Chapter IV. The Prince's troubles begin. — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Chapter IV. The Prince's troubles begin.

rabble (noun)

A disorderly crowd; a mob of common or rough people.

prodigious (adjective)

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

forlorn (adjective)

Pitifully sad and lonely; desolate and forsaken.

disporting (verb)

Enjoying oneself; frolicking or playing in a lively manner.

clerical (adjective)

Relating to the clergy or the church; here, describing a style of neckband associated with religious dress.

sally (noun)

A witty or lively remark; a clever verbal attack or jest.

beseemeth (verb)

An archaic form meaning "is fitting for" or "is proper for."

bounty (noun)

Generosity; liberal giving. Also, a reward or gift from a superior.

gibbet (noun)

A gallows; a wooden frame used for public execution by hanging.

plebeian (adjective)

Of or belonging to the common people; lacking in refinement or nobility.

buffeted (verb)

Struck repeatedly and violently; battered.

besmirched (verb)

Made dirty; soiled or stained. Also used figuratively to mean damaged in reputation.

squalid (adjective)

Extremely dirty, run-down, and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect.

farthing (noun)

A former British coin worth one quarter of a penny; the smallest unit of currency, symbolizing a trivial amount.

palter (verb)

To speak or act evasively or deceptively; to trifle or equivocate.

profaned (verb)

Treated with disrespect or irreverence something that is considered sacred or worthy of respect.

vermin (noun)

People perceived as despicable, repulsive, or parasitic. Literally, small animals or insects that are harmful or carry disease.