Book XII — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Book XII

cairn (noun)

A mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark, often placed over a burial site.

warble (verb)

To sing with trills and melodic variations; to produce a sweet, quavering sound.

prodigious (adjective)

Remarkably great in extent, size, or degree; enormous.

invincible (adjective)

Too powerful to be defeated or overcome; unconquerable.

exhorted (verb)

Strongly urged or encouraged someone to do something.

dawdle (verb)

To waste time; to move slowly or linger unnecessarily.

forestay (noun)

A strong rope or cable running from the masthead to the bow of a ship, supporting the mast from the front.

brimstone (noun)

Sulfur, especially when associated with lightning or divine punishment; a burning, suffocating substance.

unpropitious (adjective)

Not favorable; not indicating a good chance of success; inauspicious.

rebuked (verb)

Expressed sharp disapproval or criticism to someone for their behavior.

livelong (adjective)

Entire; whole (used to emphasize the duration of a period of time).

Erebus (noun)

In Greek mythology, a region of darkness in the underworld through which the dead pass; also personified as a primordial deity of darkness.

insolent (adjective)

Showing a rude or arrogant lack of respect; boldly disrespectful.

coxswain (noun)

The person who steers a ship or boat, especially a racing shell; the helmsman.

mischief (noun)

Harm or trouble caused by an agent or action; in this context, deliberate harm or ill fate imposed by the gods.

shiver (verb)

To break into fragments or splinters (archaic usage, distinct from the modern meaning of trembling).