Beowulf Vocabulary

misbegotten

(adj) badly conceived, designed, or planned synonyms: base born, bastard, natural, illegal antonyms: legitimate, legal "And from Cain there sprang MISBEGOTTEN spirits, among them Grendel." A misbegotten plan failed due to inaccurate planning.

scant

(adj) barely sufficient or adequate synonyms: minimal, limited, little antonyms: abundant, ample, bountiful "Yet the prince was too proud / to line up with a large army / against the sky-plague. He had SCANT regard / for the dragon as a threat, no dread at all of its courage or strength." The army had a scant amount of medicine at their military base.

virulent

(adj) bitterly hostile synonyms: malicious, vicious, savage antonyms: benevolent, amicable, kind "Far and near, the Geat nation / bore the brunt of his brutal assaults / and VIRULENT hate." The virulent attack of the British imposed fear on the colonists.

ignominious

(adj) deserving or causing public disgrace or shame synonyms: humiliating, embarrassing, dishonor antonyms: honorable, reputable, respectful "The IGNOMINIOUS marks of his flight/ where he'd skulked away, exhausted in spirit/ and beaten in battle bloodying the path,/ hauling his doom to the demons' mere." Before the American Revolution, slaves were viewed as ignominious and dangerous people who could revolt for freedom.

hoary

(adj) grayish white/old and lacking originality synonyms: gray, white, silver/fresh antonyms: new, creative "Then turn'd he in haste to where Hrothgar was sitting/ Right old and all HOARY mid the host of his earl-folk." The hoary story bored the children and they stopped paying attention.

bountiful

(adj) large in quantity; giving generously synonyms: ample, lavish, magnanimous, plentiful antonyms: meager, scarce, sparse "The brave one retained the BOUNTIFUL gift that / The Lord had allowed him" The bountiful equipment allowed the men to build the house quickly.

sumptuous

(adj) lavish synonyms: expensive, grand, luxurious antonyms: cheap, unimpressive, plain "Featly received many a mead cup the mighty in spirit , kinsmen who sat in the SUMPTUOUS hall, Hrothgar and Hrothgar." The rich family lived a sumptuous life.

anathema

(adj) loathsome and disgusting synonyms: deplorable, horrible, repugnant antonyms: pleasant, likable, lovable "Cain got no good from committing that murder Because the Almighty made him ANATHEMA" Being late to a job interview is anathema to getting the well paying job.

canny

(adj) skilled, cautious synonyms: intelligent, astute antonyms: dumb, awkward "Mighty and CANNY, / Hygelac's kinsman was keenly watching / For the first move the monster would make" The teacher had a canny response to the bombardment of questions from her students.

stawlwart

(adj) someone who is loyal, reliable, and hardworking synonyms: dependable, trustworthy, and faithful antonyms: weak inconsistent, enigma "He was the mightiest man of valor in that same day of this our life, STALWART and stately." The friendship stayed strong because of the two girl's stalwart attitudes towards one another.

infalliable

(adj) unfailing in effectiveness or operation; certain synonyms: trustworthy, flawless, foolproof antonyms: faulty, imperfect, defective "Beowulf was foiled / of a glorious victory. The glittering sword, / INFALLIBLE before that day, / failed when he unsheathed it, as it never should have." My parents think that they are infallible towards me, but they too make mistakes.

stockade

(n) a barrier used as defense against attacks or confining animals synonyms: cage, prison, jail, enclosure antonyms: outside "And now the timber trembled and sang, A hall-session that harrowed every Dane Inside the STOCKADE" The zoo had stockades built so that the animals wouldn't escape.

cache

(n) a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place. synonyms: stock, supply, reserve antonyms: open, unearthed, discovered "There were many other / heirlooms heaped inside the earth-house, / because long ago, with deliberate care, / somebody now forgotten / had buried the riches of a high-born race / in this ancient CACHE." The old lady hoarded a cache of her childhood toys.

throng

(n) a dense crowd of people or animals synonyms: pack, flock, troops antonyms: solitude, isolated, dispersion "Beowulf took cup in hall: for such costly gifts he suffered no shame in that soldier THRONG." A throng of police surrounded the bank to catch the thief.

pyre

(n) a heap of wood for burning a dead body synonyms: fuel, bonfire, agglomerate antonyms: ice bath "Once more the death-weary Danes could not build / A PYRE and burn his beloved body / Lay him on flaming longs, return to ashes/ To dust." The burning pyre blazed in heat and was used for cremation.

din

(n) a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise synonyms: noise, clangor, racket antonyms: silence, calm, quiet "With envy and anger an evil spirit endured the dole in his dark abode, that he heard each day the DIN of revel high in the hall: there harps rang out, clear song of the singer" Throughout the day, the office workers were annoyed by the din outside caused by construction work.

manacle

(n) a metal band, chain, or shackle for fastening someone's hands or ankles synonyms: handcuff, chain, shackle antonyms: aid, boost, support "Speak not you for him; he's a traitor. Come; I'll MANACLE thy neck and feet together. " The manacles were placed on the prisoner preventing him to escape.

interlopers

(n) a person who interferes in the affairs of others synonyms: meddler, intruder antonyms: guest, helper "So now, before you fare inland / as INTERLOPERS, I have to be informed / about who you are and where you hail from. The interloper crashed the birthday party that he was not wanted at.

mettle

(n) a person's ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way synonyms: courage, bravery, grit antonyms: fear, cowards, weakness "In truth, the Geats' prince gladly trusted his METTLE, his might, the mercy of God!" The mettle of the students allowed them to finish with an A at the end of the semester.

scabbard

(n) a protective cover or sheath for the blade of a sword or dagger synonyms: bag, casing, capsule antonyms: uncovered sword "He drew it [a sword] / From its SCABBARD, broke the chain on its hilt, ' And then, savage, now, angry / And desperate, lifted it high over his head / And struck with all the strength he had left." He placed his scabbard over his sword to keep it from cutting someone.

respite

(n) a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant synonyms: hiatus, relaxation, recess antonyms: continuation "He was numb with grief, but got no RESPITE. For one night later merciless Grendel Struck again with more gruesome murders." The students were in need of a respite after the long day of studying for finals.

sheen

(n) a soft luster on a surface synonyms: shine, shimmer, radiance antonyms: dark, dull, gloom "I am left with nobody / to bear a sword or burnish plated goblets, / put a SHEEN on the cup." You could see the sheen of a lake as it reflected off the sunlight.

scourge

(n) a whip used as an instrument of punishment synonyms: whip, horsewhip, lash, strap antonyms: blanket "He fled in fear the fatal SCOURGE,/ seeking shelter, a sinful man,/ and entered in." The man used the scourge to make his horses listen to his directions

plight

(n) an especial unfavorable state/conditions synonyms: dilemma, predicament antonyms: advantage, benefit "Then news of Grendel, / hard to ignore, reached me at home: /sailors brought stories of the PLIGHT you suffer/ in this legendary hall, how it lies deserted..." The family was struck in a plight as they were stranded in the desert and their car ran out of gas.

foundling

(n) an infant that has been abandoned by its parents and is discovered and cared for by others synonyms: orphan, stray, outcast antonyms: family-oriented, family-raised, blood "A FOUNDLING to start with, he would flourish later on/ As his powers waxed and his worth was proved." When the family adopted the foundling, he felt as if they were real family.

wiles

(n) devious or cunning stratagems employed in manipulating someone to do something synonyms: cleverness, dare, fraud, tricks antonyms: truth, honor, candor, straightforward "In hand he took a golden goblet, nor gave it back, stole with it away, while the watcher slept, by thievish wiles" The student used his clever wiles knowing that he could change his teacher's mind about bumping his grade up.

tackle

(n) equipment needed for a task synonyms: gears, tools, equipment antonyms: n/a "I never heard before of a ship so well furbished/ With battle TACKLE, bladed weapons/ And coats of mail." Before hiking, she gathered the tackle that was needed to keep her hydrated and safe.

scruples

(n) sense of right and wrong and keeps people from doing bad. synonyms: conscience, qualm, discomfort antonyms: calmness, assurance, ease "To guard it, the Geats / were not troubled with SCRUPLES / Of fears, but quickly gathered up / Treasure and carried it out of the tower" The scruples encouraged him to tell the truth about the broke windows

sinew

(n) strong tissue that connects muscles to bones; strength synonyms: tendon, muscle, power antonyms: disability, lethargy, incompetence "He twisted in pain,/ And the bleeding SINEWS deep in his shoulder/ Snapped, muscle and bone split/ And broke..." As Beowulf fought Grendel, his sinew was shown as he destroyed Grendel.

heathen

(n, adj) an individual that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible synonyms: atheist, non-believer antonyms: religious "That the killer of souls might come to their aid / And save the people. That was their way, / Their HEATHENISH hope; deep in their hearts / They remembered hell." The priest talked negatively about the heathens in the world.

redress

(v) setting right of what is wrong/Relief from wrong or injury synonyms: restoration, remedy antonyms: hurt, injury "It was easy for the Lord, The Ruler of Heaven, to REDRESS the balance once Beowulf got back up on his feet" He was falsely accused and had no redress so could not prove his innocence

bade

(v) to command, to say as a greeting, to offer, to invite synonyms: to declare, announce, greet antonyms: obey, say goodbye, to denounce "His warrior band did what he BADE them/ When he laid down the law among the Danes." The teacher bade the class as she walked in to lecture.

dole

(v) to distribute shares of something synonyms: allocate, distribute, apportion antonyms: collect, gather, accumulate "Another lays hold who DOLETH the ornaments, / The nobleman's jewels, nothing lamenting, / Heedeth no terror" The grandfather doled out gifts to all of his grandchildren.

girdled

(v) to encircle or encompass; to surround synonyms: belt, circle, enclose antonyms: free range "How the Almighty had made the earth a gleaming plain GIRDLED with waters;" The bullies girdled the little boy as they teased him about his shoes.

bewail

(v) to express deep sorrow for; to cry or wail loudly about (something) synonyms: mourn, repent, regret, bemoan antonyms: rejoice, applaud, gloat "The song of defeat from the foeman of heaven, / Heard him hymns of horror howl, and his sorrow / Hell-bound BEWAILING." The mother bewailed with her babies as she was fed up with her failing efforts to make them stop crying.

renege

(v) to fail to fulfill a promise or obligation synonyms: default, reverse, withdraw from antonyms: fulfill, observe, heed, honor "Nor did he RENEGE, but doled out rings / and torques at the table" To boy reneged his promise to himself that he would finish his homework early.

skulk

(v) to hide or move in a sly or sneaky way synonyms: lurk, creep antonyms: confront, encounter, meet "Beowulf / Offered them only his sword, ended / So many jackal lives that few / Who were able SKULKED silently home, glad / To leave him." She skulked into her parents room trying to get her confiscated phone.

broach

(v) to mention or suggest for the first time synonyms: introduce, propose, suggest antonyms: abandon, tell, order "The intruder who BROACHED the dragon's treasure And moved him to wrath had never meant to. The teacher broached the idea that students should make an outline before writing an essay.

forestall

(v) to prevent by taking action ahead of time synonyms: anticipate, expect, predict antonyms: assist, permit, support "Venturing closer, his talon was raised to attack Beowulf where he lay on the bed; he was bearing in with open claw when the alert hero's comeback and armlock FORESTALLED him utterly" The athletes forestalled their injuries by stretching before working out.

proffer

(v) to put before a person for acceptance; to offer synonyms: to give, extend, present antonyms: hold, keep, hide "I come to PROFFER / my wholehearted help and counsel." I came to proffer gifts among all the children who didn't receive any.

spurn

(v) to reject with disdain or contempt synonyms: to reject, repulse, or scorn antonyms: to accept, approve, or want "No skill is his to strike against me, my shield to hew though he hardy be, bold in battle; we both, this night, shall SPURN the sword, if he seek me here, unweaponed, for war." Many teachers spurned the idea of the strike because it would add more school days to the end of the year.

refurbish

(v) to renovate synonyms: restore, reconstruct, recondition antonyms: antique, damaged "Then the order was given for all hands to help to REFURBISH Heort immediately; men and women thronging the wine hall, getting it ready." My mom wanted to refurbish the basement because it was ugly.

maraud

(v) to roam in search of things to steal and people to attack synonyms: harass, forage antonyms: aid, help, support "Grendel was the name of this grim demon Haunting the marches, MARAUDING round the heath / And the desolate fens;" The robbers marauded the corner store waiting to take the money.

whet

(v) to sharpen the blade of a weapon or tool synonyms: hone, strop, file antonyms: dull "...So was the keen WHETTED a saying this while spells of speech loathly;he lied not much of weirds or words." Beowulf whet his dagger before fighting Grendel's mother.

quicken

(v) to speed up, to accelerate; to restore life to synonyms: simulate, vitalize, gain momentum antonyms: decelerate, slow down, destroy "And filled the broad lap of the world With branches and leaves; and QUICKENED life In every other thing that moved." Jesus quickened on the 3rd day after his death.