"Paradise Lost" by John Milton, Book VII

Learn these words from the original ten-book version of Milton's epic poem, which retells the Biblical story of humanity's fall from divine favor. Read the full text here.

Here are links to our lists for the poem: Book I, Book II, Book III, Book IV, Book V,
Book VI, Book VII, Book VIII, Book IX, Book X

Here is a link to our lists for the twelve-book version of Paradise Lost.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. surfeit
    the state of being more than full
    But Knowledge is as food, and needs no less
    Her Temperance over Appetite, to know
    In measure what the mind may well contain,
    Oppresses else with Surfeit, and soon turns
    Wisdom to Folly, as Nourishment to Wind.
  2. detriment
    a damage or loss
    But least his heart exalt him in the harm
    Already done, to have dispeopl'd Heav'n,
    My damage fondly deem'd, I can repair
    That detriment, if such it be to lose
    Self-lost, and in a moment will create
    Another World, out of one man a Race
    Of men innumerable
  3. myriad
    a large indefinite number
    About his Chariot numberless were pour'd
    Cherub and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones,
    And Virtues, winged Spirits, and Chariots wing'd,
    From the Armoury of God, where stand of old
    Myriads between two brazen Mountains lodg'd
    Against a solemn day
  4. fervid
    extremely hot
    Then stay'd the fervid Wheels, and in his hand
    He took the golden Compasses, prepar'd
    In God's Eternal store, to circumscribe
    This Universe, and all created things
  5. verdure
    green foliage
    He scarce had said, when the bare Earth, till then
    Desert and bare, unsightly, unadorn'd,
    Brought forth the tender Grass, whose verdure clad
    Her Universal Face with pleasant green
  6. teem
    move in large numbers
    The Earth obey'd, and straight
    Op'ning her fertile Womb teem'd at a Birth
    Innumerous living Creatures, perfect forms,
    Limb'd and full grown
  7. parsimonious
    excessively unwilling to spend
    First crept
    The Parsimonious Emmet, provident
    Of future, in small room large heart enclos'd,
  8. abstruse
    difficult to understand
    So spake our Sire, and by his count'nance seem'd
    Ent'ring on studious thoughts abstruse
  9. divulge
    make known to the public information previously kept secret
    From Man or Angel the great Architect
    Did wisely to conceal, and not divulge
    His secrets to be scann'd by them who ought
    Rather admire
  10. dearth
    an acute insufficiency
    This Paradise I give thee, count it thine
    To Till and keep, and of the Fruit to eat:
    Of every Tree that in the Garden grows
    Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth
  11. interdiction
    authoritative prohibition
    Sternly he pronounc'd
    The rigid interdiction, which resounds
    Yet dreadful in mine ear
  12. blandishment
    flattery intended to persuade
    As thus he spake, each Bird and Beast behold
    Approaching two and two, These cow'ring low
    With blandishment, each Bird stoop'd on his wing.
  13. replenish
    fill something that had previously been emptied
    What call'st thou solitude, is not the Earth
    With various living creatures, and the Air
    Replenish'd, and all these at thy command
    To come and play before thee
  14. abjure
    formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief
    She disappear'd, and left me dark, I wak'd
    To find her, or for ever to deplore
    Her loss, and other pleasures all abjure
  15. vehement
    marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions
    I enjoy, and must confess to find
    In all things else delight indeed, but such
    As us'd or not, works in the mind no change,
    Nor vehement desire, these delicacies
    I mean of Taste, Sight, Smell, Herbs, Fruits, and Flowers,
    Walks, and the melody of Birds
  16. diffident
    showing modest reserve
    Accuse not Nature, she hath done her part;
    Do thou but thine, and be not diffident
    Of Wisdom, she deserts thee not, if thou
    Dismiss not her, when most thou needst her nigh
  17. carnal
    marked by the appetites and passions of the body
    love refines
    The thoughts, and heart enlarges, hath his seat
    In Reason, and is judicious, is the scale
    By which to heav'nly Love thou mayst ascend,
    Not sunk in carnal pleasure, for which cause
    Among the Beasts no Mate for thee was found.
  18. unfeigned
    not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed
    So much delights me, as those graceful acts,
    Those thousand decencies that daily flow
    From all her words and actions, mixt with Love
    And sweet compliance, which declare unfeigned
    Union of Mind, or in us both one Soul
  19. benediction
    a blessing or ceremonial prayer invoking divine protection
    So saying, he arose; whom ADAM thus
    Follow'd with benediction. Since to part,
    Go heavenly Guest, Ethereal Messenger,
    Sent from whose sovereign goodness I adore.
  20. affable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
    Gentle to me and affable hath been
    Thy condescension, and shall be honour'd ever
    With grateful Memory: thou to mankind
    Be good and friendly still, and oft return.
Created on Wed Aug 07 15:26:42 EDT 2013 (updated Tue Mar 26 11:00:52 EDT 2019)

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