall of
Numenor:
“Smaller song-birds with fair voices abounded in the fields, in the reedy meres, and in the woods.”, [Definition: a lake, pond, or arm of the sea.]
mew Lothlorien (The company rests and listens to the “voice” of the waterfall, and Legolas sings a song of Nimrodel.):
"…From helm to sea they saw him leap, As arrow from the string, And dive into the water deep, As mew upon the wing…”, [Definition: synonym for “gull”.]
midden The Children of Hurin, Chapter 6, Androg speaking about
Turin among the outlaws:
“…he may lead us to better fortune than prowling about other men’s middens.”, [Definition: a refuse heap.]
minish The Fall of Gondolin, The Original Tale: “…
yet still dwell there the Elves on the hill of Kor and the Gods sit in Valinor, though their mirth is minished for sorrow and fear of Melko…”, [Definition: to make less (as in size, amount, or degree).]
moot Treebeard:
“…in the distance the voices of the Ents at the Moot still rose and fell, sometimes loud and strong, sometimes low and sad, sometimes quickening, sometimes slow and solemn as a dirge.” [Definition: an assembly held for debate, especially in Anglo-Saxon and medieval times.]
mort Farmer Giles of Ham:
"’We’ll make the old worm do the carting.’ ‘Mercy on us!’ said the dragon, who overheard these words as he came out of the cave for the third time with the biggest load of all, and a mort of rich jewels like green and red fire.", [Definition: a great quantity or number.]
moulder Not at Home:
“Though all the old adornments were long mouldered or destroyed, and though all was befouled and blasted with the comings and goings of the monster, Thorin knew every passage and every turn.”, [Definition: to crumble into particles, disintegrate, decay.]
muck-raker The
Uruk-hai: “
’Aye, we must stick together,’ growled Ugluk. ‘I don’t trust you little swine. You’ve no guts outside your own sties…’…’…I Grishnakh say this…Swine is it? How do you folk like being called swine by the muck-rakers of a dirty little wizard?...’”,
Meaning #1: One who rakes muck/filth.
Meaning #2 (muckraker): reform-minded journalists, writers, and photographers in the Progressive Era in the United States (1890s–1920s) who claimed to expose corruption and wrongdoing in established institutions.
Meaning #3: the “Man with the muck-rake” in John Bunyan’s 1678 classic ‘
The Pilgrim’s Progress’. The man could look no way but downward with the
muck-rake in his hands; who was offered a celestial crown for his
muck-rake, but who would neither look up nor regard the crown he was offered, but continued to rake to himself the filth of the floor.
mugwort At the Sign of
the Prancing Pony: "
’I saw him, Mr. Butterbur,’ said [Mr. Mugwort]; ‘or leastways I didn’t see him, if you take my meaning. He just vanished into thin air, in a manner of speaking.’", [Definition: a flowering plant, Artemisia Vulgaris, native to Europe. Traditionally, it has been used as one of the flavoring and bittering agents of gruit ales, a type of unhopped, fermented grain beverage.]
nail-knife The Forbidden Pool:
“Faramir took a small nail-knife from his belt and handed it to Frodo. Gollum misunderstanding the gesture, squealed and fell down.”, [
Archaic definition (dating to 13th century): a small knife for trimming the fingernails.
Comments: Although the preceding archaic definition is the only dictionary definition found for this specific term, the “
French nail” is a small stabbing knife often made from a nail or spike for use in the trenches of WW1. The fact of
Tolkien’s wartime experience may indicate he would have known of the “French Nail” and perhaps he had this in mind rather than the dictionary definition for
nail-knife.]
nar The Land of Shadow: "
Hardly twenty paces from where the hobbits lurked the small orc stopped. ’Nar!’ it snarled. ‘I’m going home.’", [One definition: representing the growling or snarling of a dog.]
nasturtian A Long-expected Party (a description of Bilbo’s garden):
"The late afternoon was bright and peaceful. The flowers glowed red and golden: snapdragons and sunflowers, and nasturtians trailing all over the turf walls and peeping in at the round windows.”, [Definition of nasturt
ium: the genus tropaeolum is commonly known as nasturtium, literally "nose-twister" or "nose-tweaker", is a genus of roughly 80 species of annual and perennial herbaceous flowering
plants.]
necromancer The Last Stage (Bilbo, while half-napping, overhears Gandalf and Elrond discussing their business):
“It appeared that Gandalf had been to a great council of the white wizards, masters of lore and good magic; and that they had at last driven the Necromancer from his dark hold in the south of Mirkwood.”, [Definition: 1) one who conjures the spirits of the dead for purposes of revealing the future or influencing the course of events, or 2) one who engages in magic or sorcery .]
ness The Fall of Gondolin (The Last Version): "
Now Tuor felt his feet drawn to the sea-strand, and he went down by long stairs to a wide shore upon the north side of Taras-ness; and as he went he saw that the sun was sinking low into a great black cloud that came up over the rim of the darkening sea; and it grew cold, and there was a stirring and a murmur as of a storm to come.", [Definition: a point or extension of land jutting out into water as a peninsula or as a projecting point. Cape, promontory.]
niggard Many Partings:
" And Faramir and Éowyn stood forth and set hand in hand; and all there drank to them and were glad. 'Thus,' said Éomer, 'is the friendship of the Mark and of Gondor bound with a new bond, and the more do I rejoice.' 'No niggard are you, Éomer,' said Aragorn, 'to give thus to Gondor the fairest thing in your realm!'", [Definition: a meanly covetous and stingy person, a miser.]
nill Appendix A, ‘The Tale of Aragorn and
Arwen’: "
There is now no ship that would bear me hence, and I must indeed abide the Doom of Men, whether I will or I nill: the loss and the silence.", [Archaic definition: will not, to be unwilling. (Not to be confused with the more common
‘nil’, meaning nothing or zero.)]
ninnyhammer The Taming of
Smeagol:
"You're nowt but a ninnyhammer, Sam Gamgee: that's what the Gaffer said to me often enough, it being a word of his. Rope!", [Definition: a foolish person.]
nob Homeward Bound:
"’Nob, you woolly-pated ninny!’ he cried. ‘Can’t you give old friends their names?’”, [Synonym: head.]
noisome The Passage of
the Marshes (Sam trips.):
"He fell and came heavily on his hands, which sank deep into sticky ooze…There was a faint hiss, a noisome smell went up, the lights flickered and danced and swirled.”, [Definition: offensive to the senses, especially to the sense of smell. Note: the
noi in “
noisome” is related to the
noy in “annoy” and not to the
noi in “noise”.]
noontide Of
the Rings of Power and
the Third Age: “
So great was the power and splendor of the Numenoreans in the noontide of their realm that the servants of Sauron would not withstand them…”, [Definition: high point, climax.]
nosey-parker Farmer Giles of Ham:
"The farmer choked in his beer. ‘Dragon?’ said he. ‘Drat you for a good-for-nothing nosey-parker! What d’you want to go and find a dragon for, at this time of the year…", [Chiefly British Definition: an officious or inquisitive person, busybody.]
nowt The Taming of Smeagol:
"You're nowt but a ninnyhammer, Sam Gamgee: that's what the Gaffer said to me often enough, it being a word of his. Rope!", [Definition: dialectical variant of
nought, nothing.]
nuncheon Minas Tirith: Beregond speaking to a hungry hobbit: "
...do not despair! Those who have had heavy duty take somewhat to refresh their strength in the mid-morning. Then there is the nuncheon, at noon or after as duties allow...", [Definition: a drink or light snack taken in the afternoon.]
nuncle Flight to The Ford: Used in Sam's poem 'The Stone
Troll':
"...Up came Tom with his big boots on.
Said he to Troll: 'Pray, what is yon?
For it looks like the shin o' my nuncle Tim...'"
[Synonym: uncle. Etymology: "an uncle" is mis-divided into "a nuncle"]
oast Minas Tirith:
“The townlands were rich, with wide tilth and many orchards, and homesteads there were with oast and garner, fold and byre, and many rills rippling through the green from the highlands down to Anduin.”, [Definition: a usually conical kiln used for drying hops, malt, or tobacco.]
ostler At the Sign of the Prancing Pony:
“The ostler has a tipsy cat that plays a five-stringed fiddle; And up and down he runs his bow, Now squeaking high, now purring low, now sawing in the middle.”, [Definition: One who takes care of horses or mules usually at an inn.]
outlawry The Children of Hurin, Chapter 5 (Saeros explains the legal gravity of Turin’s actions in The Hall):
“The King’s law is heavy upon those who hurt his lieges in the hall; and for those who draw blades there outlawry is the least doom.”, [Meaning: an archaic legal penalty whereby all legal protections are withdrawn from the criminal. Anyone would be legally empowered to persecute and kill a person who had been declared an “outlaw”.]
Over-heaven The
Palantir (Pippin annoying Gandalf and Shadowfax with all his questions):
“’Mercy! …I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?’ ‘The names of all the stars, and of all living things, and the whole history of Middle-earth and Over-heaven and of the Sundering Seas,’ laughed Pippin.”, [My interpretation: I could not find any use of
Over-heaven outside the story. To the reader, Over-heaven can be a synonym for Valinor which resides in
the realm of hidden things. Pippin may not even know the name “Valinor”, but he knows there is a place beyond the world. In this moment he gives it the poetic name
Over-heaven.]
overweening The Children of Hurin, Chapter 8:
“Then Morgoth withheld his hand; though he made frequent feint of attack, so that by easy victory the confidence of these rebels might become overweening.”, [Definition: arrogant, presumptuous, exaggerated.]
own Example
1) Shelob’s Lair: “
If now and again Shelob caught them [orcs]
to stay her appetite, she was welcome: he could spare them. And sometimes as a man may cast a dainty to his cat (his cat he calls her, but she owns him not) Sauron would send her prisoners that he had not better uses for: he would have them driven to her hole, and report brought back to him of the play she made.”
Example 2) Children of Hurin, Turin Among the Outlaws: “
There before the Nirnaeth many men had dwelt in scattered homesteads; they were of Haleth’s folk for the most part, but owned no lord…”, [Synonym: acknowledge. As in: ‘I
own that I misjudged him.’]
page Minas Tirith: "
’I will not hide from you, Master Peregrin,’ said Beregond, ‘that to us you look almost as one of our children…I thought it was the whim of our Lord to take him a noble page, after the manner of the kings of old, they say. But I see that it is not so, and you must pardon my foolishness.’", [Definition: a youth attendant on a person of rank especially in the medieval period.]
palfrey The Grey Havens: "
But Galadriel sat upon a white palfrey and was robed all in glimmering white, like clouds about the Moon; for she herself seemed to shine with a soft light.", [Definition: a type of horse that was highly valued in the Middle Ages. It was lighter-weight, smooth gaited, and suitable for riding over long distances. Consequently, it was popular with nobles, ladies, and highly ranked knights for riding, hunting, and ceremonial use.]
panoply Akallabeth:
“Then he [Ar-Pharazon] did on his panoply and his crown, and let raise his standard, and he gave the signal for the raising of the anchors; and in that hour the trumpets of Numenor outrang the thunder.”, [Definitions: a full suit of armor, ceremonial attire, a magnificent array, a display of all appropriate accessories.]
pantechnicon Farmer Giles of Ham: "
All the rest he bound on the back of Chrysophylax in boxes and bags, till he looked like a royal pantechnicon. There was no chance of his flying, for his load was too great, and Giles had tied down his wings.”, [Meaning: originally a heavy furniture removal van drawn by
horses and used by the British company The
Pantechnicon for delivering and collecting furniture which its customers wished to store.]
pard Tales from the Perilous Realm, “Cat”:
"…the pard dark-starred, fleet upon feet, that oft soft from aloft leaps on his meat where woods loom in gloom…", [Meaning: leopard (Panthera
pardus).]
pate Strider: “
Even our Nob has been doing some guessing in his slow pate; and there are others in Bree quicker in the uptake than he is.”, [Definition: synonym for ‘brain’ (usually used in a disparaging way.)]
peaching The Land of Shadow: "
’I’ll give your name and number to the Nazgul,’ said the soldier…The other halted, and his voice was full of fear and rage. ‘You cursed peaching sneakthief!’ he yelled.", [Definition: informing against, betraying.]
peal The Land of Shadow: “
Away behind them, now high above on the mountain-side, loomed the Tower of Cirith Ungol, its stones glowing dully. Suddenly its harsh bell clanged again, and then broke into a shattering peal.”, [Definition: a loud ringing of bells.]
peregrine (close to Peregrin) Minas Tirith: "
I will vouch for him…He has passed through more battles and perils than you have, Ingold, though you be twice his height…His name is Peregrin… ", [Definition: having a tendency to wander. From Latin
peregrinus: wanderer, pilgrim. Note: perhaps it’s of interest that Pippin and Gandalf both have names containing
pilgrim.]
phalanx Of the Fifth Battle:
“Now the phalanx of the guard of the King broke through the ranks of the Orcs, and Turgon hewed his way to the side of his brother; and it is told that the meeting of Turgon with Hurin, who stood beside Fingon was glad in the midst of battle.”, [Definition: a body of heavily armed infantry in ancient Greece formed in close deep ranks and files, or, more broadly, a body of troops in close array.]
pickle The Council of Elrond (Elrond and Sam):
"’No indeed! You at least shall go with him. It is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not.’ Sam sat down, blushing and muttering. ‘A nice pickle we have landed ourselves in, Mr. Frodo!’ he said, shaking his head.”, [Definition: a difficult situation, plight. Historical connection between
pickle and Bilbo (just for fun): The smallest ship in Nelson's fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar was the curiously-named
HMS Pickle, a topsail schooner whose original name as a civilian vessel was … … …
Sting!]
pinion The Black Gate is Closed and The Battle of the Pelennor Fields:
"…Sam thought he saw a dark bird-like figure wheel into the circle of his sight…Two more…then a fourth…They were very small to look at, yet he knew, somehow, that they were huge, with a vast stretch of pinion, flying at a great height.”, “And behold! it was a winged creature: if bird, then greater than all other birds, and it was naked, and neither quill nor feather did it bear, and its vast pinions were as webs of hide between horned fingers; and it stank.”, [Definition: Broadly--
wing. More technically—a specific section of a bird’s wing including feathers close to the wing tip.]
pins Flight to the Ford:
“’For a couple o’ pins,’ says Troll, and grins, ‘I’ll eat thee too, and gnaw thy shins.’”, [Synonyms:
legs.]
pippin The Grey Havens:
"Merry and Pippin…’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…”, [Definitions: a highly admired or very admirable person or thing, a crisp tart apple having usually yellow or greenish-yellow skin strongly flushed with red and used especially for cooking.]
plain as a pikestaff The
Breaking of the Fellowship:
"Sam, who had been watching his master with great concern, shook his head and muttered: ‘Plain as a pikestaff it is, but it’s no good Sam Gamgee putting in his spoke just now.’”, [Meaning:
‘Plain as a pikestaff’ means obvious or very clear and
dates from the mid-1500s, before this, the expression was actually ‘plain as a pack staff’, which was the staff or pole on which a peddler tied his pack. By the mid-1500s, it changed to pikestaff for no known reason.]
plash The Fall of Gondolin, The Original Tale (Tuor is heard speaking before the gates of
Gondolin):
“Then all who listened grew silent, and his deep and rolling voice held them in amaze, for their own voices were fair as the plash of fountains.”, [Synonym: splash.]
plenilune The Adventures of
Tom Bombadil, from the poem titled “Errantry”, (The main character is a wanderer whose
weapons include a lance):
"...with silver tipped at plenilune / his spear was hewn of ebony.", [Obsolete meaning: full moon. From the Latin: plena luna; literally “full moon”.]
plenished The Fall of Gondolin, The Original Tale:
“…the heats of those drakes lasted not for ever, and might only be plenished from the wells of fire that Melko had made in the fastness of his own land.”, [Definition: equipped, filled up.]
plight The Children of Hurin, Chapter 15 (
Niniel has a happy moment.):
“Then she was glad indeed, and she plighted her troth, and at the mid-summer they were wedded…”, [Definition: to put or give in pledge.]
plural Farmer Giles of Ham (The King gets angrier and angrier and eventually
forgets his plural.):
"’We are much displeased.’…’Your manners are unfit for our presence,’…hanged you shall be, unless you beg our pardon here and now…’…’Give me my sword!’ shouted the King, finding his voice, but forgetting his plural.", [Definition of
royal plural: The
royal we,
majestic plural (pluralis majestatis), or
royal plural, is the use of a plural pronoun (or corresponding plural-inflected verb forms) used by a single person who is a monarch or holds a high office to refer to themselves.]
Provender A Long-expected Party:
“Bringing up young hobbits took a lot of provender.”, [Definition: food, provisions.]
Province The Shadow of the Past: “The lore of the Elven-rings, great and small, is his
province.”, [Definition: a department or branch of learning or activity.]
Ps and Qs At the Sign of
The Prancing Pony (Merry advises his friends before they enter the common-room for relaxation and refreshment.):
“…Mind your Ps and Qs, and don’t forget that you are supposed to be escaping in secret…”, [Uncertain meaning. Two possible meanings:
1.
Pints and
Quarts, meaning ‘don’t drink too much’, or
2. “
Pleases and Than
k you’s”, meaning ‘be polite’. {the
Q would come from the ‘
kyou’ sound within ‘thank you’}]
puissance The Fall of Gondolin, The Conclusion of the Quenta Noldorinwa:
“Maybe it was due in part to the puissance of that holy jewel that they came in time to the waters that as yet no vessels save those of the Teleri had known…”, [Definition: strength, power.]
quickening Treebeard (Treebeard prepares some tasty beverages.):
"…he held his hands over them, and immediately they began to glow, one with a golden and the other with a rich green light…the hobbits saw that the trees in the court had also begun to glow, faintly at first, but steadily quickening, until every leaf was edged with light: some green, some gold, some red as copper; while the tree-trunks looked like pillars moulded out of luminous stone.”, [Definitions: making alive, kindling, causing to burn more intensely, accelerating.]
quickset hedge Leaf by Niggle: "
One day Niggle was busy planting a quickset hedge, and Parish was lying on the grass near by, looking attentively at a beautiful and shapely little yellow flower growing in the green turf.", [Chiefly British Definition: a type of hedge created by planting live whitethorn (common hawthorn) cuttings directly into the earth. Once planted, these cuttings root and form new plants, creating a dense barrier. The technique is ancient, and the term
quickset hedge is first recorded in 1484. The use of the word
quick in this context is an archaic one, specifically meaning living or alive and has nothing to do with the speed of growth of the hedge.]
quoits Flies and
Spiders (Bilbo gathers stones, readying himself to attack some attercop Tomnoddies):
“As a boy he used to practice throwing stones at things…and even grown-up he had still spent a deal of his time at quoits, dart-throwing, shooting at the wand, bowls, ninepins and other quiet games of the aiming and throwing sort…”, [Definition: a game in which rings of rope or iron are thrown at an upright pin in an attempt to ring the pin or come as near to it as possible.]
