"A Midsummer Night's Dream" Act III

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. enthrall
    hold spellbound
    So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape; And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.
  2. purge
    rid of impurities
    And I will purge thy mortal grossness so That thou shalt like an airy spirit go
  3. beseech
    ask for or request earnestly
    I cry your worship's mercy, heartily: I beseech your worship's name.
  4. kindred
    group of people related by blood or marriage
    Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well: that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise you your kindred had made my eyes water ere now.
  5. distracted
    having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety
    I led them on in this distracted fear
  6. rebuke
    censure severely or angrily
    O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?
  7. preposterously
    so as to arouse or deserve laughter
    Then will two at once woo one; That must needs be sport alone; And those things do best please me That befal preposterously.
  8. disparage
    express a negative opinion of
    Disparage not the faith thou dost not know
  9. scorn
    look down on with disdain
    I am amazed at your passionate words. I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.
  10. compel
    force somebody to do something
    Thou canst compel no more than she entreat: Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers
  11. esteem
    an attitude of admiration
    And are you grown so high in his esteem; Because I am so dwarfish and so low?
  12. stealth
    the act of moving in a quiet or secretive way to avoid being noticed
    I told him of your stealth unto this wood.
  13. hinder
    be an obstacle to
    Why, get you gone: who is't that hinders you?
  14. spite
    meanness or nastiness
    Come, thou gentle day! For if but once thou show me thy grey light, I'll find Demetrius and revenge this spite.
Created on Mon Apr 15 12:23:24 EDT 2019

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