Hamlet Flashcards
ominous
giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen
dirge
a mournful song, especially for a funeral (The bagpipers played a dirge as the casket was carried to the cemetery.)
impotent
lacking strength or vigor, powerless, ineffective
obsequious
excessively compliant or submissive (Mark acted like Janet’s servant, obeying her every request in an obsequious manner.)
pernicious
extremely destructive or harmful (The new government feared that the Communist sympathizers would have a pernicious influence on the nation’s stability.)
chide
(v.) to voice disapproval (Lucy chided Russell for his vulgar habits and sloppy appearance.)
beguile
to trick, deceive (The thief beguiled his partners into surrendering all of their money to him.)
circumscribed
(adj.) marked off, bounded (The children were permitted to play tag only within a carefully circumscribed area of the lawn.)
aloof
(adj.) reserved, distant (The scientist could sometimes seem aloof, as if he didn’t care about his friends or family, but really he was just thinking about quantum mechanics.)
paragon
a model of excellence or perfection (The mythical Helen of Troy was considered a paragon of female beauty.)
fathom
(v.) to understand, comprehend (I cannot fathom why you like that crabby and mean-spirited neighbor of ours.)
resolute
(adj.) firm, determined (With a resolute glint in her eye, Catherine announced that she was set on going to college in New York City even though she was a little frightened of tall buildings.)
calumny
(n.) an attempt to spoil someone else’s reputation by spreading lies (The local official’s calumny ended up ruining his opponent’s prospect of winning the election.)
dispatch
(v.) to send off to accomplish a duty (The carpenter dispatched his assistant to fetch wood.)
impetuous
(adj.) rash; hastily done (Hilda’s hasty slaying of the king was an impetuous, thoughtless action.)