📖 Vocabulary

3 January 2025

Collection of important words used and defined in the Extracts

admire: (v) respect, look up to
agency: (n) the ability to make choices and take action
agonies: (n) intense pain, suffering
alfresco: (adj) outdoors (Italian loan-word)
alters: (v) changes, modifies
ambition: (n) strong desire to succeed
ancient: (n) ensign, supporter
anguish: sadness and anger
anvil: (n) tool for working metal
appassionato: (adj) passionate, intense
apprehend: (v) to understand, grasp
approbation: (n) approval, praise
aquarium: (n) zoo for fish
armaments: (n) military weapons, gear
artisans and apprentices: (n) young workers learning a trade
Asclepius: (n) god of medicine, doctors
assertive: (adj) confident, direct
attire: (n) clothing
automaton: (n) a mechanical figure, robot
baffled: (adj) confused, puzzled
Balkans: (n) Eastern Europe, starting point of First World War
Behold: (v) look!
Belfast: (n) focus of the Troubles in N. Ireland
Bellona: (n) goddess of war
bequeath: (v) give, pass on
Bernard Shaws: (n) famous, socialist-leaning writer
Blair: (n) Tony Blair, UK Prime Minister '97-'07
blarnies: (n) chatter, talking
blaze: (v) to burn brightly, shine
bless: (v) to give well-being or happiness
blest: (adj) blessed, made holy
bloodsucking: (adj) feeding on blood, parasitic
bluff: (v) trick through lying
bougainvillea: (n) a bright, colourful flowering plant
broil: (n) fight
bunking off: (v) skipping work
burial: (n) act of placing a dead body in the ground
butchered: (v) to kill and prepare for food
cambered: (adj) curved, arched
capital: (n) money, investments
captive: (adj) kept confined or restrained
cardi: (n) cardigan, old-fashioned jumper
catastrophic: (adj) causing great damage, disaster
cherished: (adj) valued, beloved
civil: (adj) connected to city, OR well-behaved
clamour: (n) loud, confused noise
compass: (n) boundary, limits
composition: (n) peace, agreement
concealed: (v) hidden from view
confession: (n) admitting sins, telling truths
congregation: (n) group assembled for worship
conscience: (n) knowledge of right and wrong
Consequently: because of this...
consultant: (n) senior doctor
contemporary: (adj) belonging to the same period
corporal: (adj) physical, with a body
corruption: (n) decay, dishonesty
counsel: (n) advice or guidance
countenance: (n) facial expression
crack of Doom: (n) the end of time
crafted: (v) carefully created or developed
crippled: (adj) disabled, unable to walk
crouched: (v) to bend down low
cushy: (adj) soft, easy (Hindi loan-word)
dandy: (n) fashionable man
dark room: (n) where photos are developed
delirium: (n) a disturbed state of mind
demure: (adj) modest, reserved
dependent: (adj) relying on someone else for support
deposit: (n) money saved
desolate: (adj) deserted, empty
dignity: (n) being worthy, honourable
disdain: (v) ignore
disgrace: (n) loss of honor or respect
dissipate: (v) to scatter, disperse
doom: (n) fate, judgment
dragoon: (v) to coerce, force
draw: (v) to unsheathe a weapon
dread: (adj) great fear
driftwork: (n) debris washed ashore
duty: (n) job, responsibility
earnest: (adj) sincere, serious
ecstasy: (n) overwhelming joy or delight
elf-shot: (n) supernatural illness, often a curse
embarrassed: (adj) feeling self-conscious or ashamed
encroachment: (n) invasions, attacks
ennobled: (adj) elevated to a higher class
entrails: (n) internal organs, intestines
epiphany: (n) sudden realization or insight
era: (n) a period of time in history
eternal: (adj) everlasting, unchanging
evening dress: (n) smart, formal clothes
evidence: (n) proof of something
exert: (v) to use or bring about
fantastical: (adj) imaginary
fetish: (n) strong obsession, fixation
fiddlesticks: (n) Nonsense! Ridiculous!
fiend: (n) demon, monster
fierce: (adj) intense, passionate
first quarto: (n) the first published version of Shakespeare's plays
fishmonger: (n) someone who sells fish
flank: (n) side of an object
foreman: (n) leader of workers
forgive: (v) to stop feeling angry or resentful
frail: (adj) weak, delicate
frame: (v) create, build
frantic: (adj) wildly excited or anxious
galleys: (n) warships
Ganges: (n) the major river in India
garland: ring of flowers to be worn
gentleness: (n) softness, kindness
ghoul: (v) monster, demon
giro: (n) money transfer paperwork
glamour: (n) alluring beauty or charm
gleam: (v) to shine brightly, sparkle
Golgotha: (n) the hill Jesus was crucified on
grafting: (v) working hard; or attaching
grieve: (v) to feel deep sorrow
grot: small cave or home
haggard: exhausted
hangman: (n) executioner
hanky: (n) a cloth handkerchief
hawser: (n) cable used for building
hazards: (n) dangers, problems
heath: (n) wild, open place
heathen: (n) non-Christian
heifers: (n) female milking cow
Heracles: (n) a great mythical Greek hero
herald: (v) call, summon
hitherto: (prep) so far, up to this point
hoax: (n) a trick, joke
Honours List: (n) awards given to honourable people by Government
household: (n) the people living together, family
hurlyburly: (n) chaos, confusion
Hygeia: (n) goddess of cleanliness, hygiene
Hyphasis: (n) the river that marks the border of India
hypnotist: (n) a person who uses hypnosis
Hyrcanian Sea: (n) the Caspian Sea
hysterical: (n) over-emotional
immortal: (adj) god-like
impassively: (adv) without emotion, calmly
impediments: (n) obstacles, hindrances
impertinent: (adj) without respect for status
impostors: (n) deceptive pretenders, fakes
Infirmary: (n) emergency room of hospital
ingratitude: (n) thanklessness
inquiry: (n) asking questions
insidious: (adj) subtly harmful, deceitful
insomnia: (n) prolonged inability to sleep
intone: (v) to say in a singing voice
invest: (v) put money into
jointing: (v) to cut meat into joints
juggernaut: (n) massive machine, (allegedly) used for human sacrifices
keg: (n) barrel, containing gunpowder
kerns and gallowglasses: (n) foot soldiers
knave: (n) low-status man
knaves: (n) dishonest men, rogues
knighthood: (n) special title - Sir - for honourable people
landed: (adj) old and rich family with land
Larium: (n) medicine to treat malaria
lassitude: (n) weakness, listlessness
lethal: (adj) deadly, causing death
lieutenant: (n) assistant to a leader, second-in-command
lingoes: (n) languages, dialects
loitering: waiting without purpose
Macedon: (n) home and kingdom of Alexander
magistrate: (n) legal official, like a judge
maidenheads: (n) virginity
manna: bread from heaven
marital: (adj) relating to marriage
martial: (adj) related to military forces
mastery: (n) great skill or control
mayhem: (n) chaos, disorder
meads: meadows, fields
meridian: (n) an imaginary line around the Earth
mermaid: (n) mythical sea creature, woman-fish
metaphysical: (adj) supernatural
milestone: (n) an important event or stage in life
ministered: (adj) cared for, blessed
miraculum: (n) a miraculous event or phenomenon
monosyllables: (n) words of one syllable
muckle: (adj) much, a large amount
municipal: (adj) relating to city services
munificence: (n) great generosity, wealth
needlework: (n) sewing, making clothes
Neptune: (n) god of the sea, lord of sea-horses
noiseome: (adj) smelly
nosy: (adj) overly inquisitive, curious
nuance: (n) subtle difference, detail
oblivious: (adj) unaware, unmindful
officious: (adj) overly-focussed on doing job
omens: (n) signs of future events
paraphernalia: (n) equipment, special items
part: (v) to separate, end a conflict
patron: (n) a person who supports or sponsors something
peerless: (adj) excellent, without equal
perfection: (adj) ideal, flawless, unimprovable
perforating: (v) to pierce, penetrate
perilous: (adj) full of danger
pessimistic: (adj) negative, expecting bad things
pestilent: (adj) full of plague and disease
petrified: (adj) hardened, preserved
Phnom Penh: (n) capital of Cambodia, site of war
Picasso: Pablo Picasso, famous painter
pier: (n) wooden platform over sea
pile: (n) large post used to hold up piers, buildings
Pitiful: (adj) very sad, weak
playwright: someone who writes plays
pleasant: (adj) nice or enjoyable
plight: (n) struggle, suffering
port: (n) expensive after-dinner drink
portentous: (adj) pompous, full of himself
posterity: (n) the future
prattle: (n) chatter, talk
pre-eminence: (n) most important, powerful
predominantly: (adv) mostly; mainly
preferment: (n) process of being chosen for leadership
pretence: (n) pretending
prominent: (adj) important
proof: (n) evidence or demonstration of truth
property: (n) something owned
prophetic: (adj) seeing into the future
Propping a spear: a character in the background of a play is often called a 'spearcarrier'
prosperity: (n) wealth, success
prosperous: (adj) rich, successful
provincial: (adj) slightly unsophisticated - lower-class
prowl: (v) to move around stealthily, searching for something
pulse: (n) heartbeat, rhythm
pylon: (n) structure for holding up power cables (Ancient Greek, originally 'gateway')
quail-grey: (adj) pale grey, resembling a quail
quarry: (v) search for, seek
rapt: (adj) absorbed, hypnotised
rave: (v) to talk wildly, complain
reciting: (v) say aloud from memory
reek: (v) to have a strong smell
renown: (n) fame, being well-known
repelled: (v) be driven away, separated
repent: (v) apologise, admit sins
Rhodes: (n) island between Turkey and Cyprus
rocketing inflation: (n) a rapid increase in prices and cost of living
roe: (n) fish eggs, considered a delicacy
rucksack: (n) a backpack for carrying
ruminative: (adj) thoughtful, reflective
sacked: (v) fired, kicked out of job
sanatorium: (n) health facility for patients
scandal: (n) bad event that shocks people - damages reputation
scramming: (v) scraping, scratching; or running away
sedge: plants, reeds etc found around water
seethed: (v) full of angry energy
sickle: (n) tool for harvesting
sinew: (n) strength, toughness
sinews: (n) tendons, muscles
sniggers: (n) laughter at embarrassment
sojourn: travel, journey
souvenirs: (n) items kept for memories
squadron: (n) group of soldiers or ships
squiffy: (adj) slang for drunk
stark-naked: (adj) nude, bare, exposed
stoop: (v) to bend down, lower oneself
supplement: (n) additional material, extra
symmetry: (n) matching pattern of stripes
tantalus: (n) expensive container for alcohol
Tchaikovsky: great Russian composer and pianist
tempests: (n) violent storms
terrors: (n) intense fears
tether: (v) to tie, secure
Thane: (n) a lord
The governor: (n) slang term for boss or father
toast: (n) short speech celebrating something during formal dinner
torpor: (n) doing nothing, lack of energy
tradition: (n) customs, practices
trajectory: (n) path, course of movement
transitive: (adj) relating to change or movement
treason: (n) act of betraying king/country
tremble: (v) to shake, quiver
trifles: (n) gifts
trifling: (adj) unimportant, insignificant
tyrant: (n) cruel, unfair ruler
unclocked: (adj) not seen, unnoticed
unforgiving: (adj) harsh, relentless
unobtrusive: (adj) out of the way, ignorable
valiant: (adj) brave
Venetian: (a) relating to Venice
venture: (n) difficult journey, expedition
vestige: (n) a trace or remainder
virtue: (n) moral excellence, goodness
void: (n) empty space, nothingness
volatile: (adj) likely to change suddenly
voluptuous: (adj) pleasing, luxurious
wand'ring: (adj) wandering, roaming
wedding ring: (n) symbolic ring of marriage
whimsical: (adj) silly, light-hearted
Whither: (adv) where?
wrack: (n) ruin, destruction
writ: (n) control, order
yield: (v) give in, surrender