"A Midsummer Night's Dream" Act I

Jon B. (United States of America)
In this comedy, two Athenian couples and a troupe of actors become unwitting pawns in a squabble between a fairy king and queen. Read the full text here. Here are links to our lists for the play: Act I, Act II, Act III, Act IV, Act VHere are links to our lists for other plays by William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Hamlet,
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. linger
    take one's time; proceed slowly
    O, methinks, how slow This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires
  2. mirth
    great merriment
    Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;
  3. melancholy
    a humor that was once believed to cause sadness
    Turn melancholy forth to funerals; The pale companion is not for our pomp.
  4. vexation
    anger produced by some annoying irritation
    Full of vexation come I, with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia.
  5. cunning
    crafty artfulness, especially in deception
    With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart, Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, To stubborn harshness
  6. entreat
    ask for or request earnestly
    I do entreat your grace to pardon me.
  7. austerity
    excessive sternness
    Upon that day either prepare to die For disobedience to your father's will, Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would; Or on Diana's altar to protest For aye austerity and single life.
  8. relent
    give in, as to influence or pressure
    Relent, sweet Hermia: and, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right.
  9. edict
    a formal or authoritative proclamation
    If then true lovers have been ever cross'd, It stands as an edict in destiny: Then let us teach our trial patience, Because it is a customary cross
  10. prosper
    make steady progress
    I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow, By his best arrow with the golden head, By the simplicity of Venus' doves, By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves
  11. transpose
    change the order or arrangement of
    Things base and vile, folding no quantity, Love can transpose to form and dignity
  12. interlude
    a brief show between the sections of a longer performance
    Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding-day at night.
  13. lamentable
    bad; unfortunate
    Marry, our play is, the most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.
  14. gallant
    having or displaying great dignity or nobility
    A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.
  15. condole
    express one's sympathy on the occasion of someone's death
    That will ask some tears in the true performing of it: if I do it, let the audience look to their eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some measure.
  16. discretion
    freedom to act or judge on one's own
    I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove; I will roar you as 'twere any nightingale.
Created on Mon Apr 01 10:37:09 EDT 2019

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