Lore:Old and Rare Words
From LOTRO Lorebook
Official Lore Entry
| This page lists archaic or unusual words used in Tolkien's works. The list also includes a few colloquial terms that are still in common use in British English, like tipsy or midge, but might be unfamiliar to English-speakers from elsewhere in the world. | |
| A | |
|---|---|
| abide (1) | put up with, tolerate |
| abide (2) | await |
| abjure | renounce, turn away from |
| abroad | in the open, at large |
| adamant | diamond, or (more generally) any very hard substance |
| afield | away, especially from home |
| aforetime | in earlier times |
| aghast | terrified, amazed |
| agin | a dialect word meaning 'against', 'next to' |
| amiss | not as things should be |
| anon | soon; ever and anon often |
| apace | quickly |
| argent | silver |
| assuage | soften, lessen, soothe |
| aught | anything |
| B | |
| bade | old past tense of 'bid', pronounced 'bad' |
| baldric | a shoulder-belt for carrying horns, swords, etc |
| bannock | flat bread-cake |
| barrel | the long, cylindrical part of a key |
| baseborn | ignoble, illegitimate |
| bay | (of a dog) bark or howl |
| bebother | bring trouble upon |
| befall | happen, occur |
| belie | give a false impression |
| benighted | in, or overtaken by, darkness |
| beset | attacked, assaulted by enemies |
| besom | a stiff broom made out of sticks and twigs |
| besotted (1) | made drunk |
| besotted (2) | obsessed, entranced |
| besought | old past tense of beseech |
| bier | platform for carrying a coffin or body |
| bight | a curved recess in the edge of a geographical feature, such as a coast or forest tree-line |
| billow | (large) wave |
| bivouac | temporary camp, without tents |
| blazoned | painted or inscribed (an heraldic term) |
| bond | storage of wine, etc, until duty has been paid; out of bond released from this |
| booby | stupid person |
| boon | favour, gift |
| brake | thicket |
| brazen | made of brass |
| brood (1) | children |
| brood (2) | related creatures |
| brook | tolerate, accept |
| buckler | a small round shield, held in one hand |
| bulwark | a defensive structure |
| burg | a fortress, or a fortified town |
| burgeon | come forth, bud, begin to grow quickly |
| burnished | polished |
| C | |
| cairn | a mound of stones or rocks, used as a marker, memorial or tomb |
| carcanet | jewelled necklace |
| carouse | drink heavily |
| carven | old form of 'carved' |
| cataract | waterfall |
| cesspool | a pool of waste-water or sewage |
| chalcedony | a precious form of quartz: onyx, agate and cornelian are all types of chalcedony |
| champ | (of a horse) munch on the bit, showing eagerness |
| chime | agree with, be in harmony with |
| circlet | a thin band of precious metal, worn on the head |
| clave | old past tense of cleave, in the sense 'stick, adhere' |
| cloven | split into two |
| coëval | born at the same time |
| cob | spider (the name survives in the term 'cobweb') |
| coffer | strongbox, especially for holding valuables |
| comely | pleasant-looking |
| commons | shared food; short commons insufficient food |
| compass | accomplish, achieve |
| conclave | a meeting, or the place where a meeting is held |
| concourse | large group of people; crowd |
| confines | borders; borderlands |
| confusticate | a nonsense word, probably not intended to have a meaning (though its Latin roots can be interpreted 'beat with a cudgel') |
| cony | rabbit |
| coomb | short valley in the side of a hill or mountain |
| coop | cage, imprison |
| corslet | a piece of armour covering the body, but not the arms or legs |
| cot | a small shelter; the origin of the word 'cottage' |
| counsels | words of advice |
| covet | be jealous of, desire |
| cozen | lie to, cheat, deceive |
| craven | coward |
| crocks | items of crockery: plates, dishes, etc. |
| culvert | a channel carrying water beneath a thoroughfare |
| cumbrous | awkward, inconvenient |
| cunning-handed | deft, artful, dexterous |
| cur | a worthless or ill-tempered dog |
| curdle | turn sour |
| D | |
| dainty | morsel, delicacy |
| damask | steel and iron specially welded to make a serpentine pattern |
| darkling | dark (poetical) |
| daunt | intimidate |
| declaim | speak or recite passionately |
| deem | consider, conclude |
| defile | ruin, corrupt |
| defray | pay for |
| dell | small valley |
| descry | catch sight of, especially something difficult to see |
| devices | things, especially situations, devised or engineered |
| dingle | deep hollow, usually shaded with trees |
| dissemble | hide one's true intentions |
| divers | numerous and various |
| dolven | delved, dug out |
| doom | fate (as opposed to modern usage, doom in this sense is not necessarily bad) |
| dotard | a person who has lost their wits, especially through old age |
| doughty | strong, powerful |
| draught (1) | drawing or pulling force |
| draught (2) | a drink drawn from a barrel or storage jar |
| drear | dismal, gloomy |
| dregs | sediment found at the bottom of wine, tea, etc. To 'drink to the dregs' is to completely drain a cup or (metaphorically) fully involve oneself |
| dry | (of bricks or stone) laid without mortar |
| durstn't | dare not |
| dwimmer-crafty | skilled in the arts of magic |
| E | |
| eaves | the fringe of a forest (from the resemblance of the overhanging forest canopy to the eaves of a house) |
| ell | a measure of length, usually equivalent to 45 inches or 114 cm |
| embattled (1) | of a fortress, having battlements |
| embattled (2) | of an army, fortified against attack (this is the dictionary definition, but in The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien's usage seems to mean simply 'in battle') |
| embrasure | bevelled door or window frame cut into a wall |
| encompass | surround |
| ere | before |
| errantry | journeying in search of adventure |
| espy | catch sight of |
| essay | attempt |
| esteem | consider to be of worth; esteem too lightly underestimate |
| et | a variation of 'ate', common in British rural dialects |
| etten | eaten - see 'et' |
| ewer | large, wide-mouthed water jug |
| eyot | a small island, especially found in a river |
| F | |
| faggot | bundle of sticks used as firewood |
| falter | waver, lose courage |
| fane | temple |
| fare | travel, go on a journey |
| fastness | secure fortress |
| fawn | cringe, grovel |
| fealty | allegiance and service to a lord |
| feign | pretend |
| fell (1) | merciless, terrifying |
| fell (2) | animal's hide |
| fell (3) | moorland hill |
| fender | a metal frame placed around a fireplace |
| fetter | chain, shackle |
| fey | certain of death; having no thought for one's own fate |
| figured | marked with drawings or writing |
| firth | An inlet of the sea at a wide river estuary |
| flagon | large jug or mug, usually used to hold wine or beer |
| flammifer | in Latin, flammifer means 'fiery', but Tolkien's usage is likely meant to suggest 'flame-bearer', as a reference to the blazing Silmaril borne by Eärendil. |
| flank | the exposed side of an attacking or marching army |
| flotsam | floating wreckage; flotsam and jetsam items washed up by the sea, or a flood (also used figuratively) |
| flummoxed | bewildered, disconcerted |
| footpad | a thief (historically, a 'footpad' was a highwayman who had no horse) |
| forbear | hold back from |
| forebode | foresee (especially something that is evil) |
| forespeak | foretell, predict |
| foreswear | swear not to do something |
| forgo | let go, do without |
| forlorn | abandoned, desolate |
| forsake | desert, turn away from (the past tense is forsook) |
| forsooth | in truth, actually |
| fortnight | a period of two weeks |
| fosse | a defensive trench or ditch |
| founder | sink, after taking on water |
| fraught | full (of) |
| freshet | a stream, or (strictly) a flood of fresh water |
| furlong | one eighth of a mile (220 yards), or about one fifth of a kilometre |
| G | |
| gaffer | a word meaning both 'old man' and 'foreman': its use as the nickname of Hamfast Gamgee is probably mean to combine both meanings. |
| gainsay | contradict |
| gallop | boil and bubble |
| game | crippled |
| gammer | old woman |
| garth | an enclosed garden or yard |
| ghyll | deep ravine |
| gibbet | A gallows built to display the body of an executed criminal |
| gimlet | A sharp boring tool, similar in general design to a corkscrew; see like gimlets see sharply |
| girdle (1) | belt or cord used especially to confine clothing |
| girdle (2) | something which surrounds or encircles; girdle of Arda the central regions of Arda, equidistant from the far north and south |
| girt | bound or attached with a belt |
| glede | burning coal or cinder |
| gloaming | the twilight of evening |
| glower | scowl, frown |
| goggle | stare with round eyes |
| graven | engraved, carved |
| greened | made green from the mosses and lichens on a tree's trunk |
| grot | old form of 'grotto'; an ornamental or picturesque cavern |
| guileful | treacherous, deceitful |
| gunwale | the top edge of a boat's side, pronounced (and sometimes spelt) 'gunnel' |
| H | |
| habergeon | a mail-coat without sleeves |
| hale | robust, strong of body |
| hame | hide, pelt |
| hang | to leave food, especially game, in the open until it becomes 'high' or tender |
| harbour | succour, assistance |
| hardly (1) | with great difficulty |
| hardly (2) | only just |
| harry | ravage |
| haste | hurry, rush |
| hauberk | mail-coat |
| headstall | a covering for a horse's head, used as an alternative to bridle and bit |
| hearken | listen, pay attention |
| heed | thought, consideration |
| heedless | careless of danger |
| hence | from here |
| hew | chop, slice |
| hither (1) | to here, to this place; hither and thither in various directions |
| hither (2) | nearer, closer |
| hoar | grey- or white-haired |
| hobble | limp, walk with difficulty |
| hock | the middle joint of a horse's or pony's leg |
| hue | form or shape |
| hummock | a small hill or knoll (in The Lord of the Rings, 'hummock' is used metaphorically to describe the shape made by the palantír beneath Gandalf's cloak) |
| hunter's moon | the full moon of mid- to late October |
| hythe | a small harbour or haven, especially on a river |
| I | |
| ill | evil, wrong |
| J | |
| jetsam | items thrown overboard from a ship, and later washed ashore |
| K | |
| keen | sharp |
| kerb | a raised edge to a road or path |
| kindle | set fire to, begin to burn |
| L | |
| lave | wash, bathe |
| lay | a poem that is meant to be sung |
| league | a measure of distance, usually considered to be equivalent to three miles |
| leaguer | an encampment or encampments, especially for defensive purposes |
| leave | permission |
| lee | shelter, especially from wind and weather |
| leech | healer |
| leechcraft | an old name for the practice of medicine, from the ancient belief that blood-sucking leeches had a healing effect |
| lissom | lithe, supple |
| loath | reluctant |
| lob | spider (seen, for example, in the name Shelob) |
| loth | reluctant [a variation on loath above] |
| louver | a domed structure built on a roof with side-openings to allow smoke to escape |
| lower | to become less high (used of hills, cliffs, and so on) |
| M | |
| malefactor | one who commits an evil act |
| mantle | cloak, cover |
| mar | spoil or damage beyond repair |
| march | share borders |
| marchwarden | border guard |
| mark | notice, detect |
| marshal | place in proper order |
| mattock | a primitive weapon, originally a farming tool, perhaps best described as a double-headed battle-hoe |
| maw | jaws and throat, especially of a ferocious animal |
| mayhap | perhaps |
| mead (1) | an alcoholic drink made from honey |
| mead (2) | meadow |
| mere | lake or pond |
| mew | a type of gull |
| midge | tiny airborne biting insect; not unlike a mosquito, but much smaller |
| mischance | accident |
| misgive | fill with doubt or suspicion |
| moonshine | fantastic ideas |
| muster | collect, assemble |
| N | |
| nethermost | lowest, deepest |
| nicety | precision, exactness; weigh to a nicety measure exactly |
| nigh | near; well nigh, wellnigh almost, very nearly |
| nightshade | probably simply 'darkness' (the literal use of this word appears to be unique to Tolkien - in historical English, it is only used figuratively as the name of a poisonous plant) |
| noisome | foul-smelling, poisonous |
| nook | corner, recess |
| O | |
| obeisance | bowing or kneeling in submission |
| oft | often |
| ostler | stable-keeper |
| oust | take possession of another's lands, property, title, etc. |
| outworn | exhausted |
| overbear | defeat by weight of numbers |
| P | |
| pallid | pale |
| panoply | full suit of armour |
| parapet | defensive wall built to protect troops |
| parley | discuss terms of peace or cease-fire |
| passward | something granting passage of a guard |
| pate | head, mind |
| pent | restricted, confined |
| penthouse | the area beneath a sloping roof, especially as a later extension to an existing building |
| perforce | having no choice, being forced |
| pinion | a bird's wing, and especially the tip |
| plash | splash |
| portage | transporting a boat overland |
| portent | omen, sign |
| postern | a back- or side-entrance |
| profound | deep |
| prosy | dull, contented with the commonplace |
| provender | food |
| puissant | powerful, influential |
| purloin | steal |
| Q | |
| quaff | drink deeply |
| quail | give way to, be intimidated by |
| R | |
| raiment | clothing |
| rearguard | that part of an army set to cover its rear ranks, especially in retreat |
| rede | counsel |
| redound | contribute to, advance |
| redress | setting right |
| reft | past tense of the old word reave, to take by force |
| rent | past tense of rend, to tear or split |
| repair | go often |
| respite | relief, calm interval |
| revelry | merrymaking |
| rick | a stack, especially of hay |
| rill | a small stream |
| rude | simple, primitive |
| rue | regret, repent of |
| rumour | sound |
| S | |
| sable | heraldic term for black |
| sallow | having yellow or pale brown skin |
| save | except |
| semblance | appearance |
| shade | ghost or phantasm |
| shank | leg; especially that part between the knee and ankle |
| sheaf | bundle or cluster of stalks |
| shoal | a particularly shallow part of a river- or sea-bed |
| shore | slice, tear (an old past tense of 'shear') |
| shun | refuse |
| sister-son | nephew |
| slot | track followed by a hunter |
| slowcoach | someone who moves slowly, or is often late |
| sluggard | slow or lazy person |
| smite | strike, attack (the past tense is smote) |
| snuff | sniff deeply |
| sojourn | temporary stay |
| sooth | true, truthful |
| sortie | an attack launched by a besieged force |
| spinney | group of trees, or small wood |
| stead | place, position |
| stem | block, hold back |
| stock | the trunk or stump of a tree; stock and stone inanimate things |
| stoop | in falconry, to swoop on prey |
| straightway | immmediately, directly |
| strait | narrowly confining |
| straitly | narrowly, tightly |
| strand | shore, shoreline, especially a beach |
| stricken | struck; (as an adjective) damaged, broken |
| succour | give aid |
| sunder | divide, separate |
| surname | an additional name indicating some quality or ability (as distinct from modern usage, surname in this context has no connection with family) |
| sward | region of short grass, lawn |
| swart | dark-skinned |
| swarthy | dark-skinned |
| swath | a strip of grass that has been flattened or mown |
| swoon | faint |
| T | |
| tarn | mountain lake |
| tarry | pause, wait |
| thenceforward | from that time on |
| thither | to or in that place |
| thraldom | slavery |
| thrall | slave |
| thrawn (1) | twisted, misshapen |
| thrawn (2) | obstinate, stubborn |
| throe | violent agony |
| throve | old past tense of 'thrive' |
| thwart | foil, stop |
| tidings | news |
| tipsy | slightly drunk |
| tithe | one tenth |
| toils | trap, snare |
| toothsome | pleasantly appetising |
| tor | rocky hill, especially among moorland |
| toss-pot | drunkard |
| tracery | complex interlinked ornamentation |
| traffic | trade |
| trammels | nets, traps |
| traverse | travel through or across |
| trove | found treasure |
| truncheon | a wooden shaft used as a weapon, or part of a weapon |
| tryst | an arranged meeting; break tryst fail to attend a tryst |
| tumult | noisy disturbance |
| tunic | a loose, short-sleeved garment |
| tuppence | two pence, a very small amount of money; not care tuppence have no interest |
| turnkey | jailor |
| tussock | clump of grass |
| twine | twist strands together into a rope |
| U | |
| umbel | long flower, as in hemlock or parsley |
| unblazoned | an heraldic term: plain, undecorated |
| ungentle | rough, coarse |
| unquiet | anxious, concerned |
| unsated | unsatisfied |
| unsullied | pure, uncorrupted |
| upbraid | criticise |
| upheave | push or force upwards |
| V | |
| vale | the valley of a river |
| varmint | pest, bothersome person or animal |
| vassal | servant, bondsman |
| vie | struggle with, be rival to |
| vigil | watchfulness; hold vigil make devotion |
| viol | an old instrument, usually with six strings, similar to a violin but held in a vertical position like a 'cello |
| W | |
| waif | homeless person |
| wain | wagon; The Wain the constellation of the Plough or Big Dipper |
| wan | pale |
| wards | the 'teeth' of a key |
| ware | old form of aware |
| waver (1) | shimmer, flicker |
| waver (2) | show indecision |
| wax | grow stronger; increase |
| waylay | intercept, prevent from going forward |
| wayward | uncontrollable, unpredictable |
| web | tapestry |
| wellnigh | almost, very nearly |
| weregild | a payment in compensation for a death (literally 'man-gold') |
| wheedle | coax, persuade |
| whelm | engulf, cover |
| whence | from where |
| whereat | for which reason |
| wherefore | for what (or which) reason |
| whet | sharpen |
| whither | to which place |
| wile | trick, deceit |
| wizened | of shrivelled appearance |
| wold | an upland region of moorland |
| wont | customarily, regularly; wont to err thus regularly make mistakes of this kind |
| worrit | worry |
| worst | defeat |
| wrack | clouds being driven by a strong wind |
| wraith | ghost, apparition |
| wreathe | engulf, surround (especially of vapour or fire) |
| wrest | take by force |
| writhen | writhing, twisting |
| wroth | angry |
| Y | |
| yammer | wail, weep |
| yoke | wooden harness for oxen; under the yoke under complete control |
| yonder | over there |
| yore | long ago |
| Z | |
| zenith | highest point |
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