Macbeth Vocab Cards

Front 1

brandish- verb

Back 1

to wave something about, especially a weapon, in a menacing, theatrical, or triumphant way

Synonym: wield
antonym: none

I brandished my sword; wielding it was hard work because it was heavy.

Front 2

plight- noun

Back 2

a difficult or dangerous situation, especially a sad or desperate predicament

Synonym: dilemma
Antonym: none

My plight was extreme; i was in danger, standing on a small cliff that was about to collapse.

Front 3

minion- noun

Back 3

a servile or slavish follower of somebody generally regarded as important

Synonym: follower
Antonym: leader

The minion loved his evil master; though he was in bondage, he was still devoted to Lord Voldemort.

Front 4

lavish- adj. or verb

Back 4

given or produced in abundance or to excess; to give or spend something generously or to excess

Synonym: excess
Antonym: frugal

The house was lavished with fine jewels because the owners were really rich, and they wanted a house full of amazing things.

Front 5

harbinger- noun

Back 5

somebody or something that foreshadows or anticipates a future event

Synonym: foreshadow(er)
Antonym: anticipation

The harbinger was foreshadowing Banquo's death by the hands of Macbeth.

Front 6

rapt- adj.

Back 6

involved in, fascinated by, or concentrating on something to the exclusion of everything else

Synonym: fascinated
Antonym: bored

I was rapt with attention by the fascinating dancers; they were making me concentrate of them and them alone.

Front 7

missives- noun

Back 7

a letter or other written communication, often formal or legal communication

Synonym: written communication
Antonym: non-communication

During the Civil War, many missives were sent to tell others how their part of the battle was going, but when Sherman made his march, he instead cut off all ways of communicating.

Front 8

metaphysical- adj.

Back 8

relating to the philosophical study of the nature of being and beings or a philosophical system resulting from such study

Synonym: abstract
Antonym: concrete

The study of being metaphysical could also be called being abstract.

Front 9

beguile- verb

Back 9

to win and hold somebody's attention, interest, or devotion; to mislead or deceive somebody

Synonym: Misleading
Antonym: repel

i was beguiled by her misleading me; she held my attention while stealing my purse.

Front 10

sovereign- noun or adj.

Back 10

the ruler or permanent head of a state, especially a king or queen; self-governing and not ruled by any other state; having supreme authority or power

Synonym: ruler
Antonym: subjects

The sovereign ruled the land, while his subjects were mere servants under him.

Front 11

augment- verb

Back 11

to add to something in order to make it larger or more substantial, or to grow in this way

Synonym: adding
Antonym: shrinking

In order for the plant to grow larger, we augmented materials into our sapling.

Front 12

equivocate- verb

Back 12

to speak vaguely or ambiguously, especially in order to mislead

Synonym: misleading
Antonym: explain

he was a vague speaker; no one knew why he equivocated, though.

Front 13

sacrilegious- adj.

Back 13

grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred

Synonym: profane
Antonym: reverent

In earlier times, from the beginning of religion to around the 1900's, most people were extremely reverent and religious to their god, or what they believed in; however, there are now many sacrilegious people who could care less about religion.

Front 14

perturbation- noun

Back 14

An unhappy and worried mental state

Synonym: unhappy
Antonym: joyful

"Perturbation is why she is stressed, sad, and irrational; she should be happy, and not so seriously worried."

Front 15

entreaty- noun

Back 15

an attempt to persuade someone to do something

Synonym: persuasion
Antonym: uncaring

The entreaty failed miserably, while brute forcing someone to do something-sadly- worked better.