Shakespeare Vocabulary List

1
Shakespeare Vocabulary List 1

• 1. abatement (n)
• the act or process of becoming less.
• Example The abatement of the weeds was
  successful after they sprayed the lawn with
  fertilizer.
• purged (v)
• made clean got rid of.
• Example The doctor purged the patient of
  cancer by treating her with chemotherapy.
• pestilence (n)
• disease, plague, or epidemic.
• Example The bubonic plague was a pestilence
  across Europe.
• ample (adj.)
• plenty enough to satisfy a need.
• Example There was an ample supply of food to
  feed the family.

2

• brine (n)
• water containing a lot of salt.
• Example The brine from her tears streaked her
  face.
• acquaintance (n)
• knowledge gained by personal experience with the
  subject.
• Example The teacher had some acquaintance with
  the subject of Shakespeare.
• prattle (v)
• to babble, to speak meaninglessly similar to
  childish chattering.
• Example I became so bored listening to my
  friend prattle on about her new boyfriend.
• mute (n)
• a person who cannot or does not speak.
• Example The orphan was a mute who never said a
  word to anyone.
• ducats (n)
• a former European gold coin.
• Example The foolish gentleman spent all of his
  ducats on stockings.

3

• prodigal (n)
• one who spends or gives lavishly and foolishly.
• Example The prodigal son returned home to live
  with his mother after spending all of his money
  in Las Vegas.
• 11. scoundrel (n)
• a rascal, one with an untrustworthy reputation.
• Example The scoundrel took the mans money
  claiming to have sold him the London Bridge.
• shrew (n)
• a bad-tempered, scolding woman.
• Example The old shrew kicked her husband for
  having left the toilet seat up.
• prudent (adj.)
• wise uses good judgment.
• Example The prudent shopper bought in bulk to
  save money.

4

• accost (v)
• to approach and/or speak to in an aggressive,
  challenging way.
• Example The mans plan was to accost women
  exiting the market to ask them for money.
• malignancy (n)
• the quality of being bad, evil, and aggressive.
• Example The drug dealer was a malignancy in
  the impoverished neighborhood.