Hamlet Vocabulary: Act One

Liegeman Definition: vassal, subject, followerContext: [Marcellus to Francisco, identifying himself and Horatio] liegemen to the Dane
Apparition Definition: Context:
Assail Definition: attack, assault, addressContext: [Barnardo to Horatio] And let us once again assail your ears, / That are so fortified against our story
Harrow Definition: Context:
Usurp Definition: Context:
Avouch Definition: Assurance; guaranteeContext: [Horatio to Barnardo, of the Ghost] the sensible and true avouch / Of mine own eyes
Martial Definition: Context:
Bode Definition: forebode, portend, predict, augurContext: [Horatio to Marcellus, of the Ghost] This bodes some strange eruption to our state
Portentous Definition: Context:
Mote Definition: Context:
Palmy Definition: Context:
Tenant Definition: Context:
Precurse Definition: Context:
Harbinger Definition: Context:
Malicious Definition: Context:
Auspicious Definition: smiling, cheerful, happyContext: [Claudius to all] With an auspicious and a dropping eye
Dirge Definition: funeral song, song of mourningContext: [Claudius to all] With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage
Dole Definition: grief, sorrow, sadnessContext: [Claudius to his court, of himself] In equal scale weighing delight and dole
Suspiration Definition: Context:
Filial Definition: Context:
Impious. Definition: Context:
Jocund Definition: Context:
Dexterity Definition: agility, adroitness, facilityContext: [Hamlet alone, of his mother] to post / With such dexterity to incestuous sheets
Truncheon Definition: Context:
Countenance Definition: favourable appearance, supportContext: [Ophelia to Polonius, of Hamlet] And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, / With almost all the holy vows of heaven
Perchance Definition: Context:
Requite Definition: Context:
Besmirch Definition: discolour, sully, stainContext: [Laertes to Ophelia, of Hamlet] And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch / The virtue of his will
Circumscribe Definition: restrict, reduce, limitContext: [Laertes to Ophelia, of Hamlet choosing a wife] must his choice be circumscribed
Credent Definition: trustful, believing, credulousContext: [Laertes to Ophelia, of Hamlet] Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain / If with too credent ear you list his songs
Chary Definition: carefully, dearly, with cherishing
Prodigal Definition: Context:
Libertine Definition: Context:
Dalliance Definition: frivolity, idleness, wasteful activityContext: [Ophelia to Laertes] [do not follow] the primrose path of dalliance
Importune Definition: Context:
Wassail Definition: Context:
Draught Definition: Context:
Traduce Definition: Context:
Cerement Definition: waxed shroud, grave-clothes, winding sheetContext: [Hamlet to Ghost] tell / Why thy canonized bones, hearsed in death, / Have burst their cerements
Ponderous Definition: Context:
Leperous Definition: infected, poisoned, leprosy-likeContext: [Ghost to Hamlet] And in the porches of my ears did pour / The leperous distilment
Distilment Definition: distillation, extractContext: [Ghost to Hamlet] And in the porches of my ears did pour / The leperous distilment
Matin Definition: Context:
Sinew Definition: Context:
Pernicious Definition: Context:
Arrant Definition: downright, absolute, unmitigatedContext:[Hamlet to Horatio and Marcellus] There’s never a villain dwelling in all Denmark – / But he’s an arrant knave
Ambiguous Definition: Context:
August 8, 2019