01 Beowulf (*word or derivative has been known to appear on the SAT)

1.  *lament: (luh MENT) to mourn or to express sorrow in a demonstrative manner (derivatives>lamented, lamenting, lamentation, lamentable)

2.  *quench: (KWENCH) to extinguish, to put out; to relieve with liquid (derivatives> quencher, quenched, quenching, quenchable, quenchableness)

3.  *relish: (REL ish) to take great pleasure or delight in (derivatives> relishable, relished, relishing)

4.  reparation: (reh par RAY shun)something making up for a wrong or an injury (derivatives> repair, reparative)

5.  *solace: (SOL is)comfort; relief (derivatives> solaceful, solacement, solacer, solaced, solacing)

6.  purge: (PURJ)purify; cleanse (derivatives> purged, purging)

7.  *fret: (FRET) to worry or be annoyed (Derivatives>fretted, fretting, frets, freful, fretfully, frefulness)

8.  *infamous: (IN fuh mus) having a reputation of the worst kind, vicious, notoriously bad (derivatives> infamously, infamy, infamies)

9.  writhing:(RIth ing) making twisting or turning motions (derivatives>writhe, writhed)

10.  *artful: (ART ful) skillful, clever, tricky (derivatives>artfully, artfulness)

11.  *hack: (HAK) one who forfeits professional integrity in exchange for money or reward (derivatives> hacks)

12.  massive: (MAS iv) big and solid; bulky (derivatives>massively, massiveness)

13.  *loathsome: (LOETH sum) disgusting (derivatives>loathe, loathful, loathing, loathingly, loathness,)

14.  *hoary: (HORE ee) white with age (derivatives> hoarier, hoariest)

15.  *utter: (UT ur) to express by speaking (derivatives>utters, uttered, uttering, utterance)

02 Beowulf

1.  mail [MAYL] armor made of connected metal rings, or loops of chain

2.  fleeing [FLEE ing] running away; vanishing

3.  boast [BOHST] speak with excessive pride; brag

4.  inherited [in HER i tid] received property from a person by a will

5.  feud [FYOOD] a long, bitter quarrel, especially between families

6.  protector [proh TEK ter] someone or something who guards others from harm

7.  truce [TROOS] an agreement to stop fighting

8.  swayed [SWAYD] shifted from side to side; rocked back and forth

9.  deserted [de SURT id] abandoned; empty of people

10.  threshold [THRESH ohld] an entranceway

11.  relished [REL ishd] enjoyed; found pleasure in

12.  comrades [KAHM radz] companions; friends

13.  sought [SAWT] looked for

14.  dissolved [di ZAHLVD] melted away; transformed into liquid

15.  uttered [UHT terd] spoke; expressed verbally

Knights & Chivalry

1.  assay: (AH SAY) to prove or test

2.  adjure: (AD jur) request solemnly; appeal to earnestly

3.  feigned: (FAYNED)Made a false show of; pretended

4.  adroitly: (AD ro it lee) with physical or mental skill

5.  largesse: (LAR JUH es) nobility of spirit

6.  righteous: (RYE chus) acting in a just, upright manner; doing what is right

7.  entreated: (en TREAT ed)made an earnest appeal; pleaded

8.  peril: (PEH ril) exposure to harm or injury

9.  interred: (IN terd) buried

10.  Chivalry: (SHI vahl ree)the system, spirit, or customs of medieval knighthood; the qualities of an ideal knight

11.  fused: (FYOOZD) mixed together; united together to become inseparable

12.  swooned: (SWOOND)fainted; collapsed

13.  hermit: (HUR mit) person living alone away from society; a recluse

14.  barren: (BAR ren)not producing offspring or vegetation; infertile; empty

15.  groveling: (GRAHV el ing) cringing; totally submissive

Arthurian Legends

1.  Embellish: [Em BEL ish] to heighten the attractiveness of by adding decorative or fanciful details

2.  Court: [KORT] the residence or establishment of a sovereign or similar dignitary

3.  Tarry: [tair EE] to delay or be tardy in acting or doing

4.  Dais: [DA eyis] a raised platform (as in a hall or large room)

5.  Wield: [WEELD]to handle (as a tool) especially effectively

6.  Courteous: [ker TEE yis] marked by polished manners, gallantry, or ceremonial usage

7.  Valor : [va ler] strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness; personal bravery

8.  Countenance: [kow TEN ans] calm expression; mental composure

9.  Boon: [BOON]favor or benefit; especially : one that is given in answer to a request

10.  Comely: [koem LEE] having a pleasing appearance

11.  Honor: [aan ER]a keen sense of ethical conduct

12.  Renown: [Rin NOUN] a state of being widely acclaimed and highly honored

13.  Doleful: [doe FULL]causing grief or affliction

14.  Hilt: [HILT] a handle especially of a sword or dagger

15.  Tomb: [TEUM] a house, chamber, or vault for the dead

Heroes and Heroism

1.  beached [BEECHD] adj. hauled or brought ashore

2.  reverence [REV uh rens] n. deep respect; awe

3.  harassed [huh RASD] v. bothered; also, attacked repeatedly

4.  horizon [huh RY zuhn] n. the line where the earth and sky appear to meet

5.  lingers [LIN guhrz] v. leaves slowly; waits before leaving

6.  raiding [RAYD ing] adj. attacking for the purpose of taking land or things

7.  twilight [TWY lyt] n. early evening; the soft light at the end of the day

8.  abounding [uh BOWND ing] adj. plentiful; having great numbers of something

9.  boundary [BOWN dree] n. border; edge; line separating two places

10.  corrupted [kuh RUPT id] v. changed from what is good, normal, or standard

11.  ebbed [EBBD] v. became less; moved away from

12.  immunity [i MYOON uh tee] n. protection from being punished or harmed

13.  lured [LøRD] v. attracted to a place by a promise or by appearances; tempted

14.  migrated [MY grayt id] v. moved from one country or region to settle in another

15.  scalding [SKAWLD ing] adj. heated almost to the boiling point

I am Mordred

1.  Perilous [PAIR oo lis]: full of or involving peril

2.  Palfrey [pal FREE]: a saddle horse other than a warhorse; especially : a lady's light easy-gaited horse

3.  Jarred [Jaard]: to make a harsh or discordant sound

4.  Wimple [WIM pool]: a cloth covering worn over the head and around the neck and chin especially by women in the late medieval period and by some nuns

5.  Raiment [RAE mint]: clothing; garments

6.  Coracle [COR a cul]: a small boat used in Britain from ancient times and made of a frame (as of wicker) covered usually with hide or tarpaulin

7.  Smite [smiet]: to attack or afflict suddenly and injuriously

8.  Chastised [chass TIZED]: to inflict punishment o

9.  Aspired [ASP pierd]: to seek to attain or accomplish a particular goal

10.  Labyrinth [lab UR inth]: a place constructed of or full of intricate passageways and blind alleys

11.  Marvel [maar VOOL]: one that causes wonder or astonishment

12.  Ravish [ravish]: to seize and take away by violence

13.  Rife [rief]: prevalent especially to an increasing degree

14.  Indifferent [ind DIF rint]: marked by impartiality

15.  Frail [frael]: physically weak

Canterbury Tales

1.  solicitous: [sul i SI tush] showing care or concern

2.  garnished [GUHAR nyshed] decorated; trimmed

3.  Absolution [ahb suh LOO shun] act of freeing someone of a sin or criminal charge

4.  commission [com MIS shun] authorization; act of giving authority to an individual

5.  sanguine [san gueen] confident; cheerful

6.  avouches [a vowch EZ] asserts positively; affirms

7.  prevarication [preh var ee CAY shun] evasion of truth

8.  adversity [ad VER si tee] great hardship; misfortune

9.  courteous [KER tee us] considerate of others; polite

10.  devout [di VOWT] extremely religious; pious

11.  dispense [di SPENS] administer; distribute in portions

12.  pilgrimages [PIL gruhm ij iz] journeys to shrines or sacred places

13.  prudent [PROOD uhnt] using good judgment; acting wisely

14.  agility [uh JIL i tee] ability to move with ease and speed

15.  frugal [FROO guhl] thrifty; economical; inexpensive

The Canterbury Tales “Pardoner’s Tale”

1.  congregation [kahn gre GAY shun] n. people gathered for religious worship

2.  discourse [DIS kawrs] n. a complete or thorough discussion of a topic

3.  dignity [DIG ni tee] n. honor; self-respect; the quality of deserving esteem or respect

4.  pulpit [PUHL pit] n. a platform from which a religious leader speaks to worshipers

5.  sermon [SUR muhn] n. a lecture on right and wrong, often by a religious leader

6.  vanity [VAHN i tee] n. too much pride in your appearance or accomplishments

7.  wary [WAYR ee] adj. on guard; watchful

8.  adversary [AHD vuhr ser ee] n. enemy; opponent

9.  betray [bee TRAY] v. be unfaithful or disloyal; break someone’s trust

10.  counsel [KOWN suhl] n. advice; guidance

11.  cultivate [KUHL ti vayt] v. help something grow or develop; nurture

12.  deceive [di SEEV] v. fool; mislead

13.  hypocrisy [hi POK ruh see] n. false appearance of being good or of following a belief

14.  prudent [PROO duhnt] adj. using good judgment or common sense; careful

15.  slandering [SLAN duhr ing] adj. spreading nasty rumors about someone

Canterbury Tales “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”

1.  bottled [BAHT uhld](with up) held in; restrained; contained

2.  crone [KROHN]an ugly old woman; hag

3.  extort [ek STOHRT]obtain by using violence or threats.

4.  forlorn [fohr LOHRN] abandoned or forsaken; sad and lonely

5.  matrons [ MAY truhns] married women or widows; mature women

6.  purged [PERJD] removed; cleansed; to have gotten rid of

7.  reprove [ri PROOV]admonish; find fault with; rebuke

8.  void [VOYD]empty; containing no matter

9.  ceaselessly [SEES lis lee] without stopping; continuously

10.  defiance [di FY uhns] open resistance to an opposing force or authority

11.  disperses [di SPERS ez] drives off; scatters; distributes widely

12.  enquire [en KWYR] to seek information by asking a question

13.  incentive [in SEN tiv]something that encourages you to do something

14.  maim [MAYM]. injure; impair; mutilate

15.  temporal [TEM puh ruhl] lasting for only a time; not eternal; worldly

Canterbury Tales “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” 02

1.  implored[im PLUH ored]begged earnestly

2.  relates [ree LAYTS]tells

3.  misalliance[mihs AH lie anse]mismatch

4.  contemptuous [con TEMP shus]scornful

5.  bequeath [be KWEETH)hand down as an inheritance

6.  prowess[pr ow es] heroism; distinction

7.  esteemed[es TEEMED] highly respected

8.  rebuke [reeb OOK]criticize strongly

9.  courtiers [kor TEE ers) one in attendance at a royal court

10.  eviscerate [ee VIS er ate] to deprive of vital content or force

11.  incubus [in CUE bus] an evil spirit that lies on persons in their sleep

12.  discreet [di SKREET] having or showing good judgment in conduct and especially speech

13.  peradventure [per ed VEN chur] by chance

14.  sovereign [sahv RAN] that exercises supreme authority within a limited sphere

15.  annexed [an EKSED] to attach as a quality, consequence, or condition

Shakespeare’s Sonnets

1.  disgrace [dis GRAYS] loss of honor or respect

2.  fortune [FOR chun] a person’s standing in life determined by money or possessions

3.  contented [kon TENT id] satisfied; desiring nothing more

4.  scorn [SKORN] to reject

5.  prophecies [PRAHF i seez] predictions

6.  divining [di VYN ing] to know by intuition or reflection

7.  tempests [TEM pists] violent wind and rain storms

8.  despising [dis PYZ ing] to dislike intensely

9.  outcast [OWT kast] a person excluded from a society or system

10.  possessed [po ZEST] to have had or owned

11.  arising [uh RYZ ing] the process of getting up

12.  antique [AN teek] made in an earlier period

13.  sickle [SIK l] a tool with a circular blade, used for cutting grass

14.  alters [AWL terz] changes; makes different

15.  treads [TREDZ] to walk on, over, or along

Macbeth Act 1

1.  ambition [am BISH uhn] n. strong desire to achieve something

2.  assault [uh SAWLT] n. an attack

3.  plight [PLYT] n. bad condition or situation that someone is in

4.  revolt [ree VOHLT] n. actions taken to overthrow an authority

5.  swarm [SWAWRM] n. a large, moving group of people, animals, or insects

6.  traitor [TRAYT uhr] n. disloyal person; someone who turns against his or her country

7.  vanished [VAHN ishd] v. disappeared

8.  banquet [BANG kwit] n. feast; large, fancy meal attended by guests

9.  foul [FOWL] adj. unpleasant; rotting

10.  haste [HAYST] n. speed; rush; hurry

11.  heath [HEETH] n. area of land covered with low shrubs or bushes

12.  prediction [pree DIK shuhn] n. statement or idea about what will happen in the future

13.  registered [REJ is tuhrd] adj. entered something, such as your name, on a record

14.  valiant [VAHL yent] adj. heroic; brave

15.  withered [WITH erd] adj. shriveled; dried up; without life

Macbeth Act 2

1.  clutch [KLUCH] hold onto something tightly

2.  conclusion [kuhn KLOO zhuhn] ending; the finish of something

3.  contradict [KAHN truh dikt] say or prove the opposite of

4.  repose [ri POHZ] rest; sleep

5.  resembled [ri ZEM buhld] had a similarity to someone or something

6.  restrain [ri STRAYN] stop; hold back; prevent from acting

7.  seize [SEEZ] take possession by force; grab and hold

8.  suspicion [suh SPISH uhn] unproven idea that something is wrong

9.  allegiance [uh LEE jens] loyalty to a country, a ruler, or a cause

10.  appalls [uh PAWLZ] shocks; horrifies

11.  counterfeit [KOWN tuhr fit] imitating something valuable in order to deceive

12.  malice [MAL is] the desire to harm others or see them suffer; ill will

13.  mock [MAHK] make fun of; treat with ridicule or contempt

14.  quenched [KWENCHD] satisfied; extinguished; put out (a fire)

15.  refrain [ri FRAYN] stop yourself from doing something

Macbeth Act 3

1.  affliction [uh FLIK shuhn] suffering; a cause of suffering, such as an illness

2.  confined [kuhn FYND] kept from moving out of a place; restricted

3.  custom [KUHS tuhm] habit; tradition

4.  eternal [ee TER nuhl] without beginning or end; everlasting

5.  patience [PAY shuntz]ability to wait or to suffer without complaint

6.  remedy [REM uh dee] cure; medicine; something that solves a problem

7.  summons [SUHM muhnz] order to appear at a particular place

8.  acquaint [uh KWAYNT] familiarize; inform

9.  amends [uh MENDZ] something done to make up for injury or loss

10.  disposition [dis puh ZISH uhn]someone’s usual mood; personality

11.  encounter [en KOWN tuhr] meet; come upon

12.  jovial [JOH vee uhl] cheerful; having good humor

13.  mingle [MING guhl] mix together; socialize with

14.  posterity [pah STER uh tee] the future; those people who are to come

15.  revenge [ri VENJ] cause someone harm for something the person has done