Thorin and Company only move ashore – “a-” preposition 1, in a situation – during the barrel adventure.

• 09.059 close ashore at one point
• 09.062 and waded ashore,
• 09.066 If they had come ashore
• 10.012 and helped ashore

“ashore, adv.2.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

Such an everyday thing as annoyance is not seen from the moment the dwarves enter the barrels until Bilbo is safely home in Bag-End.  This is a case of “an-” prefix 1, a particle handy for forming verbs, adverbs, and prepositions.

• 01.058 and annoyed.
• 01.142 (which annoyed Bilbo very much),
• 02.034 was most annoying.
• 02.108 and very annoyed:
• 03.018 or get annoyed with them.
• 05.098 But Bilbo was annoyed at the delay.
• 07.018 and you must be careful not to annoy him,
• 08.049 We are quite annoyed enough with you as it is.
• 09.034 and also rather annoyed.
• 19.035 as Bilbo noticed with annoyance.

“annoy, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

The “a-” prefix 1 intensifer is at work here, putting one intensely in the power of the muses.  OED notes that Shakespeare never used the word.  I find it notable that amusements end well before the capture in Mirkwood.

• 01.020 Very amusing for me,
• 04.013 and set dancing up by the roof to amuse them.
• 06.071 and they soon had a plan which seemed to them most amusing.

“amuse, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

While OED does not specify which “a-” this is, it does tell us it’s from “on middan”, so my money is on preposition 1 (in the situation).

• 03.050 Now they rode away amid songs of farewell
• 10.037 amid scenes of astonishing enthusiasm.
• 14.012 Amid shrieks
• 14.043 amid the ruined piles of the old town.

“amid, adv. and prep.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

I am fascinated to notice that in Chapter 17, amazement only occurs in companionship with confusion.  This is a use of “a-” prefix 1 – towards and therefore intensifier of the sensation of being in a maze.

• 16.036 in amazement.
• 17.009 with amazement and confusion.
• 17.042 Amazement and confusion fell upon them all.

“amaze, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

“Aloud” uses the “a-” preposition 1 meaning, in the situation of loudness.

• 01.059 he said aloud.
• 01.137 and accidentally said it aloud.
• 05.063 he said aloud.
• 06.088 and he found himself saying aloud:
• 12.060 he said aloud.
• 12.067 and Smaug laughed aloud.
• 12.077 exclaimed Bilbo aloud,
• 13.010 he squeaked aloud.
• 13.033 They spoke aloud,
• 13.040 Thorin!’ he cried aloud.

“aloud, adv. and adj.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

“Aloft” for both Bilbo’s tiny light by which he finds the Arkenstone and for holding up the Arkenstone itself.  The “a-” comes from the old phrase ‘on loft” and the “a-” preposition 1 use, position within a situation: the object is in the situation of being up there in loftiness.  Or in the loft, if you prefer.

• 13.018 start across the floor holding his tiny light aloft.
• 17.008 and held aloft the jewel.

“a, prep.1.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

“aloft, adv. and prep.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

How interesting that we only see the word “allude” in one chapter!  This word uses the Latin prefix ad- ludere, “to play at” someone, “to imitate or mock”, and eventually as we use it, “to refer”.

• 10.003 alluding to him chiefly with a curse
• 10.036 no songs had alluded to him even

“allude, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

Gandalf says it with regard to Bilbo’s share of the troll treasure, a nice homey aphorism for coming home.  Our good friends at the OED report that “alike” probably has multiple sources.  The Scandinavian and German roots of the word use prefix 3 (“on” and “onto”), and the other source is Middle and obsolete Modern English “ylike”, the “y-” prefix indicating completeness being reduced to “a-” prefix 2.

• 19.026 and share alike!

“a-, prefix2.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

“a-, prefix3.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

“alike, adv.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

By analogy with “afire”, we have here another instance of “a-” preposition 1, being in the situation.  But not so fast!  That comparison was fabricated after the development of the word – the adjective is from the past participle of the verb “alight”, which uses the “a-” prefix 1, motion onward, adding intensity.  That would be the second verb “alight” the meaning of which is “illuminate”.  Yet we must not grab too fast onto that meaning, as there’s plenty of evidence supporting “a-” prefix 3 with the senses “on” or “onto”.

The Chapter 15 word – the first verb “alight” – also, thank goodness, uses the “a-” prefix 1, motion onward.  Its obsolete meaning “to lighten” has moved over time to mean “descend and settle” when used of a creature in flight.

• 06.064 Then he set one alight with bright blue fire,
• 06.065 and setting others alight,
• 06.070 had set it alight
• 13.017 Oin with a small pine-torch alight
• 15.013 He alighted stiffly on the ground before them,

“a-, prefix1.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

“a-, prefix3.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

“alight, adj. and adv.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

“alight, v.1.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.

“alight, v.2.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 18 May 2015.