Shakespeare Vocabulary List #11. abatement (n):

the act or process of becoming less.

Example: The abatement of the weeds was successful after they sprayed the lawn with fertilizer.

2. purged (v):

made clean; got rid of.

Example: The doctor purged the patient of cancer by treating her with chemotherapy.

3. pestilence (n):

disease, plague, or epidemic.

Example: The bubonic plague was a pestilence across Europe.

4. ample (adj.):

plenty; enough to satisfy a need.

Example: There was an ample supply of food to feed the family.

5. brine (n):

water containing a lot of salt.

Example: The brine from her tears streaked her face.

6. acquaintance (n):

knowledge gained by personal experience with the subject.

Example: The teacher had some acquaintance with the subject of Shakespeare.

7. prattle (v):

to babble, to speak meaninglessly similar to childish chattering.

Example: I became so bored listening to my friend prattle on about her new boyfriend.

8. mute (n):

a person who cannot or does not speak.

Example: The orphan was a mute who never said a word to anyone.

9. ducats (n):

a former European gold coin.

Example: The foolish gentleman spent all of his ducats on stockings.

10. prodigal (n):

one who spends or gives lavishly and foolishly.

Example: The prodigal son returned home to live with his mother after spending all of his money in Las Vegas.

11. scoundrel (n):

a rascal, one with an untrustworthy reputation.

Example: The scoundrel took the man’s money claiming to have sold him the London Bridge.

12. shrew (n):

a bad-tempered, scolding woman.

Example: The old shrew kicked her husband for having left the toilet seat up.

13.prudent (adj.)

wise; uses good judgment.

Example: The prudent shopper bought in bulk to save money.

14.accost (v):

to approach and/or speak to in an aggressive, challenging way.

Example: The man’s plan was to accost women exiting the market to ask them for money.

15.malignancy (n):

the quality of being bad, evil, and aggressive.

Example: The drug dealer was a malignancy in the impoverished neighborhood.