ACT IV - Scene II — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from ACT IV - Scene II

Coz (noun)

An informal term of address meaning cousin or kinsman; used broadly in Elizabethan English for any close relative.

School (verb)

To discipline or control oneself; to restrain one's emotions through self-instruction.

Fits o' the season (noun phrase)

The violent upheavals or convulsions of the present time; "fits" refers to sudden, unpredictable outbursts.

Diminutive (adjective)

Extremely small in size; here used to describe the tiny wren as the smallest of birds.

Natural touch (noun phrase)

The instinctive feeling of love and protectiveness that family members naturally feel for one another.

Lime (noun)

Birdlime, a sticky substance smeared on branches to trap birds; used metaphorically for any snare or trap.

Gin (noun)

A snare or mechanical trap used for catching birds or small animals; unrelated to the alcoholic drink.

Homely (adjective)

Plain, simple, and unpretentious; in Elizabethan usage it means humble or ordinary, not ugly as in modern American English.

Fell (adjective)

Fierce, savage, and cruel; suggesting deadly destructiveness.

Laudable (adjective)

Worthy of praise or commendation; here used ironically, since Lady Macduff is lamenting that doing harm is praised in Macbeth's Scotland.

Unsanctified (adjective)

Unholy or not consecrated; a place lacking divine protection or moral decency.

Shag-eared (adjective)

Having rough, shaggy hair around the ears; an insult suggesting the person is unkempt and of low birth.

Fry (noun)

The young offspring of fish; used contemptuously by the murderer to mean a small, insignificant child.

Enow (adverb)

An archaic form of "enough"; used in the plural to mean a sufficient number of people or things.