Part IV, Chapter 22: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare, Act 3

In this comedy, two Athenian couples and a troupe of actors become unwitting pawns in a squabble between a fairy king and queen.

Here are links to our lists for the play: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Act 4, Act 5
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abide
    put up with something or somebody unpleasant
    There are things in this Comedy of Pyramus and Thisby that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies cannot abide.
  2. parlous
    fraught with danger
    By'r lakin, a parlous fear.
  3. loam
    a rich soil consisting of sand, clay and organic materials
    Some man or other must present wall: and let him have some plaster, or some loam, or some rough-cast about him to signify wall; or let him hold his fingers thus: and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper.
  4. casement
    a window framework that is hinged on one side
    Why then may you leave a casement of the great chamber window, where we play, open; and the moon may shine in at the casement.
  5. auditor
    someone who listens attentively
    I’ll be an auditor—
    An actor too perhaps, if I see cause.
  6. odious
    extremely repulsive or unpleasant
    Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet—
  7. 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.
  8. gambol
    play or run boisterously
    Be kind and courteous to this gentleman,
    Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes
  9. beseech
    ask for or request earnestly
    I cry your worships mercy, heartily: I beseech your worship’s name.
  10. commend
    mention as by way of greeting or to indicate friendship
    I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your mother, and to Master Peascod, your father.
  11. 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 hath made my eyes water ere now.
  12. extremity
    the greatest or utmost degree
    I wonder if Titania be awaked;
    Then what it was that next came in her eye,
    Which she must dote on in extremity.
  13. rebuke
    censure severely or angrily
    O why rebuke you him that loves you so?
  14. cur
    an inferior dog or one of mixed breed
    Out, dog! Out, cur! Thou driv’st me past the bounds
    Of maiden’s patience.
  15. troth
    a solemn pledge of fidelity
    Then fate o’errules, that one man holding troth,
    A million fail, confounding oath on oath.
  16. confound
    mistake one thing for another
    Then fate o’errules, that one man holding troth,
    A million fail, confounding oath on oath.
  17. preposterous
    inviting ridicule
    Then will two at once woo one:
    That must needs be sport alone.
    And those things do best please me
    That befall prepost’rously.
  18. derision
    the act of treating with contempt
    Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?
    Scorn and derision never come in tears.
  19. nativity
    the event of being born
    Look when I vow, I weep: and vows so born,
    In their nativity all truth appears.
  20. exploit
    a notable achievement
    A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
    To conjure tears up in a poor maid’s eyes
    With your derision.
  21. bequeath
    leave or give, especially by will after one's death
    And here, with all good will, with all my heart,
    In Hermia’s love I yield you up my part:
    And yours of Helena to me bequeath,
    Whom I do love and will do till my death.
  22. sojourn
    spend a certain length of time; reside temporarily
    If e’er I loved her, all that love is gone.
    My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourned:
    And now to Helen is it home returned,
    There to remain.
  23. disparage
    express a negative opinion of
    Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,
    Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear.
  24. recompense
    payment or reward, as for service rendered
    Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,
    The ear more quick of apprehension makes.
    Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,
    It pays the hearing double recompense.
  25. confederate
    someone who assists in a plot
    Lo: She is one of this confederacy.
    Now I perceive they have conjoined all three,
    To fashion this false sport in spite of me.
  26. warble
    sing or play with trills
    We Hermia, like two artificial gods,
    Have with our needles created both one flower,
    Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,
    Both warbling of one song, both in one key;
    As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds
    Had been incorporate.
  27. heraldry
    an emblem, insignia, or symbol on a coat of arms
    So with two seeming bodies, but one heart,
    Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
    Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.
  28. asunder
    into parts or pieces
    And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
    To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
  29. persevere
    be persistent, refuse to stop
    Ay, do. Persever, counterfeit sad looks
  30. hinder
    be an obstacle to
    Why, get you gone. Who is’t that hinders you?
  31. vixen
    a malicious woman with a fierce temper
    She was a vixen when she went to school:
    And though she be but little, she is fierce.
  32. officious
    intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
    You are too officious
    In her behalf that scorns your services.
    Let her alone: speak not of Helena,
    Take not her part.
  33. fray
    a noisy fight
    Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray:
    My legs are longer though, to run away.
  34. willful
    done by design
    This is thy negligence: still thou mistak’st,
    Or else commit’st thy knaveries wilfully.
  35. rail
    complain bitterly
    Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue:
    Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong:
    And sometime rail thou like Demetrius
  36. wend
    direct one's course or way
    When they next wake, all this derision
    Shall seem a dream, and fruitless vision,
    And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,
    With league whose date till death shall never end.
  37. harbinger
    something indicating the approach of something or someone
    My fairy lord, this must be done with haste,
    For night’s swift dragons cut the clouds full fast:
    And yonder shines Aurora’s harbinger,
    At whose approach, ghosts wand'ring here and there,
    Troop home to churchyards
  38. consort
    keep company with
    They wilfully themselves exile from light,
    And must for aye consort with black-browed night.
  39. recreant
    an abject coward
    Come, recreant, Come, thou child,
    I’ll whip thee with a rod.
  40. defile
    spot, stain, or pollute
    He is defiled
    That draws a sword on thee.
Created on Tue Jun 22 17:00:38 EDT 2021 (updated Thu Jul 22 16:03:17 EDT 2021)

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