Le Morte d'Arthur: Volume 1 — Page 14

Vocabulary

Comment

How; used to introduce a manner or question

les

The; plural definite article in French

chevaliers

Knights; armored warriors of medieval nobility

se

Reflexive pronoun meaning themselves or oneself

comportèrent

Behaved; past tense of se comporter

dans

In; preposition indicating location or context

la

The; feminine singular definite article

bataille

Battle; a large-scale armed military conflict

CHAPITRE

Chapter; a main division of a book

Encore

Again; still; more of something previously mentioned

du

Of the; masculine singular partitive or contracted article

dit

Said; past tense of dire, to say

tournoi

Tournament; a medieval competition of knights jousting

messire

My lord; archaic honorific title for a nobleman

fut

Was; simple past tense of être, to be

repéré

Spotted; identified or noticed by someone watching

par

By; preposition indicating agent or means

hérauts

Heralds; officials who announced and identified knights

et

And; coordinating conjunction linking words or phrases

comment

How; interrogative adverb asking about manner

il

He; third person masculine singular subject pronoun

s'

Himself; reflexive pronoun elided before a vowel

échappa

Escaped; fled from a place or situation successfully

champ

Field; open area, often a battlefield or tournament ground

de

Of; from; preposition indicating origin or possession

arriva

Arrived; reached a destination in simple past tense

à

At; to; preposition indicating location or direction

un

A; an; masculine indefinite article or number one

château

Castle; a large fortified medieval noble residence

où

Where; relative or interrogative adverb of place

bien

Well; adverb meaning in a good or satisfactory manner

logé

Lodged; housed or given accommodation somewhere

jouta

Jousted; competed on horseback with lances in tournament

avec

With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means

chevalier

Knight; a mounted armored medieval warrior or noble

le

The; masculine singular definite article or pronoun

tua

Killed; past tense of tuer, to kill someone

combattit

Fought; engaged in combat in simple past tense

qui

Who; which; relative or interrogative pronoun

retenait

Was holding; kept captive or detained someone

son

His; her; its; third person singular possessive adjective

trente

Thirty; the cardinal number between 29 and 31

dames

Ladies; noblewomen or women of high social standing

combattirent

Fought; plural simple past of combattre, to fight

l'

The; elided definite article before a vowel sound

contre

Against; preposition indicating opposition or contact

autre

Other; another; referring to a different person or thing

ils

They; third person masculine plural subject pronoun

reconnurent

Recognized; identified someone previously known to them

grâce

Thanks to; grace; through the help or merit of

demoiselle

Young lady; an unmarried noblewoman or maiden

déclara

Declared; stated formally or officially in past tense

au

To the; contracted form of à + le

roi

King; the male monarch or ruler of a kingdom

qu'

That; elided conjunction or relative pronoun before vowel

aimaient

Loved; imperfect tense of aimer, to love or like

fixation

Setting; fixing of a date or arrangement for something

leur

Their; third person plural possessive adjective

mariage

Marriage; the legal or formal union of two people

De

Of; from; preposition at the start of a phrase

Grande

Great; large; adjective indicating high importance or size

Royauté

Royalty; the state or institution of being a king

quels

Which; what; masculine plural interrogative adjective

officiers

Officers; officials holding positions of authority or rank

furent

Were; simple past plural of être, to be

nommés

Named; appointed to a position or given a title

lors

During; at the time of a particular event

festin

Feast; a large celebratory meal with much food

des

Of the; plural partitive or contracted article

noces

Wedding; nuptial celebrations marking a marriage ceremony

joutes

Jousts; mounted combat competitions between two knights

LIVRE

Book; a major division of a long literary work

naquit

Was born; simple past of naître, to be born

sa

His; her; feminine singular possessive adjective

mère

Mother; a female parent of a child

mourut

Died; simple past tense of mourir, to die

naissance

Birth; the act or moment of being born

c'

It; this; elided demonstrative pronoun before est

est

Is; third person singular present of être, to be

pourquoi

Why; that is why; reason or cause for something

elle

She; third person feminine singular subject pronoun

nomma

Named; called; gave a name to someone in past

belle-mère

Stepmother or mother-in-law; a non-biological maternal figure

avait

Had; third person singular imperfect of avoir, to have

préparé

Prepared; made ready or arranged something in advance

poison

Poison; a toxic substance intended to harm or kill

pour

For; in order to; preposition indicating purpose or recipient

empoisonner

To poison; to kill or harm using a toxic substance

envoyé

Sent; dispatched someone to a place or on a mission

en

In; to; preposition indicating location or direction

eut

Had; simple past of avoir, to have something

quelqu'

Someone; elided form of quelqu'un before a vowel

gouverner

To govern; to rule or oversee someone or something

apprit

Learned; simple past of apprendre, to learn or teach

jouer

To play; to perform music or engage in a game

harpe

Harp; a large stringed musical instrument plucked by hand

chasser

To hunt; to pursue animals or to chase someone away

faucon

Falcon; a swift bird of prey used in falconry

chasse

Hunt; the activity of pursuing and catching wild animals

vint

Came; simple past of venir, to come or arrive

d'

From; of; elided preposition before a vowel sound

réclamer

To claim; to demand something as a right or due

tribut

Tribute; a payment demanded by a dominant power

ou

Or; coordinating conjunction offering an alternative choice

sinon

Otherwise; if not; introducing a negative consequence

battrait

Would fight; conditional of battre, to beat or fight

obtenir

To obtain; to get or acquire something through effort