Vocabulary

Act 1 Vocabulary Prophetic (adj)—containing a prediction; accurately describing or predicting what will happen in the future. The witches gave Macbeth a prophetic glimpse into his future. Valor (n)—bravery Soldiers are often praised for the valor they show in battle.

Act 1 Vocabulary Surmise (v)—to suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it. I surmised that my dog had done something bad when he hid under the bed, even though I hadn’t yet seen any evidence of wrongdoing. Corporal (adj)—of the human body; physical Corporal punishment is outlawed in many states.

Act 1 Vocabulary Chastise (v)—to rebuke or reprimand severely; punish The Thane of Cawdor was chastised for being a traitor.

Act 2 Vocabulary Augment (v)—to make larger; enlarge in size, number, strength, or extent; increase The King was able to augment his army while the other side was distracted allowing him to win. Appall (v)—to fill with apprehension, alarm, or disgust; horrify The murder of Duncan appalled Malcolm and the rest of the king’s court.

Act 2 Vocabulary Equivocate (v)—to use ambiguous (unclear) language in order to mislead or hide the truth Many students think Shakespeare equivocates speeches in his plays to add suspense. Malice (n)—desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another Macbeth claims he killed the guards out of malice.

Act 2 Vocabulary Temperate (adj)—marked by moderation; keeping within limits; not excessive In Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 18,” the speaker calls his love more temperate than the sun. He is complementing the woman by saying she is not extreme. Obscure (adj)—difficult to see; vague Lennox call the owl an obscure bird because it is difficult to discern in the dark of night.