What is might?

[The Saucepan Man]

I appreciate the fact that you looked up quotes for this one, Saucy (unless you have the Memory of Champions),

Nope - I just read that bit in the book. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Doug, one of the quotes that I gave was an example of might being used in a sense other than physical strength in arms:

Feanor was the mightiest in skill of word and of hand

... meaning Feanor was mighty in his use of words (for example, his persuasion of the majority of the Noldor to follow him when he spoke to them about departing Aman) and mighty in his skill as a craftsman (the obvious example being that he created the Silmarils). Clearly, he was a great warrior too, but his brother Fingolfin is said to have been physically the stronger.

The paragraph from which the quotes about the three brothers came is introducing them and describing their redeeming characteristics. Since Feanor's characteristics in this regard are described in terms of might, I believe that descriptions applied to his brothers define their might too, ie strength, endurance and valour in Fingolfin's case and fairness and wisdom in the case of Finarfin.

Hence, this paragraph is a prime example of how JRRT uses "might" to refer not just to physical strength, but also strength in other respects.