] Tolkien Word of the Day ::: The Barrow-Downs

Today's Date in the Shire
26 Rethe
Middle-Earth Quotes
Support
the
Downs


The Books
Middle-earth FAQ
Encyclopedia
The Books
Book List
Articles
Tengwar Scriptor
Chronology
Talking Tolkien

Name Generators
All-in-One

Fun and Games
Middle-earth
Magnets

Personality Test
Gaffer's Proverbs
Crosswords
Grave Matters
Quizzes
Walk to Rivendell
Location Finder
Mad Libs
Malbeth the Seer
LotF
Barrow-Comics
Hanghobbit
Oh! Behave!

Past Contests
Scavenger Hunt
Essay Contest
Missing Story
T-Shirt Contest
Comic Contest
Haiku Contest
Judges Haikus

Discussions
Forum
Forum Index
Chat

Talking Tolkien
draught
noun, adjective, verb

by The Barrow-Wight

Etymology

Chief English variant of 'draft'
Middle English draght; akin to Old English dragan to draw
Date: 13th century
Pronunciation: 'draft'

This word has many definitions and J.R.R. Tolkien uses most of the in The Lord of the Rings. Let's compare some of Merriam-Webster's definitions to his usages.

( 1 ) the act or an instance of drinking or inhaling; also : the portion drunk or inhaled in one such act b : a portion poured out or mixed for drinking : DOSE
'Let's have a drink at any rate,' said Pippin. 'I'm parched.' He clambered on to a great tree-root that wound down into the stream, and stooping drew up some water in his cupped hands. It was clear and cold, and he took many draughts.

( 2 ) the force required to pull an implement b : load or load-pulling capacity
A draught of cooks, from every inn and eating-house for miles around, arrived to supplement the dwarves and other odd folk that were quartered at Bag End. Excitement rose to its height.

( 3 ) the act of moving loads by drawing or pulling : PULL b : a team of animals together with what they draw
As for other animals, horses or ponies for draught or what not, there are very few of them in Bree, and they won't be for sale.

( 4 ) the act of drawing (as from a cask) b : a portion of liquid so drawn c : draft beer
But he (Pippin) remembered that there was bread, surpassing the savour of a fair white loaf to one who is starving; and fruits sweet as wildberries and richer than the tended fruits of gardens; he drained a cup that was filled with a fragrant draught, cool as a clear fountain, golden as a summer afternoon. - and-
They took a deep draught of the air, and felt that a skip and a few stout strides would bear them wherever they wished.

( 5 ) the depth of water a ship draws especially when loaded
And looking thither they cried in dismay; for black against the glittering stream they beheld a fleet borne up on the wind: dromunds, and ships of great draught with many oars, and with black sails bellying in the breeze.

( 6 ) a current of air in a closed-in space b : a device for regulating the flow of air (as in a fireplace)
She (Goldberry) held a candle, shielding its flame from the draught with her hand; and the light flowed through it, like sunlight through a white shell.

(Etymology and definition taken from www.m-w.com)

What's New??
Middle-earth
Magnets

Site News

Themes
All Themes
Random

Readers' Section
Fan Fiction
Signs

This Site
Welcome Page
Site News
Contact Us
Our Team


More ...
Tolkien Links


Barrow-Downs asserts no claim to art or works of fiction posted on this site. If the artist, author, owner or rights-holder of any content posted herein objects to the inclusion of such content on this site, please contact us at webmaster@barrowdowns.com and such content will be removed. The opinions, statements and text posted in the forum and guestbook are those of the persons posting and not of the Barrow-Downs or its operators.