Well, gosh. Simply from Norman French, a critter or a person held in contempt. And in a wild world, only used four times.

• 5.055 Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
• 8.029 and sure shot into the leaping beast.
• 9.008 Are the spiders your tame beasts or your pets,
• 12.030 That’ll be the end of our poor beasts!’

Origin Unknown. “Bird, N., Etymology.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, March 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/5985901037.

• 2.106 unless the birds perch on them;
• 5.055 Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
• 6.068 Eagles are not kindly birds.
• 6.068 were the greatest of all birds;
• 6.074 Fifteen birds in five fir-trees,
• 6.074 But, funny little birds, they had no wings!
• 6.075 Fly away little birds!
• 6.075 Come down little birds,
• 6.075 Sing, sing little birds!
• 6.082 Back swept the great birds that were with him,
• 6.082 Other birds flew to the tree-tops
• 7.002 as off rose fifteen great birds from the mountain’s side.
• 7.002 and saw that the birds were already high up
• 7.009 in after days the King of All Birds
• 7.084 Fifteen birds
• 7.116 and going off like a flock of birds into the distance.
• 7.133 and birds
• 7.134 Birds began to sing less.
• 8.092 and even birds,
• 9.002 that could hit a bird’s eye
• 11.008 and again the harsh croak of a bird.
• 11.009 and I don’t like these dark birds,
• 11.019 broken by no bird or sound
• 12.083 Drat the bird!’
• 12.084 this is a very old bird indeed,
• 12.096 hammered and carven with birds
• 13.068 like a bird on a steeple.
• 13.071 but there was a gathering of very many birds.
• 14.040 and from the birds that loved his folk,
• 15.001 But ever more thickly the birds were gathering.
• 15.002 and these are birds that dwell always
• 15.002 and far off there are many carrion birds
• 15.005 but I cannot follow the speech of such birds,
• 15.012 but that old bird understands us,
• 15.013 and with him came a most decrepit old bird.
• 15.015 Behold! the birds are gathering
• 15.019 But many are gathering hither beside the birds.
• 15.019 and carrion birds are with them hoping for battle
• 17.040 like a vast cloud of birds,
• 19.043 with birds and blossoms in spring

under a hundred of these! I included nearly and nearness.

• 1.006 that reached nearly down to his woolly toes
• 1.132 but he never got near the Mountain.
• 2.001 Nearly every pot
• 2.031 It was nearly night when they had crossed over.
• 2.035 Fili and Kili were nearly drowned,
• 2.038 and are too near the mountains.
• 2.047 it is nearly always worth while,
• 2.070 and rolling nearly into the fire
• 2.075 and Bifur and Bofur and Bombur piled uncomfortably near the fire.
• 2.108 They were nearly suffocated,
• 2.110 dug somewhere near to hide from the sun in?
• 3.001 down very near to them.
• 3.010 so suddenly that Gandalf’s horse nearly slipped down the slope.
• 3.012 and nearly fell off,
• 5.001 No one was anywhere near him.
• 5.005 and goblins are not very near,
• 5.012 if they ever came down alone anywhere near the edge of the water,
• 5.016 The hobbit jumped nearly out of his skin
• 5.029 and nearly bursting his brain to think of riddles
• 5.053 two-legs sat near on three-legs,
• 5.132 If goblins are so near that he smelt them,’
• 5.146 but a goblin had pushed it nearly to.
• 6.012 You nearly chopped off my head with Glamdring,
• 6.026 so that they often caught people benighted near their gates.
• 6.050 near Mr. Baggins’ hole at home,
• 6.058 and nearly got him.
• 6.072 until nearly all the flames were put out –
• 6.083 was very nearly left behind again!
• 6.083 in the air with his arms nearly breaking.
• 6.095 anywhere near where men lived.
• 6.097 I am nearly dead of it,’
• 7.010 and near the end of the stony ford.
• 7.016 because it is the only one near his home
• 7.023 which are nearly as marvellous as himself.
• 7.028 We are getting near,’ said Gandalf.
• 7.034 Standing near was a huge man with a thick black beard
• 7.039 who lives near the Southern borders of Mirkwood?’
• 7.041 and nearly lost our way,
• 7.042 What did you go near them for?’
• 7.092 and set them up near the fire.
• 7.117 all dancing outside from dark to nearly dawn.
• 7.123 If you lived near the edge of Mirkwood,
• 7.131 nor to come near my house –
• 7.151 I don’t advise you to go anywhere near the places
• 8.006 some nearly as big as your hand,
• 8.008 and fallen leaving only the broken posts near the bank.
• 8.041 he got near the top.
• 8.042 Bilbo’s eyes were nearly blinded by the light.
• 8.044 was standing near the bottom of a wide valley,
• 8.057 to creep near the lights
• 8.062 When they got near Thorin said:
• 8.115 Bilbo was nearly tired out;
• 8.123 and stabbing at their fat bodies if they came too near.
• 8.123 and dared not come very near,
• 9.011 More than once he was nearly caught
• 9.017 did not feel nearly so hopeful as they did.
• 9.017 until his head nearly burst,
• 9.020 near to the very eastern edge of Mirkwood.
• 9.029 Nearly all the king’s folk were merrymaking.
• 9.051 (nearly all of them had already disappeared through the dark trapdoor),
• 9.062 that he could see near the water’s edge.
• 9.063 for now we are drawing near the end of the eastward journey
• 11.001 even for the night so near the shadow of the Mountain.
• 11.004 They knew that they were drawing near to the end of their journey,
• 11.030 nearly coal black,
• 12.012 but rising from the near side of the rocky floor
• 12.019 The door behind them was pulled nearly to,
• 12.020 if you live near him.
• 12.027 near the perilous cliff’s edge
• 12.042 as he drew near the lower door.
• 12.079 he had not gone nearly far enough
• 12.079 and he was nearly overcome,
• 12.080 You aren’t nearly through this adventure yet,’
• 12.082 on a rock near by
• 13.008 Near the bottom,
• 13.017 So they sat near the door
• 13.018 while he was still near enough,
• 13.019 Now as he came near,
• 13.071 but the others sat near the outer door
• 14.018 The flames were near him.
• 14.032 the people near at hand shouted
• 15.004 and perched on a stone near by.
• 15.021 bring us news of any that draw near.
• 15.028 but near the entrance they had so altered the narrow bed
• 16.017 He was nearly across
• 17.032 and crossing the river drew near the camp;
• 17.034 and nearly all of Dain’s folk,
• 17.054 near to the watch-post on Ravenhill.
• 18.001 and no one was near.
• 18.014 and it nearly was disastrous.
• 18.043 So they went on until they drew near
• 19.036 It was now nearly lunchtime,

We found a golden word! Some appears in every chapter. It is a pronoun, so I’m bending Blackwelder’s guideline, but it’s also a noun and an adjective and an adverb, so I’m not. Goodness, I love English.

• 1.004 I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays,
• 1.006 By some curious chance
• 1.028 and have some with me.’
• 1.034 and have some tea!’
• 1.035 But I don’t mind some cake –
• 1.043 as if some naughty little hobbit-boy was trying to pull the handle off.
• 1.045 Some four,
• 1.046 Some called for ale,
• 1.046 and some for porter,
• 1.062 and we must have some music first.
• 1.069 Now for some music!’ said Thorin.
• 1.091 a journey from which some of us,
• 1.095 Gloin speaking: ‘Humph!’ (or some snort more or less like that).
• 1.098 Some of them do.
• 1.117 and make some plans.’
• 1.118 gives us some ideas or suggestions.’
• 1.123 Some of the dwarves who happened to be outside
• 2.028 On some of them were old castles with an evil look,
• 2.036 There was a hill some way off with trees on it,
• 2.037 When they had looked at it for some while,
• 2.037 Some said “no”
• 2.037 and some said “yes”.
• 2.037 Some said they could but go
• 2.038 Some said:
• 2.072 and after waiting for some time for Bilbo to come back,
• 2.077 in the shadows some way off,
• 2.079 but he was sent spinning up into the top of some bushes,
• 3.006 as some of you may know.
• 3.008 some of them green pleasant places to look at,
• 3.009 some of which were small,
• 3.018 For some elves tease them
• 3.029 and some elves have over merry tongues.
• 3.032 there were still some people
• 3.037 in some hold
• 4.005 and some of them were whinnying with fright.
• 4.006 we shall be picked up by some giant
• 4.008 and being the youngest of the dwarves by some fifty years
• 4.013 and some comfortable nooks.
• 4.025 some of the machines
• 4.025 in some parts wicked dwarves had even made alliances with them.
• 5.002 for he could feel inside that it was high time for some meal or other;
• 5.004 After some time he felt for his pipe.
• 5.004 and there was some tobacco
• 5.011 Some of these caves, too,
• 5.042 After some while Bilbo became impatient.
• 5.053 four-legs got some.
• 5.054 Gollum might have had some trouble guessing it,
• 5.072 who had lost his some time ago.
• 5.082 and get some things first,
• 5.108 to some way of escape without meaning to.
• 5.140 Go back up the passage!’ some shouted.
• 5.141 This way!’ some yelled.
• 6.034 and have some awkward country ahead.
• 6.041 Some caught hold of the trunks
• 6.041 some
• 6.062 to come by night upon some of the villages nearest the mountains.
• 6.068 Some are cowardly
• 6.070 there had been little rain for some time.
• 6.071 Some of them actually sat down
• 6.072 Some got all the wolves together
• 6.072 Some stacked fern
• 7.005 by some giant among giants.
• 7.011 I have some other pressing business to attend to.’
• 7.012 You are still some miles north of the path
• 7.012 which is some years ago.
• 7.013 and I think I have earned already some of your dragon-gold –
• 7.022 Some say that he is a bear descended from the great
• 7.031 some thatched
• 7.032 Some horses,
• 7.044 and tell me some of it,
• 7.074 It is some good being a wizard,
• 7.076 Or have you still got some more jacks
• 7.093 and in came some snow-white sheep
• 7.097 Some of the verses were like this,
• 7.107 and a noise as of some great animal scuffling at the door.
• 7.121 and have some more!’
• 7.126 and I will give you some bows
• 7.142 some pressing business away south;
• 8.002 in through some opening
• 8.003 but whether because some magic kept it clear,
• 8.006 some nearly as big as your hand,
• 8.008 and filled some of their emptied skins at its bank.
• 8.033 Suddenly on the path ahead appeared some white deer,
• 8.037 some distance to either side of the path.
• 8.037 like the pillars of some huge twilight hall.
• 8.058 where some trees had been felled
• 8.058 to some of the trees round about;
• 8.059 with the one idea of begging for some food.
• 8.071 and some were harping
• 8.074 till day came with some little light,
• 8.081 for some distance,
• 8.081 Standing behind a tree he watched a group of them for some time,
• 8.088 of the bottoms of some
• 8.094 he threw some more stones at these,
• 8.098 As he sang he threw some more stones
• 8.098 some dropped to the ground,
• 8.107 and some of them were worse.
• 8.107 Some had hardly been able to breathe at all
• 8.107 and some had been more poisoned.
• 8.112 that some of the spiders had gathered
• 8.115 Some of the dwarves had knives,
• 8.115 and some had sticks,
• 8.119 and some went off
• 8.120 and already some spiders were
• 8.124 But it seemed that some good magic lingered
• 8.125 There they lay for some time,
• 8.125 Indeed they really expected him to think of some wonderful plan for helping them,
• 8.125 Some of them even got up
• 8.125 and could not get on their legs again for some time.
• 8.125 for they saw that he had some wits,
• 8.131 before some came back into the Wide World.
• 8.132 some miles within the edge of Mirkwood on its eastern side
• 8.133 In ancient days they had had wars with some of the dwarves,
• 9.011 of some sort
• 9.013 to overhear some of the guards talking
• 9.018 and joined the Forest River some way further to the east,
• 9.021 For some time Bilbo sat
• 9.033 We thought you had got some sensible notion,
• 9.036 That will save him some of the trouble he is
• 9.037 some elves were under orders to come down
• 9.037 Some of them were wine-barrels,
• 9.038 In fact some were too roomy,
• 9.046 cried some,
• 9.046 You have stacked some full casks here
• 9.050 and was pushed over into the cold water some feet below.
• 9.050 Some were barrels really empty,
• 9.050 some were tubs neatly packed with a dwarf each;
• 9.051 Most likely you saw it some time ago
• 9.052 Some had already gone to haul on the ropes
• 9.057 Some of those that bobbed along by him
• 9.059 and there for a while they stuck against some hidden root.
• 9.062 and then sneaked along to some huts
• 9.063 and he actually dozed a little on some dry leaves,
• 9.066 some grumbled.
• 9.066 some of these are never empty.
• 10.003 (which some were inclined to attribute to the dragon –
• 10.004 It might have been some comfort to Mr. Baggins
• 10.007 and some were filled with gold
• 10.007 and some with warriors
• 10.008 though some still sang old songs
• 10.008 Some sang too that Thror
• 10.009 and take some of the casks away,
• 10.010 It was some time before he would be even polite to the hobbit.
• 10.018 and some of the younger people
• 10.021 Some of the more foolish ran out of the hut
• 10.034 Some began to sing snatches of old songs
• 10.038 Some of the songs were old ones;
• 10.038 but some of them were quite new
• 11.001 some miles up the river,
• 11.003 the others were some way ahead picking out a slow road,
• 11.011 But he might be gone away some time,
• 11.013 and there was some grass for their ponies.
• 11.019 In the meanwhile some of them explored the ledge
• 11.028 some were exercising the ponies down below,
• 11.028 some were roving about the mountain-side.
• 12.004 already owed some reward.
• 12.006 some are tricky
• 12.006 some are not,
• 12.007 to some distant end
• 12.011 of some vast animal snoring
• 12.027 Up came some tools
• 12.033 and they would have to wait some time
• 12.033 to last them still for some time.
• 12.037 on some new turn of luck
• 12.059 some nasty scheme
• 12.070 that your success has made you some bitter enemies?’
• 12.078 Ponies take some catching,
• 12.082 some of the things
• 13.001 In the silence they feared some cunning devilry of his,
• 13.016 it was some time
• 13.018 as he stumbled on some golden thing.
• 13.021 some time.
• 13.037 wrought for some young elf-prince long ago.
• 13.044 coming through some opening far above,
• 13.071 and some threw themselves down at once
• 14.026 while some were still willing to defend it.
• 14.027 some murmured,
• 14.034 and some of those who had before sung the old songs loudest,
• 14.043 and with him were some men of crafts
• 15.014 some are tidings of joy to you,
• 15.014 and some you will not think so good.
• 15.018 It was some time
• 15.026 As you have heard some of the events already,
• 15.026 you will see that the dwarves still had some days before them.
• 15.028 for they had food for some weeks with care –
• 15.033 Some turned swiftly back,
• 15.034 Some of the younger dwarves were moved
• 16.004 Things had gone on like this for some time,
• 16.025 that some two hours after his escape from the Gate,
• 16.031 I see I have some information you have not got.
• 17.018 when you seemed to think that I had been of some service.
• 17.034 and guard some other gate,
• 17.048 and some of the nimblest of men
• 17.060 some last blast of magic before the end.
• 18.003 in the plain some distance off;
• 18.019 Some courage and some wisdom,
• 18.019 Some courage and some wisdom,
• 18.027 Some are in the hunt,’
• 18.030 Actually it was some days
• 18.048 some little return should be made for your, er, hospitality.
• 18.051 and some were grim men
• 19.023 but they crossed with some difficulty,
• 19.041 One autumn evening some years afterwards

We almost have a golden word (I just made that phrase up), a word that appears in every chapter. Missing Chapter 15. Germanic probably direct from PIE. The OED has a fabulous article on its etymology

• 1.001 with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat:
• 1.010 sit down
• 1.010 Then Bilbo sat down on a seat by his door,
• 1.043 I really must sit down for a minute
• 1.043 while the four dwarves sat round the table,
• 1.046 The poor little hobbit sat down
• 1.060 Gandalf sat at the head of the party
• 1.060 and Bilbo sat on a stool at the fireside,
• 1.088 and sat down
• 1.088 and sat
• 1.093 as they sat down again.
• 1.124 sat and wept in hiding,
• 1.140 If you sit on the door-step long enough,
• 1.141 and isn’t sitting on the door-step your job,
• 2.002 In fact he was just sitting down
• 2.036 There they all sat glum
• 2.043 Three very large persons sitting round
• 2.080 sitting by them,
• 2.080 or just sit on them one by one
• 2.092 until at last they decided to sit on the sacks
• 2.093 “Who shall we sit on first?”
• 2.094 “Better sit on the last fellow first,” said Bert,
• 2.095 “But if you wants to sit on the last one,
• 2.095 sit on him.
• 3.033 or just sitting
• 4.025 sat a tremendous goblin with a huge head,
• 5.002 but sat down on the cold floor
• 5.014 while Bilbo was sitting on the brink
• 5.022 Praps ye sits here
• 5.022 with other funny creatures sitting
• 5.045 and sitting under the river bank teaching his grandmother,
• 5.047 since you are sitting comfortably at home
• 5.047 Bilbo sat
• 5.053 two-legs sat near on three-legs,
• 5.054 man at table sitting on a stool,
• 5.056 Poor Bilbo sat
• 5.058 He sat down
• 5.060 with that nasty wet cold thing sitting next to him,
• 5.078 He sat still,
• 5.112 Suddenly Gollum sat down
• 5.126 There was Gollum sitting humped up right
• 5.136 with drawn swords sitting just inside the door,
• 6.019 and he sat down
• 6.020 with him sitting beside me,’
• 6.020 And then he sat down
• 6.028 and there he sat down
• 6.052 if you had seen the dwarves sitting up
• 6.052 and were trying to find a place to sit
• 6.059 Trees are not very comfortable to sit
• 6.060 went and sat
• 6.066 He was sitting,
• 6.071 Some of them actually sat down
• 6.090 said Bilbo sitting up
• 6.093 sitting with their backs to the mountain wall.
• 7.001 So he sat down
• 7.023 I once saw him sitting all alone
• 7.046 Here they sat on wooden benches
• 7.066 Sit down,
• 7.070 and then sit down
• 7.071 and sat flop on the floor looking rather surprised.
• 7.078 Sit down
• 7.082 and sit down!
• 7.088 Now he had got fifteen strangers sitting
• 7.093 low enough even for Bilbo to sit at comfortably.
• 7.093 (in which he sat
• 7.093 What did the rest sit on?
• 7.096 They sat long at the table
• 7.096 and still they sat
• 7.097 The dwarves were sitting cross-legged on the floor round the fire,
• 7.117 ended Gandalf, and he sat a long while silent.
• 7.133 or sitting at noon
• 7.136 or sitting far off
• 7.146 Bilbo sat on the ground feeling very unhappy
• 8.006 and sat at night
• 8.032 and as they sat
• 8.033 There they sat for a long while
• 8.047 and sat up scratching his head.
• 8.048 he sat down
• 8.058 and sitting on sawn rings of the felled trees
• 8.071 sat a woodland king with a crown of leaves upon his golden hair,
• 8.074 So he sat himself down with his back to a tree,
• 8.081 and horrible sitting
• 8.093 and taking off the spider sitting
• 8.126 He just sat staring
• 9.002 and sat down
• 9.005 sat the Elvenking on a chair of carven wood.
• 9.017 He sat and thought
• 9.021 For some time Bilbo sat
• 9.025 and sat down at a table on which two large flagons were set.
• 9.034 and you can sit there comfortably
• 9.063 and the trail of drippings that he left wherever he went or sat;
• 10.012 where they sat or lay muttering
• 10.030 who were sitting
• 10.037 and crowds sat outside
• 11.020 Bilbo found sitting on the doorstep lonesome
• 11.020 when he said they could sit on the doorstep
• 11.020 And sit
• 11.021 He would do nothing but sit with his back to the rock-face
• 11.022 You said sitting on the doorstep
• 11.022 so I am sitting
• 11.027 just above the enclosure where he was sitting –
• 11.028 All day Bilbo sat gloomily
• 12.082 The old thrush was sitting
• 12.091 and I don’t see the point of sitting here.
• 12.094 So for a longish while they sat inside
• 12.098 He sat nearest to the door
• 13.001 the dwarves sat
• 13.001 but they could not sit there for ever.
• 13.015 and they sat huddled
• 13.017 So they sat near the door
• 13.039 and sat down on the floor;
• 13.052 where we can sit quiet for a bit!’
• 13.071 but the others sat near the outer door
• 14.037 and remained sitting on the ground.
• 16.025 Bilbo was sitting beside a warm fire
• 16.025 and there sat too,
• 16.027 he is quite ready to sit on a heap of gold
• 16.027 as long as you sit here.’
• 16.042 rose from a tent door where he was sitting
• 16.046 and then he sat down on the wall
• 17.033 But who are you that sit
• 17.060 sitting on the ground as if
• 18.003 He sat up painfully.
• 18.007 not far from where Bilbo sat.
• 18.017 to sit beside my fathers,
• 18.020 and sat alone wrapped
• 19.041 Bilbo was sitting

This is chain mail (or other mail armour), not post.

• 5.046 All in mail never clinking.
• 12.014 could dimly be seen coats of mail, helms and axes, swords and spears hanging;
• 12.096 coats of mail gilded
• 13.035 Now the dwarves took down mail
• 13.037 With that he put on Bilbo a small coat of mail,
• 13.042 Their glittering mail they had covered again
• 16.026 (which he still wore over his mail)
• 17.028 You have mail upon you,
• 17.031 in a hauberk of steel mail
• 19.039 His coat of mail was arranged on a stand

Possibly the most impactful line:

[12.072] And my breath death!

• 5.046 As cold as death;
• 5.144 trampled to death,
• 6.061 was the death of the Great Goblin,
• 7.122 because of the death of the Great Goblin,
• 7.122 and the death from the wizard’s fire
• 10.038 and spoke confidently of the sudden death of the dragon
• 12.072 and my breath death!’
• 14.042 Only five days after the death of the dragon
• 15.019 The news of the death of the guardian
• 15.024 over with the death of the dragon –
• 16.005 The treasure is likely to be your death,
• 17.044 Then they learned of the death of Smaug,

I included both the noun breath and the verb breathe in this entry. Breath is the older word and is related to scent and vapor and heat. Hmm.

• 1.034 he managed to say after taking a deep breath.
• 1.090 He paused for breath
• 1.092 until he was out of breath,
• 2.071 and he had no breath
• 5.046 Alive without breath,
• 5.107 recover his breath,
• 5.128 Bilbo almost stopped breathing,
• 6.046 that he could hear the dwarves’ breathing
• 7.106 to judge by their breathing;
• 8.037 There was a breath of air
• 8.107 and round with only his nose to breathe through.
• 8.107 Some had hardly been able to breathe at all
• 8.124 and draw breath.
• 12.015 To say that Bilbo’s breath was taken away
• 12.020 There was a breath of strange air
• 12.029 His hot breath shrivelled the grass before the door,
• 12.045 I hear your breath.
• 12.072 and my breath death!’
• 13.009 or hardly even to breathe.
• 13.019 and he caught his breath.
• 14.013 and their shafts fell back kindled by his breath burning
• 15.027 and they still had a breathing space.