high

Lest

lfsaldenbirch , ,

This word has a perfectly delicious definition:

Used as a negative particle of intention or purpose, introducing a clause expressive of something to be prevented or guarded against;

It comes from Old English by a fairly common route of dropping sounds and syllables until it has become one clear syllable.  Original meaning: “whereby less”

  • 06.088 and fear lest he fall off that narrow place
  • 08.081 lest they should discover him.
  • 11.033 Quickly, trembling lest the chance should fade,
  • 16.005 and I fear lest there be battle

The use of “lest” peaked in the second half of the seventeenth century and dropped off after 1850, thanks Google Ngram Viewer.  While OED does not call it archaic, it has a high sound to me.

“lest, conj.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 11 May 2015.

Farewell

lfsaldenbirch , , ,

This compound word is simply the imperative phrase “fare well” treated as one word.  The OED classes it as poetical, so I will add our poetry tag to it.  It’s a lovely, high-sounding word for formal leavetakings.

  • 03.050 Now they rode away amid songs of farewell
  • 07.002 The dwarves were crying farewells
  • 07.007 Farewell!’ they cried,
  • 07.012 farewell wherever you fare!’
  • 07.129 and bidding him many farewells they rode off
  • 07.146 Now Gandalf too said farewell.
  • 10.045 and his councillors bade them farewell
  • 16.046 and then he said farewell to the elves
  • 17.027 Farewell!’
  • 17.029 in the meanwhile farewell!’
  • 18.017 ‘Farewell, good thief,’
  • 18.018 ‘Farewell, King under the Mountain!’
  • 18.019 Farewell!’ (Thorin to Bilbo)
  • 18.038 ‘Farewell, Balin!’
  • 18.038 and farewell, Dwalin;
  • 18.038 and farewell Dori, Nori, Ori,
  • 18.038 Farewell Thorin Oakenshield!
  • 18.044 Farewell! O Elvenking!’
  • 18.045 Farewell! O Gandalf!’
  • 18.049 Farewell!’ (Thranduil to Bilbo)
  • 19.018 he said farewell to Elrond,

“farewell, int., n. (and adj.), and adv.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 11 May 2015.

Ere

lfsaldenbirch , ,

This tough old adverb, preposition, conjunction, and adjective with a poetical and old-fashioned sound is still an active word in the OED.  There are obsolete meanings for “ere” which overlap with the uses we see here.  It’s used in solemn dwarvish poetry in the Shire, and outside of the Shire during parleys between leaders after chapter 10.  And the narrator uses it.  Our narrator only lets his personality show once in a while – usually speaking directly to the reader/listener.  He uses it in battle scenes – it sounds to me that the narrator has become excited into a higher-register state.  We’re going to keep our eye on these passages.  I’m labeling this one as both poetical and high.

  • 01.073 We must away ere break of day
  • 01.077 We must away, ere break of day,
  • 01.082 We must away, ere break of day,
  • 01.144 We must away, ere break of day,
  • 15.053 Begone now ere our arrows fly!
  • 15.054 Gather your wisdom ere we return!’
  • 15.055 Ere many hours were past, (narrator)
  • 17.037 ere I begin this war for gold.
  • 17.048 Ere long the vanguard swirled (narrator)
  • 19.007 Ere long now,’

“ere, adv.1, prep., conj., and adj.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 11 May 2015.

Behold

lfsaldenbirch , , ,

Our present sense of “see” for behold has lost a bit of beauty.  “Behold” uses the “be-” meaning of “around”, and in its early years “behold” was definitely all about holding something around its middle or throat or other hold-able part.  From holding on or retaining something, the meaning moved to holding an idea firmly in one’s mind and considering it.  From thence to “observe” in the mind or with the eyes, and now our usual use.

  • 01.059 and behold!
  • 13.048 and behold!
  • 15.015 Behold! the birds are gathering
  • 17.041 Behold! the bats are above his army

“behold, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 7 May 2015.

Begone

lfsaldenbirch , , ,

This is just good old-fashioned orthography.  “Be gone!”  Imperative “be” followed by verbal adjective “gone”, used together so many times that the space between them retired.  We do not have “bego, bewent”, but neither do we have “isgone, wasgone”.  I am reminded of Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Act IV, Scene 1 – “I am gone, though I am here.”

  • 15.053 Begone now ere our arrows fly!

“begone, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 7 May 2015.

Befoul

lfsaldenbirch , , , ,

To make foul or dirty, this instance of “be-” forms the verb out of the adjective “foul”.  In the 13 and 1400s, this word slowly replaced “befile”, an interesting formation of be-defile.

  • 13.043 and though all was befouled and blasted

I note that the filth that one is covered with when befouled often refers to metaphorical moral filth.  All in this passage has been befouled by Smaug’s coming and goings – and also his malice?  More on the malice of dragons in Legard.

“befoul, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 7 May 2015.

Legard, Sara. “Essential Dragons Beyond Tolkien’s Middle Earth”.  Mythmoot II Proceedings.  Mythgard Institute. Web.

Befall

lfsaldenbirch , , ,

This use of “be-” intensifies the verb; I am pleased to note that in this use, “befall” takes an indirect object, that least visible of Modern English cases.  This use of befall is not archaic although others (which have more to do with inheritances or actual objects on one’s head) are listed as obsolete!

  • 08.129 They wondered what evil fate had befallen him,

Fate doesn’t just fall on someone, but crashes all down around; here the dwarves wonder about Thorin when he is separated from them In Mirkwood.

“befall, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 7 May 2015.

Hail

lfsaldenbirch , ,

While the literal hail falls in the stone-giants’ game in chapter 4 and a metaphorical hail of arrows comes ten chapters later, most uses of “hail” are not about weather but the homophone meaning to call out in address.  The original call was an interjection wishing the addressed person good health.  Waes hael! 

  • 04.005 and the hail about
  • 10.009 and voices hailed the raft-steerers.
  • 11.031 and hailed the dwarves,
  • 13.041 Then he hailed the others,
  • 14.013 A hail of dark arrows leaped up
  • 15.032 Thorin hailed them:
  • 15.045 Again Thorin hailed them
  • 15.046 Hail Thorin!
  • 17.001 and hailed them,
  • 17.004 Hail Thorin!’
  • 18.015 Hail! Thorin,’

Harper, Douglas. “Hail”. Online Etymology Dictionary. Web.