ACT III - Scene V — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from ACT III - Scene V

envious (adjective)

Feeling or showing resentful longing; here, describing the streaks of dawn light that jealously intrude on the lovers' night.

jocund (adjective)

Cheerful and lighthearted; used ironically, since the cheerful morning brings danger and separation.

exhales (verb)

Sends out or gives off; here used in the archaic sense meaning the sun draws forth a meteor from the earth.

affray (verb)

To frighten or alarm; the lark's song frightens the lovers apart by announcing daybreak.

runagate (noun)

A runaway or fugitive; Lady Capulet's contemptuous term for the banished Romeo.

temper (verb)

To mix or prepare (a substance); Juliet uses it ambiguously—her mother hears "prepare poison," but Juliet means she would dilute it to make Romeo sleep peacefully.

conduit (noun)

A channel or pipe for conveying water; Capulet compares weeping Juliet to a water fountain that never stops flowing.

choplogic (noun)

A person who argues using overly fine or trivial distinctions; Capulet's insult when Juliet tries to reason with him.

demesnes (noun)

Lands or estates belonging to a lord; Capulet lists Paris's property among his qualifications as a husband.

mammet (noun)

A puppet or doll; Capulet uses it to belittle Juliet as a whining, childish creature unworthy of his efforts.

puling (adjective)

Whining or crying weakly; used by Capulet as an insult to dismiss Juliet's tears as infantile.

hilding (noun)

A worthless or contemptible person; one of Capulet's harshest insults directed at his own daughter.

forsworn (adjective)

Having broken an oath or sworn falsely; Capulet means he will not go back on his word about the marriage.

stratagems (noun)

Cunning plans or schemes, especially for deceiving an enemy; Juliet laments that heaven plots against her.

dishclout (noun)

A dishcloth; the Nurse's dismissive comparison meaning Romeo is a worthless rag next to Paris.

dispraise (verb)

To express disapproval or criticism of someone; Juliet is outraged that the Nurse now criticizes Romeo after praising him.

twain (noun)

Two separate things; divided into two. Juliet declares that she and the Nurse will no longer share secrets.

fickle (adjective)

Changeable or inconstant in affections or loyalty; Juliet addresses Fortune as notoriously unreliable.