Sir Gawain & The Green Knight Vocabulary List

Question 0

Trifles (n.)

Answer 0

Unimportant matters

“So the fearless king stood in front of his table,/Talking of elegant trifles” (60).

Question 1

Boisterous (adj.)

Answer 1

Energetic; lively

“Yet Arthur, boisterous and merry as a boy,/Refused to eat till the others were served:” (59).

Question 2

Ermine (n.)

Answer 2

White fur used to decorate formal clothes of royalty

“As he rode, trimmed rich at the edges with bright/White ermine…” (61).

Question 3

Hefted (v.)

Answer 3

Lifted a very heavy object

“Gawain hefted the axe, swung it high/In both hands, balancing his left foot in front of him” (68).

Question 4

Lament (n.)

Answer 4

Mourning; sadness; crying

“Rang with silent lament, sorrow/For so good a man as Gawain” (75).

Question 5

Heraldic (adj.)

Answer 5

Pertaining to a coat of arms

“Draped with heraldic designs-“ (75).

Question 6

Prudent (adj.)

Answer 6

Cautious; careful

“Better to have been more prudent, to have made him/A duke before this could happen.” (78).

Question 7

Ford (n.)

Answer 7

Shallow part of a river where people cross

“And at every ford over every stream” (78-79).

Question 8

Satyr (n.)

Answer 8

In Ancient Greek stories, creature that was half man half goat

“Attacked him, and sometimes wolves, and satyrs,” (79).

Question 9

Mire (n.)

Answer 9

Area of soft, wet ground

“Gawain hurried his horse, crossed swamps/And mires and bogs, acres of mid…” (80).

Question 10

Gilt (adj.)

Answer 10

Gold-plated

“With his gilt heels he hurried along” (80).

Question 11

Hewed (v.)

Answer 11

cut into a rough shape

“Hard stone/Hewed in the noblest style…” (81).

Question 12

Pinnacled (adj.)

Answer 12

High-pointed

“And pinnacles towers along it, fitted/To the walls” (81).

Question 13

Trestles (n.)

Answer 13

Frames or supports for a temporary table

“A long table was laid on trestles…” (83).

Question 14

Tact (n.)

Answer 14

Careful way of speaking that avoids upsetting others

“Then quiet questions were asked, tactful/And discreet:” (84).

Question 15

Vespers (n.)

Answer 15

Evening church service

“Holiday vespers for the faithful to hear” (85).

Question 16

Cant (n.)

Answer 16

Insincerity; hypocrisy

“Answers, free of cant” (97).

Question 17

Hoariest (adj.)

Answer 17

Oldest; grayest

“Hers by old age, but the hoariest” (101).

Question 18

Evasive (adj.)

Answer 18

Not speaking honestly; hard to pin down

“And Gawain was so gracefully evasive that he seemed/Always polite, and nothing happened…” (104).

Question 19

Mantle (n.)

Answer 19

Veil or cloak

“Wrapped to her feet in a gay mantle/Furred with perfect blended skins…” (109).

Question 20

Boorishly (adv.)

Answer 20

In a rude manner

“Either to take her love or boorishly/Turn her away” (110).

Question 21

Parried (v.)

Answer 21

Avoided answering questions by saying something clever

“He parried, with a loving laugh, her passionate/Speeches, her talk of special favor” (111).

Question 22

Fealty (n.)

Answer 22

Loyalty to king or queen

“For your kindness I owe you/A knight’s fealty” (112).

Question 23

Absolve (v.)

Answer 23

Forgive a moral or religious fault

“And begged the priest to absolve him” (113).

Question 24

Bedraggled (adj.)

Answer 24

Disheveled, messy

“As you gave me are better than a dozen bedraggled/Hides” (115).