Act One Hamlet vocabulary

assail verb DEF to make a concentrated attack on someone or something I was immediately assailed at the party by a guy who wanted my autograph.

usurp verb DEF to take a position of power, legally or by force The pretender tried to usurp the throne.

brazen adjective DEF very bold, bordering on inappropriate Barkie Von Schnauzer’s brazen attempt at getting a muffin was succcessful.

emulate verb DEF to match someone or surpass them, usually by imitation Try to emulate successful people.

portentous adjective DEF: ominous warning, threatening, menacing The envelope and its portentous contents worried Bobby all night .

russet adjective DEF an orange color “But look,the morn in russet mantle clad walks o’er the dew of yon high eastward hill.”

Liege noun DEF a king or lord “Yes, my liege,” said the obsequious courtier as he bowed low.

auspicious adjective DEF giving or being a sign of future success The beginning was auspicious.

visage noun DEF a person’s face, expression,or countenance There was something hidden behind his cheerful visage.

gall noun DEF bold, impudent, rude behavior, or bitterness He had a lot of gall to say that to his grandmother!

rank adjective DEF smelly, rotten, disgusting The trash can had a rank odor which did not stop the raccoon.

dexterity noun DEF skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands, flexibility His dexterity enabled him to complete the R.C. in 1 minute.

harbinger noun DEF a person or thing that signals the arrival of another Crocuses are the harbinger of Spring.

mote noun DEF a tiny piece of a substance, a speck The dust motes looked like stars in the sunbeam.

privy adjective DEF sharing the knowledge of something secret or private He was no longer privy to her innermost thoughts.

err verb DEF to make a mistake or error To err is human, to forgive, divine.

woe noun DEF sadness, depression Oh, woe is me, all the cookies have been consumed by greedy family members.

discretion noun DEF behaving or speaking in such a way as to not reveal private information “Discretion is the better part of valor.”

dirge noun DEF a sad, funereal song As the mourners sang the dirge, they followed the casket up the hill.

doleful adjective DEF sad, depressed, dejected I wrote a check to the ASPCA as soon as I saw this dog’s doleful face.

beseech verb DEF to beg, plead I beseech you not to feed the squirrels at CSUN as they will try to come home with you.

dejected adjective DEF depressed, low in spirits, melancholy The dejected look on his face told his friends that the promposal did not work.

filial adjective DEF having to do with the relation of child to parent He was always ready to do his filial duty.

countenance noun DEF face, expression, His countenance told us everything we needed to know about the circumstances.

dalliance noun DEF a casual romantic or sexual relationship, an affair Walt Whitman wrote a controversial poem entitled “The dalliance of the eagles.”

importune verb DEF to constantly ask someone for something until it is annoying Those animal charities continually importune me for money!

lewdness noun DEF behavior that is crude and offensive in a sexual way He was arrested for lewd conduct.

enmity noun DEF the state of being actively opposed to someone or something, hostility The enmity in the room felt very palpable.

sinews noun DEF tough fibrous tissue joining muscle to bone, ligaments He was a man of great moral sinew.

pernicious adjective DEF having a harmful effect, especially in a subtle way Of course Plankton was the source of the pernicious jellyfish!