beowulf words

Ryan F.
51 words 10 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. modern
    ahead of the times
    The present work is a modest effort to reproduce approximately, in modern measures, the venerable epic, Beowulf.
  2. measure
    determine the dimensions of something or somebody
    The present work is a modest effort to reproduce approximately, in modern measures, the venerable epic, Beowulf.
  3. venerable
    profoundly honored
    The present work is a modest effort to reproduce approximately, in modern measures, the venerable epic, Beowulf.
  4. epic
    a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
    The present work is a modest effort to reproduce approximately, in modern measures, the venerable epic, Beowulf.
  5. reproduction
    the act of making copies
    Approximately, I repeat; for a very close reproduction of Anglo-Saxon verse would, to a large extent, be prose to a modern ear.
  6. prose
    ordinary writing as distinguished from verse
    Approximately, I repeat; for a very close reproduction of Anglo-Saxon verse would, to a large extent, be prose to a modern ear.
  7. occasionally
    now and then or here and there
    Occasionally a deviation has been made, but always for what seemed good and sufficient reason.
  8. conjecture
    believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
    Once in a while, however, he has added a conjecture of his own to the emendations quoted from the criticisms of other students of the poem.
  9. warrior
    someone engaged in or experienced in warfare
    Do we hear what has been beautifully called “the clanging tread of a warrior in mail”?
  10. rhyme
    correspondence in the final sounds of two or more lines
    End-rhyme has been used occasionally; internal rhyme, sporadically.
  11. glory
    a state of high honor
    1 16 and 1 17: “Lord” and “Wielder of Glory”; 1 30, 1 31, 1 32; 2 12 and 2 13; 2 27 and 2 28; 3 5 and 3 6.)
  12. archaic
    so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
    Again, though many archaic words have been used, there are none, it is believed, which are not found in standard modern poetry.
  13. monster
    an imaginary creature usually having human and animal parts
    Grendel, the monster, is seized with hateful jealousy.
  14. voyage
    a journey to some distant place
    Over sea, a day’s voyage off, Beowulf, of the Geats, nephew of Higelac, king of the Geats, hears of Grendel’s doings and of Hrothgar’s misery.
  15. companion
    a friend who is frequently with another
    With fourteen chosen companions, he sets sail for Dane-land.
  16. hero
    someone who fights for a cause
    When the hero arrives in his own land, Higelac treats him as a distinguished guest.
  17. distinguished
    standing above others in character or attainment
    When the hero arrives in his own land, Higelac treats him as a distinguished guest.
  18. current
    occurring in or belonging to the present time
    Fin-land.—The country to which Beowulf was driven by the currents in his swimming-match.—10
  19. context
    the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation
    H. supplies ‘geweald’ from the context; and our translation is based upon this assumption, though it is far from satisfactory.
  20. base
    lowest support of a structure
    H. supplies ‘geweald’ from the context; and our translation is based upon this assumption, though it is far from satisfactory.
  21. assumption
    the act of taking something for granted
    H. supplies ‘geweald’ from the context; and our translation is based upon this assumption, though it is far from satisfactory.
  22. satisfactory
    giving contentment
    H. supplies ‘geweald’ from the context; and our translation is based upon this assumption, though it is far from satisfactory.
  23. transitory
    lasting a very short time
    Kl. suggests ‘lændagas’ for ‘lange’: And the beloved land-prince enjoyed (had) his transitory days (i.e. lived).
  24. doctrine
    a belief accepted as authoritative by some group or school
    B. suggests a dislocation; but this is a dangerous doctrine, pushed rather far by that eminent scholar.
  25. eminent
    standing above others in quality or position
    B. suggests a dislocation; but this is a dangerous doctrine, pushed rather far by that eminent scholar.
  26. adopt
    take into one's family
    If that be adopted, the passage will read: Men cannot tell us, indeed, the order of Fate, etc.
  27. parallel
    being everywhere equidistant and not intersecting
    1347; (2) it affords a parallel to ‘men’ in v.
  28. sorrow
    an emotion of great sadness associated with loss
    For sorrows half-blamed him; the flickering spirit
  29. treasure
    any possession that is highly valued by its owner
    Such trinkets and treasures they took as, on searching,
  30. tramp
    travel on foot, especially on a walking expedition
    When tramping ’neath banner the treasure he guarded,
  31. deed
    a legal document to effect a transfer of property
    When for deeds of daring he endured tribulation, 15
  32. tribulation
    an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event
    When for deeds of daring he endured tribulation, 15
  33. grievous
    causing or marked by grief or anguish
    Entered the folk-hall; the fear was less grievous
  34. brand
    a name given to a product or service
    The brand o’er the benches, broad-lindens many
  35. retainer
    an appliance that holds teeth in position after treatment
    In rank of retainer where waters encircle,
  36. summons
    a request to be present
    He comes at Hrothgar’s summons.
  37. lexicon
    a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words
    [3] Some authorities follow Grein’s lexicon in treating ‘heard ecg’ as an adj. limiting ‘sweord’: H.-So. renders it as a subst.
  38. baffle
    be a mystery or bewildering to
    739, he offers, because ‘under’ baffles him in both passages.
  39. secondary
    being of second rank or importance or value
    All we need is to take ‘under’ in its secondary meaning of ‘in,’ which, though not given by Grein, occurs in the literature.
  40. circumstances
    one's overall condition in life
    Cf. modern Eng. ‘in such circumstances,’ which interchanges in good usage with ‘under such circumstances.’
  41. portent
    a sign of something about to happen
    There ever at night one an ill-meaning portent 45
  42. venture
    an undertaking with an uncertain outcome
    His life on the shore, ere in he will venture
  43. assistance
    the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need
    To thee only can I look for assistance.55
  44. abode
    any address at which you dwell more than temporarily
    The abode thou know’st not,
  45. welfare
    something that aids or promotes well-being
    Who pondered with Hrothgar the welfare of country.
  46. gory
    covered with blood
    The water stood under, welling and gory.
  47. irksome
    tedious or irritating
    ’Twas irksome in spirit to all of the Danemen, 35
  48. pierce
    penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument
    Pierced to his vitals; he proved in the currents
  49. loath
    strongly opposed
    The liegemen then looked on the loath-fashioned stranger.
  50. eddy
    a miniature whirlpool or whirlwind
    Trying the eddies, treasure-emblazoned, 65
  51. emblazon
    decorate with heraldic arms
    Trying the eddies, treasure-emblazoned, 65
Created on Sun Oct 28 19:14:30 EDT 2012 (updated Sun Oct 28 19:17:14 EDT 2012)

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