Glossary of words and phrases used in 'To Tame a Viking Warlord: KoSIII'
aft — toward the stern, or rear, of a ship.
after strake — one of the rearmost planks running along a ship's hull; here, the rail near the stern that Samira is told to brace against.
ajnabi — a foreigner; an outsider.
al-Habasha — the old Arabic name for Abyssinia and its peoples (roughly present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea).
Allah — God, in Islam.
Al-Thurayya — the Arabic name for the Pleiades, the cluster known as the Seven Sisters.
amma — grandmother.
As-salaam-alaikum — "Peace be upon you"; a traditional greeting. The reply is Wa-alaikum-salaam.
Aurvandil's toe — in Norse myth, a frozen toe cast into the sky by Thor; a faint star used to test a keen eye.
awning — a stretched cover of hide and canvas rigged over part of the deck for shelter; here, the walled space at the stern where Samira sleeps.
Baba — Papa; an affectionate word for father.
Banāt naʿsh — "the daughters of the bier"; the Arabic name for the seven stars of the Plough (Big Dipper). Four form the bier that carries a body to burial, and three are the daughters walking behind it.
Bifrost — the burning bridge of Norse legend; here, a name for the northern lights.
Bismillah — "In the name of God"; spoken before beginning a task.
boist — a small box or casket (Scots).
bow — the front of a ship.
burnus — a hooded cloak of wool.
byre — a cowshed or barn.
crofter — a tenant farmer working a small holding.
djellaba — a long hooded robe.
Eir — in Norse myth, the goddess of healing.
frilla — a concubine or kept woman, as opposed to a lawful wife.
Fróð kona — a "wise woman"; a woman of knowledge.
funduq — an inn or lodging house built around a courtyard, with stabling and storerooms below and rooms above.
habibti — "my darling"; an endearment for a woman or girl.
haik — a large plain wrap worn by women, covering the head and body.
Iḥtarisī — "Watch out!"; "Beware!"
jambiya — a short curved dagger worn along the forearm.
jarl — a Norse nobleman or chieftain, ranking just below a king.
Karlsvagn — "the man's wagon"; the Norse name for the constellation known as the Plough or Big Dipper. The four stars form the cart and the three the shaft.
ken / kens / kent — to know (Scots). "Ye ken" means "you know."
khādima — a lady's maid or female servant; a chaperone.
koummya — a traditional Moroccan curved dagger, worn at the belt.
La — "No."
lamt shield — a light shield of hide, carried by the desert peoples.
Li'uli — an Ethiopian royal title: prince.
Maghribi — a person of the Maghreb; a North African.
mahr — in Islamic marriage, an obligatory gift from the groom to the bride.
mahram — a male relative a woman may lawfully travel with: father, brother, son, or husband.
mast — the upright timber that carries the sail.
merguez — a spiced lamb or beef sausage.
msemen — a flaky, layered Moroccan flatbread.
nae / do nae / could nae / cannae — "not" / "do not" / "could not" / "cannot" (Scots).
Na'am — "Yes."
nigišiti — an Ethiopian royal title: queen.
Norn — the North Germanic tongue once spoken exclusively in Orkney and Shetland.
peedie — little; small (Orcadian dialect). Peedie Bird means "little bird."
qadi — a judge of Islamic law.
qamis — a long plain tunic or shirt.
Qur'an — the holy book of Islam.
reefing — reducing the area of a sail by gathering and tying part of it to the yard, so a strong wind cannot drive the ship over or tear the sail away.
Sahrawi — the desert peoples of the western Sahara; Samira's mother's kin.
seiðkona — a woman who practises seiðr, Norse magic; a sorceress.
seiðr — Norse magic or witchcraft.
sennight — a week; seven nights.
shahada — the Islamic declaration of faith; spoken with true intention, it is an act of conversion.
sharbat — a sweet, chilled fruit drink.
Shukran — "Thank you."
sirwal — loose trousers gathered at the waist.
Sitt — a respectful title for a lady or mistress, as in Sitt Zaynab.
skald — a Norse court poet or bard.
snekkja — a small, swift Viking longship, built low in the water and driven by oars and a single square sail.
souk — a marketplace or bazaar.
steering oar — a large oar mounted on the right side near the stern, used to steer a ship in place of a rudder; it pivots on the withy.
stern — the rear of a ship.
Suhayl — the star Canopus, used by desert travellers to find their way; Samira's private name for her guiding star.
swive — (archaic) to have sexual relations with.
Tanit — an ancient North African goddess whose sign is etched upon the pendant.
telek — a hardwood fighting stick, wielded alongside a blade.
thrall — a slave or bondsman.
'tis / 'neath — "it is" / "beneath" (archaic contractions).
umma — mother.
völva — a Norse seeress or prophetess.
Wa-alaikum-salaam — "And peace be upon you"; the reply to As-salaam-alaikum.
withy — a tough band of twisted willow that holds a ship's steering oar against the hull and lets it pivot.
yard — the horizontal spar that carries the square sail; the sail is hauled down to it when reefing.