| Entreat (v) | Ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something.Synonyms include beg, plead or request.Sentence: His friends entreated him not to go. A message had been sent, entreating aid for the Navajos. |
| Assail (V) | to impinge(affect) upon; make an impact on; (of an unpleasant feeling or physical sensation) come upon (someone suddenly and strongly. Synonyms include plague, disturb, nag, vex, torment.Sentence: His mind was assailed by conflicting arguments. The light assailed their eyes.*make a concerted vile attack on; verbal attack |
| Brazen (adj) | Made of brass. Bold/ without shameSynonyms include metallic.Sentence: Among the Barcaeans there was a skilled worker in brass who took a brazen shield.Here, you can find traces of human residences, including a neglected paddy field, collapsed stone walls, and broken nickel silverware and brazen kitchenware. |
| Emulate (v) | Match or surpass (a person or achievement); typically by imitation.Synonyms include imitate, copy.Sentence: Lesser men trying to emulate his greatnessMost rulers wished to emulate Alexander the great. |
| Mettle (n) | A person’s ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and strong/tough way. Synonyms include spirit, steel, strength of character, determination, courageSentence: The team showed their true mettle in the second half. |
| Portentous (adj) | Portent is a noun which means a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous is likely to happen. Portentous means of or like a portent. Something is important in indicating or affecting future events.Synonyms include ominous, warning, premonitory.Sentence: The envelope and its portentous contents. The first half of the movie is full of dreadful portentous contents that either go nowhere or end in cheap shocks. |
| Harbinger (n) | A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another; heraldSynonyms include sign, indication, omen, forewarning.Sentence: Witch hazels are the harbingers of spring.Drugs, booze, gambling are the most obvious harbingers of a life running off the rails. |
| Obsequious (Adj) | Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree; excessively eager to please or obey.Synonyms include servile (excessive willingness to please others), ingratiating.Sentence: They were served by obsequious waiters. |
| Beseech (v) | ask (someone) urgently and fervently to do something; implore;entreatSynonyms include implore, entreat, beg.They beseeched him to stay. They earnestly beseeched his forgiveness |
| Countenance (n); (v) | Noun: a person’s face or facial expression.Synonyms include, face, features.Sentence: “A countenance more in sorrow than in anger” (Shakespeare Line 230).Verb: To permit or tolerate; admit as acceptable or possible.Synonyms include tolerate, permit, allow.Sentence: He was reluctant to countenance the use of force.You should no have countenanced his rudeness. |
| Expostulate (v) | Express strong disapproval or disagreement. It is to reason earnestly with someone against that person intends to do or has done; done in a logical and unemotional way not screaming while argueSynonyms include disagree with.Sentence: His father expostulated with him about the evils of gambling. Jim expostulated with the teacher’s opinion to no avail. |
| Carrion (n) | The decaying flesh of dead animals. Sentence: A crow wheeled over the hills in search of carrion. |
| Besmirch (v) | To say bad things about someone or something to influence other people’s opinion of them.; damage one’s reputation. Synonyms include sully, tarnish.Sentence: He has besmirched the good name of his family. His accusations were false, but they served to besmirch her reputation.Literary meaning: Make (something dirty or discolored. For example, the ground was besmirched with dark red blood. |
| Beguile (V) | Charm or enchant (someone) sometimes in a deceptive way; trick (someone) into doing something.Synonyms include charm, attract, enchant.Sentence: They were beguiled into signing a peace treaty. |
| Sepulchral (adj) | Relating to a tomb or interment.Sentence: “sepulchral monuments.”It also means gloomy, dismalSynonyms include melancholy, gloomy.Sentence: The sepulchral tone in their voices. A speech delivered in sepulchral tones. |
| Lewd (adj) | Crude and offensive in a sexual way.Synonyms include lecherous, lustful, lascivious.Sentence: She began to gyrate to the music and sing a lewd song. |
| Quintessence (n) | The most perfect or typical example of a quality or class; the most typical example or representative.The quintessence of something is its perfect ideal, example. Some say that the quintessence of American cuisine is the hamburger. |
| Antic (adj) | Grotesque, bizarre, strange and ridiculous gesture/act/or posture. Synonyms include strange, grotesque.Sentence: “ |
| Sully (v) | Damage the purity or integrity of; defile; to make dirtySynonyms include taint, soil, tarnish, besmirchSentence: They were outraged that anyone should sully their good name.She wondered if she dared sully the gleaming sink. |
| Gentry (n) | People of a specified class or group; people of good social position; people of high social status but not aristocratic.Synonym include upper class, elite.Sentence: A member of the landed gentry. |
| Pious (adj.) | devoutly religious. |
| Rogue (n). | a dishonest or unprincipled man. |
Hamlet Vocabulary Set 1
September 11, 2019