Hamlet Vocab
Impotent - definition
adj. Lacking physical strength or vigor; weak
Retrograde - definition
adj. Reverting to an earlier or inferior condition
Frailty - Syn/Ant
Syn: weakness, fault, sin, vice, failing, defect, blemish, flaw, fallibility, imperfection, foible, susceptibility Ant: strength, virtue
Beguile - definition
tr. v. To deceive by guile (Guile: n. Sly or cunning intelligence)
Canonize - definition
tr. v. To declare (a deceased person) to be as honorable as a saint
Encumber - definition
tr. v. To hinder or impede the action or performance of
Circumscribed - definition
tr. v. To limit narrowly; restrict
Emulate - definition
tr. v. To strive to equal or excel, esp. through imitation *Shakespeare uses "emulate" as an adjective ("a most emulate pride"). This usage of the word is obsolete. Used in this context it means that an action or sentiment is driven by envy or a feeling of rivalry.
Illuminate - definition
v. To provide or brighten with light
Usurp - definition
v. intr. To take over or occupy without right
Ecstasy - etymology
Gk: existanai (to displace, derange) *possibly fr. Gaulish: comboros
Canonize - etymology
Gk: kanōn (measuring rod, rule)
Satyr - etymology
Gk: saturos
Beguile - etymology
ME
Quintessence - etymology
Med. Lat: quīnta essentia fr. quīnta (fifth) + essentia (essence)
Hue - etymology
OE: hīw, hēo (color, form)
Encumber - etymology
OFr: encumber (to block up)
Harbinger - etymology
OFr: herberge (lodging), of Gmc. orig.
Satyr - definition
n. (From Greek mythology) A woodland creature with a goat's legs, ears, and horns
Calumny - definition
n. A false statement maliciously made to injure a reputation; the utterance of malicious falsehoods
Promontory - definition
n. A high ridge of land jutting out into a body of water
Hue - definition
n. A particular gradation of color; a shade; an aspect
Distilment (distillate) - definition
n. A purified form; an essence
Affectation - definition
n. A show, pretense, or display; a behavior that is assumed rather than natural
Umbrage - definition
n. A vague or indistinct indication
Ecstasy - definition
n. Intense joy or delight
Harbinger - definition
n. One that indicates or foreshadows what is to come
Sentinel - definition
n. One that keeps guard; a sentry
Libertine - definition
n. One who acts without moral restraint
Ostentation - definition
n. Pretentious display meant to impress others; (archaic: an exhibition)
Frailty - definition
n. The condition of being morally or physically weak
Quintessence - definition
n. The pure, highly concentrated essence of a thing
Equivocation - definition
n. The use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself (Equivocate: intr. v. To avoid making an explicit statement; to intentionally mislead by making a statement open to multiple interpretations)
Firmament - definition
n. The vault or expanse of the heavens; the sky
Sentinel - etymology
Ital: sentinella, prob. fr. OItal: sentina (vigilance) fr. Lat: sentīre (to feel)
Equivocation - etymology
LLat: aequivocus (equivocal)
Emulate - etymology
Lat: aemulus (emulous)
Affectation - etymology
Lat: affectātiō (to strive after)
Calumny - etymology
Lat: caluī (to deceive)
Circumscribed - etymology
Lat: circumscrībere (to write around)
Distilment (distillate) - etymology
Lat: dustillāre (to trickle)
Expostulate - etymology
Lat: expostulāre fr. postulāre (to demand)
Firmament - etymology
Lat: firmāre (to strengthen)
Frailty - etymology
Lat: frangere (to break)
Impotent - etymology
Lat: in + potēns (to be able)
Libertine - etymology
Lat: līber (free)
Illuminate - etymology
Lat: lūmināre (to lighten up) fr. lūmen (light)
Ostentation - etymology
Lat: ostentāre, freq. of ostendere (to show)
Promontory - etymology
Lat: prōmonotorium prob. fr. prominēre (to jut out)
Retrograde - etymology
Lat: retrōgradī (to go back) fr. retrō- (retro-) + -gradus (walking)
Umbrage - etymology
Lat: umbra (shadow)
Usurp - etymology
Lat: ūsūrpāte (to take into use)
Sentinel - Syn/Ant
Syn: Sentry, guard, lookout, watchman, watch, ward, picket, patrol, scout, ranger, guardian, guardsman
Encumber - Syn/Ant
Syn: burden, weigh down, load, load down, obstruct, hinder Ant: unload, unburden, unencumber
Circumscribed - Syn/Ant
Syn: circle, encircle, outline, define, delineate; surround, enclose, encompass; limit, proscribe, restrict, restrain, confine, impede, hem in, check, curb, bridle, corset, fix Ant: expand, extend, enlarge, open, unfetter
Hue - Syn/Ant
Syn: color, coloration, shade, tint, tincture, tone; cast, tinge
Beguile - Syn/Ant
Syn: delude, deceive, dupe, bamboozle, ensnare, lure, trick, cheat, hoodwink, hoax; lull, distract, enchant, charm, bewitch, captivate, please, cheer; entertain, divert, amuse, occupy Ant: enlighten, disabuse, make weary; alert, alarm, jar
Quintessence - Syn/Ant
Syn: essence, elixir, heart, core, pith, soul, gist, marrow, sum total, quiddity, distillation; embodiment, exemplar, personification
Distilment (distill) - Syn/Ant
Syn: evaporate, condense, vaporize
Emulate - Syn/Ant
Syn: follow, copy, imitate; rival, mimic, ape
Promontory - Syn/Ant
Syn: headland, hill, high point of land, point, neck of land, spur, ness, cape, peninsula, embankment; projection, overhang, precipice, jutty; cliff, bluff, height
Equivocation - Syn/Ant
Syn: hedging, evasion, ambiguity, avoidance, deceit, deception, deceptiveness, duplicity, prevarication, quibbling, spuriousness, stonewalling, waffling
Harbinger - Syn/Ant
Syn: herald, precursor, forerunner, indication, announcer, signaler, proclaimer; omen, portent, token, clue, symbol
Impotent - Syn/Ant
Syn: ineffective, powerless, frail, feeble, weak, disabled, helpless, paralyzed; feckless, hapless Ant: potent, powerful, puissant, forceful, vigorous
Illuminate - Syn/Ant
Syn: light, illumine, irradiate, brighten; clarify, explain, elucidate, instruct; exemplify Ant: darken, obliterate, becloud, benight, cloud, obscure
Umbrage - Syn/Ant
Syn: offense, pique, resentment, displeasure, grudge Ant: pleasure
Affectation - Syn/Ant
Syn: pretense, pretension, sham, false air, insincerity, artificiality Ant: naturalness, genuineness, artlessness, simplicity
Ostentation - Syn/Ant
Syn: pretension, pretentiousness, semblance, show, showiness, pretense, pretext, display, pageantry, pomp, pompousness, flourish
Libertine - Syn/Ant
Syn: profligate, debauchee, rake, voluptuary, reprobate, lecher, roué, sensualist, seducer, immoralist; satyr, womanizer, goat Ant: prude, puritan
Expostulate - Syn/Ant
Syn: protest, object, remonstrate, inveigh against, enjoin, plead with, exhort, forewarn, counsel, caution, reason against
Ecstasy - Syn/Ant
Syn: rapture, exaltation, bliss, elation, euphoria, fervor, intoxication, rhapsody, transport Ant: agony, affliction, distress, misery, torment
Retrograde - Syn/Ant
Syn: regressive, backward Ant: forward
Canonize - Syn/Ant
Syn: sanctify, glorify, beautify, bless, consecrate, dedicate
Usurp - Syn/Ant
Syn: seize, steal, grab; take, appropriate, commandeer, preempt, arrogate, encroach upon, infringe upon Ant: give up, surrender, yield, relinquish, renounce
Firmament - Syn/Ant
Syn: sky, heavens, vault, welkin, the blue, air, ether, canopy, space, outer space, the void, interstellar space, intergalactic space
Calumny - Syn/Ant
Syn: slander, libel, defamation, backstabbing, vilification, depreciation, backbiting, animadversion, deprecation, revilement, calumniation, malice, innuendo, denigration; slur, smear, insinuate, barb Ant: praise, acclaim, kudos, encomium, eulogy
Expostulate - definition
intr. v. To reason earnestly with someone in an effort to dissuade or correct them
