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Within J.R.R. Tolkien‘s works, there are many uncommon, archaic, obsolete and dialectal words (especially from the dialects of the United Kingdom), and words used in unusual senses, which might cause confusion to readers and may make a passage of text appear unwieldy.

abide – put up with, tolerate, 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”

alms-guest – one given shelter as an act of charity

aloof – (of a person) distant, uninvolved

amiss – not as things should be

an – if

anon – soon; ever and anon often

apace – quickly

argent – silver, especially in heraldry

arrassed – covered with arras (rich figured tapestry)

askance – with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval

assuage – soften, lessen, soothe

astonied – stunned, astonished

attercop – a spider, also meaning a peevish or ill-natured person

aught – anything

aumbry – a small recess or cupboard in the wall

bade – old past tense of “bid”, pronounced “bayed”

baldric – a shoulder-belt for carrying horns, swords, etc

bannock – flat bread-cake

barrel – the long, cylindrical part of a key

baseborn – ignoble, illegitimate

bason – formerly a common spelling of basin

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

bent – open place covered with grass

beryl – a mineral of great hardness consisting of a silicate of beryllium and aluminum

beset – attacked, assaulted by enemies

besom – a stiff broom made out of sticks and twigs

besotted – made drunk

besotted₂ – obsessed, entranced

besought – old past tense of beseech

bier – platform for carrying a coffin or body

billow – (large) wave

bivouac – temporary camp, without tents

blazoned – painted or inscribed (an heraldic term)

bole – tree-trunk

bond – storage of wine, etc, until duty has been paid; out of bond released from this

booby – stupid person

boon – favour, gift

brakes – thickets

brazen – made of brass

brock – badger, a British rural dialect word

broider – to ornament with needlework, to embroider

brood – children

brood₂ – related creatures

brook – tolerate, accept

buckler – a small round shield, held in one hand

bulwark – a defensive structure

burg – walled and fortified town^[1]

burgeon – come forth, bud, begin to grow quickly

burnished – polished

byre – a shed or barn for cattle. (In British English a barn is a storage building for grain, hay, straw, etc., not a shelter for animals.)

cairn – a mound of stones or rocks, used as a marker, memorial or tomb

canker – a disease, a corrupting influence

carcanet – jewelled necklace

carouse – drink heavily

carven – old form of ‘carved’

cataract – waterfall

causeway – a road or track raised above the surrounding ground, especially used to provide a dry route through wetlands

cesspool – a pool of waste-water or sewage

chaffering – bargaining, haggling, bandying of words

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

charger – large dish

cheaping – a market where bargaining took place

chestnut – often-told joke or story, anything trite

chime – agree with, be in harmony with

chine – a deep and narrow ravine

churl – a person lacking manners or breeding; churlish rude, ungrateful or mean

circlet – a thin band of precious metal, worn onthe head

clamant – clamorous, noisy

clave – old past tense of cleave, in the sense ‘stick, adhere’

clomb – old past tense of climb

close-serried – packed tightly together

cloven – split into two

cob – spider (the name survives in the term ‘cobweb’), also a lead swan, a male swan (short for “cobswan”

cockshut-light – evening twilight (when woodcocks fly through clearings called cockshoots and can be netted, according to Wikipedia, or when poultry are shut into their enclosures, an alternative given by the Oxford English Dictionary)

coëval – born at the same time

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

coney – rabbit

confines – borders; borderlands

confusticate – to confuse, confound, or perplex (someone) (The Oxford English Dictionary says it’s a fanciful form of “confuse” or “confound”, but its Latin roots can be interpreted “beat with a cudgel”.)

constellate – formed into a constellation

cony – rabbit

cools – coolnesses

coomb – short valley in the side of a hill or mountain

coop – cage, imprison

corbel – basket

coronal – circlet or garland worn around the head

corslet – a piece of armour covering the body, but not the arms or legs

cot – a small cottage

counsels – words of advice

coverlet – quilt, bed-covering

covet – be jealous of, desire

covetice – (inordinate) desire, covetousness

cozen – lie to, cheat, deceive

craven – coward

crocks – items of crockery plates, dishes, etc.

culvert – a channel carrying water beneath a thorough fare

cumbrous – awkward, inconvenient

cunning-handed – deft, artful, dexterous

cur – a worthless or ill-tempered dog

curdle – turn sour

dainty – morsel, delicacy

damask – steel and iron specially welded to make a serpentine pattern

darkling – dark (poetical)

dastard – an ignoble and cowardly person

daunt – intimidate

dearth – scarcity or shortage, especially of food

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

doggrel – trivial or worthless verse

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

dour – stern, unyielding; dour-handed steady-handed

draught – drawing or pulling force

draught₂ – 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

dromund – large ship

drouth – variation of drought, a shortage, lack

dry – (of bricks or stone) laid without mortar

durstn’t – dare not

dwimmer-crafty – skilled in the arts of magic

eaves – the fringe of a forest (from the resemblance of the overhanging forest canopy to the eaves of a house)

eld – old age

ell – a measure of length, usually equivalent to 45 inches or 114 cm

embattled – of a fortress, having battlements

embattled₂ – 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 – pitcher for water^[1]

eyot – a small island^[1]

faggot – bundle of sticks used as firewood

fain gladly; disposed, desirous; fain of well-pleased with

falter – waver, lose courage

fane temple

fare – travel, go on a journey

fastness – secure fortress

fawn – cringe, grovel

fay – a fairy, ME faie, fai, fei, feid (faith) > L fata (fate)

fealty – allegiance and service to a lord

feign – pretend

fell – merciless, terrifying

fell₂ – animal’s hide

fell₃ – moorland hill

fen – low land that is covered wholly or partly with water

fender – a metal frame placed around a fireplace

fetter – chain, shackle

fey -The old senses were ‘fated, approaching death; presaging death’. It seems very unlikely that the later sense ‘possessing or displaying magical, fairylike, or unearthly qualities’ (O.E.D. Supplement) was intended.

field – background colour on a flag or shield in heraldry.

figured – marked with drawings or writing

fire-dogs – andirons that support logs in a fireplace

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

flet – ground, floor, a house (the origin of “flat” meaning a storey of a house, an apartment)

flittermice – bats

flotsam – floating wreckage; flotsam and jetsam items washed up by the sea, or a flood (also used figuratively)

flummoxed – bewildered, disconcerted

fold – a pen for livestock, especially sheep

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; pit^[1]

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

gaffer – a word meaning both “old man” and “foreman”* its use as the nickname of Hamfast Gamgee is probably meant to combine both meanings.

gainsay – contradict

gallop – boil and bubble

game – crippled

gammer – old woman

garner – a storage house for grain

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 – belt or cord used especially to confine clothing

girdle₂ – something which surrounds or encircles; girdle of Arda the central regions of Arda, equidistant from the far north and south

girdlestead – that part of the body around which the girdle passes, the waist

girt – bound or attached with a belt

gladdon-swords – pointed irises, esp. stinking irises

glede – burning coal or cinder

gloaming – the twilight of evening

glower – scowl, frown

goggle – stare with round eyes

gorcrow – carrion crow

gold-rings Barrow-Wights were known for carrying rattling gold-rings on their bony fingers.

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’

habergeon – a mail-coat without sleeves, shorter than a hauberk

hale – robust, strong of body

hame – hide, pelt

hang – to leave food, especially game, in the open until it becomes “high” or tender

harbour – succor, assistance

hardly – with great difficulty

hardly₂ – only just

harry – ravage

haste – hurry, rush

hauberk – mail-coat, usu. worn to the knees

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

hemlock – certain plants of the parsley family, including the poison hemlock, but Tolkien may have meant cow-parsley. The reference is not to the evergreen tree with the same name, which is found only in North America.

hence – from here

hew – chop, slice

hither – to here, to this place; hither and thither in various directions

hither₂ – nearer, closer

hoar – grey- or white-haired

hobble – limp, walk with difficulty

hock – the middle joint of a horse’s or pony’s leg

hornpipe – solo dance, usu. associated with sailors; orig. a musical instrument

houseleek – a fleshy plant that grows on the walls and roofs of houses

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)

hundredweight – the pun in Tolkien’s description of Bilbo’s 112th birthday as a “Hundredweight Feast” is based on the fact that in Britain a hundredweight is 112 pounds.^[2][3]

hunter’s moon – the full moon of mid- to late October

hythe – a small harbour or haven, especially on a river, “low place on a river bank for landing a boat”^[4]

ill – evil, wrong

inaureoled surrounded with a halo, (the word is only recorded in the O.E.D. in a poem by Francis Thompson, 1897).

inglenook – large recess next to a fireplace

jacinth – blue^[1]

jetsam – items thrown overboard from a ship, and later washed ashore

keen – sharp

kerb – a raised edge to a road or path

kindle – set fire to, begin to burn

kine – cows

kirtle = a gown, tunic, or coat worn by men or women, but esp. men in the Middle Ages

lampads – The word is only recorded in the O.E.D. (first used by Coleridge) of the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne of God in the Book of Revelation, chapter 4 verse 5.

larn – To teach; to give (a person) a lesson; frequently used ironically as a threat of punishment; also a variant of learn

lave – wash, bathe

lay – a poem that is meant to be sung

league – a measure of distance, about three miles^[1]

leaguer – an encampment or encampments, especially for defensive purposes

leave – permission

lee – shelter, especially from wind and weather

leech – healer

leechcraft – the practice of magical medicine. The name is based on the Celtic word for stone. The animal leech (Latin: sanguisuga, literally: blood sucker) is named for the healer (leech), rather than the other way around.^[5]

legendarium – term coined by Tolkien to mean the entirety of his works concerning his imagined world of Eä

Lethe – river in Hades whose water causes drinkers to forget their pasts

lets upon gives on to, opens on to

lief gladly, willingly

liever more gladly, more willingly, rather

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

lustihead vigour

malachite– a green mineral, a basic carbonate of copper, used in making ornamental objects

malefactor – one who commits an evil act

mantle – cloak, cover

mar – spoil or damage beyond repair

march – share borders

marches – border regions, frontiers; districts set up to defend boundaries

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 – an alcoholic drink made from honey

mead₂ – meadow

meed – requital

mere – lake or pond

mew – a type of gull

midge – tiny airborne biting insect; not unlike a mosquito, but much smaller

minished reduced, diminished

mischance – accident

misgive – fill with doubt or suspicion

mithe – a body of water in the Shire, an outflow of the Shirebourn River into the Brandywine River

moonshine – fantastic ideas

morion – a high-crested helmet with no visor

mort – large amount, abundance (as in “a mort of rich jewels” [Farmer Giles of Ham]

muster – collect, assemble

nenuphars – water lilies, possibly the same as the Nenuvar, fays (faeries) of lily-ponds

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)

ninnyhammer – fool, ninny

noisome – foul-smelling, poisonous

nook – corner, recess

nowt – nothing (a variant of “naught” in some British dialects)

nuncle^[6][7] – uncle (from “an uncle”)^[8]

oast – a kiln for drying malt or hops

obeisance – bowing or kneeling in submission

oft – often

or … or – either … or^[1]

or yet – apparently means “already”,

ostler – stable-keeper

otter-fell – an otter’s skin

ousel blackbird, 43 (now spelled ouzel, in Ring-ouzel and other bird-names).

oust – take possession of another’s lands, property, title, etc.

outworn – exhausted

overbear – defeat by weight of numbers

painter – a rope attached to the bow of a boat to tie the boat to a quay or stay

pallid – pale

panoply – full suit of armour

pantechnicon – a moving van [in Farmer Giles of Ham]

parapet – defensive wall built to protect troops

pard – old form of leopard

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

pleasance – “A pleasure-ground, usually attached to a mansion; sometimes a secluded part of a garden, but more often a separate enclosure laid out with shady walks, trees and shrubs…” (O.E.D.)

pled old past tense of plead, 186

plenilune – the time of full moon (see Letters p. 310).

portage – transporting a boat overland

portent – omen, sign

postern – a back- or side-entrance

pricks – (spurs his horse), rides fast. Oromë pricks over the plain echoes the first line of The Faerie Queene, A Gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine.

prink – to primp

profound – deep

prosy – dull, contented with the commonplace

provender – food

puissant – powerful^[1]

purloin – steal

quaff – drink deeply

quail – give way to, be intimidated by

raiment – clothing

rearguard – that part of an army set to cover its rear ranks, especially in retreat

recked – troubled, cared

rede – counsel, advice; plan; redes counsels

redound – contribute to, advance

redress – setting right

reed-mace – cattail

reft – past tense of the old word reave, to take by force

rent – past tense of rend, to tear or split

repair – make one’s way, go^[1]

respite – relief, calm interval

revelry – merrymaking

rick – a stack, especially of hay

rill – a small stream

rondured – (in golden-rondured). Rondure “circle, rounded form”; rondured is not recorded.

rude – simple, primitive

rue – regret, repent of

ruel-bone – ivory from the tusk of a walrus or narwhal, something made of this

rumour – sound

ruth – matter of sorrow, calamity; distress, grief; remorse

sable – heraldic term for black

sallow – having yellow or pale brown skin

saps – deep diggings

sate – old past tense of sit

save – except

sea-bell – a species of bindweed, a twining plant of the morning-glory family, binds, mats, or interlaces with neighboring plants

seamews – seagulls

selenites – inhabitants of the Moon

semblance – appearance

shade – ghost or phantasm

shallop – This word had precise applications to particular kinds of boat, but here apparently means “open boat propelled by oars and sail”.

shank – leg; especially that part between the knee and ankle

share – share=ploughshare, but used here of the blade of a scythe.

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

sigaldry – sorcery, making of runes

sister-son – nephew

sledge-blows blows as of a sledge, a large heavy hammer

slot – track of an animal^[1]

slowcoach – someone who moves slowly, or is often late

sluggard – slow or lazy person

smite – strike, attack (the past tense is smote)

smithying – working with metal as does a smith

snuff – sniff deeply

sojourn – temporary stay

sooth – true, truthful

sortie – an attack launched by a besieged force

spinney – group of trees, or small wood

sprent – past participle of the lost verb sprenge “sprinkle, scatter”

Springle-ring – a Shire Hobbits’ lively dance involving jumping

sprite(s) – spirit(s)

stead – place, position

stem – block, hold back

stock – the trunk or stump of a tree; stock and stone inanimate things

stoning raisins – remove seeds from grapes (uncertain)

stoop – in falconry, to swoop on prey

straightway – immediately, directly

strait – narrowly confining

straitly – narrowly, tightly

strand – shore, shoreline, especially a beach

stricken – struck, beaten;^[1] (as an adjective) damaged, broken

suaded – persuaded

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

tarn – mountain lake

tarry – pause, wait

taw – to flog [archaic]

thanksgiving– festival of giving thanks, as in a prayer

thenceforward – from that time on

thither – to or in that place

thraldom – slavery

thrall – slave

thrawn – twisted, misshapen

thrawn₂ – obstinate, stubborn

throe – violent agony

throve – old past tense of ‘thrive’

thwart – (v.) foil, stop; (n.) a seat across a boat

tidings – news

tilth – farmland

tipsy – slightly drunk

tithe – tenth part^[1]

toils – trap, snare

toothsome – pleasantly appetising

tors – rocky hill-tops

toss-pot – drunkard

tracery – complex interlinked ornamentation

traffic – trade

trammels – nets, traps

traverse – travel through or across

trillups, trillaping – the sound of fast and light flute music

trove – found treasure

truncheon – a wooden shaft used as a weapon, or part of a weapon

tryst – a prearranged meeting; break tryst fail to appear at the agreed upon time and place

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 – jailer

tussock – clump of grass

twine – twist strands together into a rope

umbel – flat cluster of small flowers in plants of the parsley family, including those called hemlocks

unblazoned – an heraldic term, plain, undecorated

umbraged – (in wide-umbraged) Umbraged “shaded, shadowed”, but here in the sense “shadowing”, “casting a shade”.

uncials – lettering in 3rd – 9th century Greek and Latin manuscripts

ungentle – rough, coarse

unquiet – anxious, concerned

unsated – unsatisfied

unsullied – pure, uncorrupted

upbraid – criticise

upheave – push or force upwards

vale – the valley of a river

varmint – pest, bothersome person or animal

vassal – servant, bondsman

viand(s) – sing.: something intended to be eaten; pl. esp. pleasing to eat because it is rare or a luxury

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

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 – shimmer, flicker

waver₂ – show indecision

wax – grow stronger; increase

waylay – intercept, prevent from going forward

wayward – uncontrollable, unpredictable

web(s) – woven fabric

wellnigh – almost, very nearly

weregild – a payment in compensation for a death (literally “man-money”)

wheedle – coax, persuade

whelm – engulf, cover

whence – from where

whereat – for which reason

wherefore – for what (or which) reason

wherry – a long, light rowboat chiefly used for carrying passengers

whet – sharpen

whickering – The verb whicker meant to laugh or titter, or of a horse to whinny, but the O.E.D. cites a line from Masefield the wall-top grasses whickered in the breeze, and the 1920 Supplement to the Dictionary gives a meaning “to make a hurtling sound”, with a single citation where the word is used of a thunderbolt “whickering through the sky”. In the 1962 version of The Man in the Moon the word flickering occurs in this verse.

whitethorn – hawthorn

whither – to which place

wildered – perplexed, bewildered

wile – trick, deceit

wizened – of shriveled 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 – devastation, downfall, ruin, (compare with rack and ruin)^[1]

wrack₂ – 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

yammer – wail, weep, cry

yoke – wooden harness for oxen; under the yoke under complete control

yonder – over there

yore – long ago

zenith – highest point

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