1. Hamlet Act I Vocabulary

2. 1. jocund: (adj.) merry or cheerful  Synonyms  elated  jolly  Antonyms  sad He is a rigid temperance man, although he is jocund and whole-souled to a fault.

3. 2. avouch: (v) to cite as authority.  Synonyms  claim  declare  Antonyms  deny I had a note from my doctor avouching that my medical condition did indeed disqualify me from gym class.

4. 3. martial: (adj.) related to or suited for war.  Synonyms  pugnacious  combative  Antonyms  peaceful The ancient Romans were a martial people.

5. 4.portentous: (adj.) eliciting amazement or wonder; shadowy or ominous.  Synonyms  astounding  intriguing  Antonyms  insignificant As an explanation for such a portentous mystery, this has to be too mundane.

6. 5. harbingers: (n.) foreshadows what is to come.  Synonyms  omen  sign  Antonyms  unknown Frost is a harbinger of winter.

7. 6. dirge: (n.) song of grief; mournful piece of music.  Synonyms  lament  Antonyms  happy song The autumn wind sang the dirge of summer.

8. 7. impious: (adj.) lacking in reverence or proper respect.  Synonyms  disrespectful  wicked  Antonyms  pious The film doesn't utter a single pious or even impious thought about politics from beginning to end.

9. 8. circumscribed: (v./adj.) to surround by a boundary.  Synonyms  restrict  confine  Antonyms  free Her social activities are circumscribed by school regulations.

10. 9. apparition: (n.) a ghostly figure  Synonyms  spirit  phantom  Antonyms  being He came toward me, a blurred figure looming like a dark apparition.

11. 10. precepts: (n.) noun1.a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct. (v) to take beforehand; to instruct  Synonyms  principle  direction  Antonyms  nonsense To live according to the precepts of a stringent religion can be difficult.