Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Beowulf Vocab.

scop - n. - Olde English bard or poet
The scop told stories to no avail, for the people still threw apples at him.

sinews - n. - tendons, the source of strength
We cut the sinews of the musk ox.

spawn - n. - any person or thing regarded as the offspring of some stock, idea, etc.
Kittens are the spawn of cats.

infamous - adj. - having an extremely bad reputation
I don't give a hoot about my infamous reputation. (Yes, that was a play on "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett.)

hoary - adj. - ancient or venerable
My grandfather is hoary.

murky - adj. - dark, gloomy, vague, unclear
The crocodile swam in the murky waters.

purge - v. - to rid of whatever is impure or undesirable
The Pied Piper was out to purge Europe of rats (and children).

reparation - n. - the making of amends for wrong or injury done
My brother had to make reparation for getting the Nirvana hoodie before I did.

lament - v. - to feel or express sorrow or regret for
The old bear began to lament after witnessing the death of it's spouse.

heathen - n. - irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized, pagan
My best friend's parents once told her that my family was a bunch of heathens.

cowering - v. - to crouch, as in fear or shame
The frog was cowering in fear under the gaze of the hawk.