Collection 4: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Act 2

As you read Act 2 of William Shakespeare's "The Tragedy of Hamlet," learn this word list. Here are links to lists for texts in Grade 12's Collection 4: Hamlet, Act 1, Hamlet, Act 2, Hamlet, Act 3, Hamlet, Act 4, Hamlet, Act 5, Hamlet's Dull Revenge, Tell Them Not to Kill Me!, Blocking the Transmission of Violence, Hatred
100 words 125 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. encompassment
    including entirely
  2. rank
    conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
  3. wanton
    indulgent in immoral or improper behavior
  4. incontinency
    involuntary urination or defecation
  5. taint
    the state of being contaminated
  6. wherefore
    the cause or intention underlying an action or situation
  7. consequence
    a phenomenon that is caused by some previous phenomenon
  8. overtake
    overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
  9. videlicet
    as follows
  10. windlass
    lifting device consisting of a horizontal cylinder turned by a crank on which a cable or rope winds
  11. assay
    a test of a substance to determine its components
  12. bias
    a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue
  13. closet
    a small private room for study or prayer
  14. doublet
    a man's close-fitting jacket, worn during the Renaissance
  15. unbrace
    undo the ties of
  16. fouled
    made dirty or foul
  17. purport
    the intended meaning of a communication
  18. bulk
    the property possessed by a large mass
  19. property
    a construct distinguishing objects or individuals
  20. ecstasy
    a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion
  21. wrack
    smash or break forcefully
  22. beshrew
    wish harm or evil upon
  23. vouchsafe
    grant in a condescending manner
  24. gentry
    the most powerful members of a society
  25. practice
    a customary way of operation or behavior
  26. sift
    check and sort carefully
  27. arrest
    cause to stop
  28. expostulate
    reason with for the purpose of dissuasion
  29. brevity
    the attribute of being short or fleeting
  30. flourish
    a showy gesture
  31. surmise
    infer from incomplete evidence
  32. reckon
    expect, believe, or suppose
  33. idle
    not in action or at work
  34. prescript
    prescribed guide for conduct or action
  35. resort
    a frequently visited place
  36. arras
    a wall hanging of handwoven fabric with pictorial designs
  37. fishmonger
    someone who sells fish
  38. carrion
    the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food
  39. conception
    the creation of something in the mind
  40. harp
    come back to
  41. wit
    mental ability
  42. pregnant
    rich in significance or implication
  43. indifferent
    neither too great nor too little
  44. strumpet
    a woman adulterer
  45. confines
    a bounded scope
  46. ward
    a division of a prison (usually consisting of several cells)
  47. outstretched
    fully extended especially in length
  48. halfpenny
    an English coin worth half a penny
  49. conjure
    ask for or request earnestly
  50. molt
    cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers
  51. promontory
    a natural elevation
  52. brave
    brightly colored and showy
  53. fretted
    having a pattern of fretwork or latticework
  54. congregation
    an assemblage of people or things collected together
  55. express
    open, explicit, or direct
  56. apprehension
    the cognitive condition of someone who understands
  57. quintessence
    the most typical example or representative of a type
  58. lenten
    of or relating to or suitable for Lent
  59. humorous
    characterized by the power to evoke laughter
  60. halt
    stop moving
  61. aerie
    the lofty nest of a bird of prey, such as a hawk or eagle
  62. eyas
    an unfledged or nestling hawk
  63. pursue
    carry out or participate in an activity
  64. succession
    the action or process of taking over an office or position
  65. swaddling clothes
    a garment (a gown or narrow strips of cloth) for an infant
  66. Seneca
    Roman statesman and philosopher who was an advisor to Nero
  67. Plautus
    comic dramatist of ancient Rome (253?-184 BC)
  68. pious
    having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity
  69. valance
    a decorative framework at the top of a window casing
  70. caviar
    salted fish eggs eaten as a delicacy
  71. digest
    arrange and integrate in the mind
  72. modesty
    formality and propriety of manner
  73. cunning
    crafty artfulness, especially in deception
  74. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  75. tricked-out
    decorated in a particular way
  76. carbuncle
    deep-red cabochon garnet cut without facets
  77. repugnant
    offensive to the mind
  78. unnerved
    deprived of courage and strength
  79. Ilium
    an ancient city in Asia Minor that was the site of the Trojan War
  80. Cyclops
    (Greek mythology) one of a race of giants having a single eye in the middle of their forehead
  81. Mars
    Roman god of war and agriculture
  82. synod
    a council convened to discuss ecclesiastical business
  83. felly
    rim (or part of the rim) into which spokes are inserted
  84. nave
    the central area of a church
  85. jig
    any of various old rustic dances involving kicking and leaping
  86. rheum
    a watery discharge from the mucous membranes
  87. milch
    giving milk; bred or suitable primarily for milk production
  88. abstract
    a sketchy summary of the main points of an argument
  89. wan
    become pale and sickly
  90. conceit
    a witty or ingenious turn of phrase
  91. cleave
    separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument
  92. appall
    fill with apprehension or alarm
  93. kite
    any of several small graceful hawks of the family Accipitridae having long pointed wings and feeding on insects and small animals
  94. offal
    viscera and trimmings of a butchered animal
  95. scullion
    a kitchen servant employed to do menial tasks
  96. presently
    at this time or period; now
  97. malefactor
    someone who has committed a crime
  98. blench
    turn pale, as if in fear
  99. melancholy
    a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed
  100. conscience
    a feeling of shame when you do something immoral
Created on July 15, 2014 (updated July 24, 2014)

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