Hamlet Vocabulary

Countenance Definition: a person’s face or facial expression. Original Sentence; His frowning countenance revealed his discontent; his dog had just passed away.
Hallowed Definition: Something honored as holy. Original Sentence: St. Peter’s Basilica is hallowed ground for Catholics; every year pilgrims return to the holy grounds
Auspicious Definition: conducive to success; favorable. Original Sentence: My horoscope said that I will have success, so today is an auspicious time for a test; hopefully, the test is in english.
Dirge Definition: a lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral rite. Original Sentence: I wrote an impassioned dirge to honor my grandfather; he passed away three years ago but the funeral is next week.
Obsequious Definition: obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree. Original Sentence: My waiter came off as obsequious in his efforts to get a good tip; it was my first time dining at that establishment and the excessive attention from this waiter made me not want to dine there ever again.
Enmity Definition: the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. Original Sentence: There was enmity between the Viewpoint and Campbell Hall student sections; every year the teams play multiple times.
Wanton Definition: carefree, loose behavior. Original Sentence: The girl went from wanton behavior to being buttoned up as soon as her parent walked in; she never intended on their unannounced return.
Expostulate Definition: express strong disapproval or disagreement. Original Sentence: I expostulated with my stepmom about politics; she has a difficult time understanding my beliefs.
Strumpet Definition: a female prostitute or a promiscuous woman. Original Sentence: The girl was called a strumpet by her boyfriend after she cheated; she responded to him by denying his claim.
Calumny Definition: the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone’s reputation; slander. Original Sentence: The current presidential race features a great deal of calumny; it is unfortunate that politics have stooped to this level.
Clemency Definition: mercy; leniency Original Sentence: The man made a last appeal for clemency in the executioner’s chair; he was unaware of the severity of the crime committed.
Usurp Definition: take (a position of power or importance) illegally or by force. Original Sentence: The current king usurped power through a coup; the coup was violent and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians.
September 12, 2019