Vocabulary List 3: The Odyssey

By Emily, Zach, Makayla, and Josh

Quiver• Definition: (Noun) a case for holding or

carrying arrows• From “The Odyssey”: “Then back she went to

face the crowded hall, tremendous bow in hand, and on her shoulder hung the quiver spiked with coughing death.”

• Original Sentence: The gift was a gold quiver, with matching gold arrows to put inside.

Beguiling (Beguile)• Definition: (Adjective) charming or pleasing

(with an intent to trick, flatter or mislead)• From “The Odyssey”: “Circe, in her beguiling

voice, while on her loom she wove an ambrosial fabric sheer and bright, by that craft known to the goddesses of heaven.”

• Original Sentence: We had no idea that he was a beguiling con man until he tricked us into giving him our money.

Foreboding (Forebode)• Definition: (Noun) A strong feeling/notion of a

future misfortune, evil, etc.; presentiment• From “The Odyssey”: “But working with dry

lips to speak a word he could not, being so shaken; blinding tears welled in his eyes; foreboding filled his heart.”

• Original Sentence: As we started walking towards the haunted house, a sense of foreboding prevented me from going any further.

Ardor• Definition: (Noun) Fiery intensity of feeling,

fervor, or passion• From “The Odyssey”: “The lovely voices in

ardor appealing over the water made me crave to listen, and I tried to say ‘Untie me!’ to the crew, jerking my brows; but they bent steady to the oars.”

• Original Sentence: Her/his voice was full of ardor because …

Implements

• Definition: (Noun) A tool or instrument used in doing work.

• From “The Odyssey”: “Behind her maids bore a basket full of axe heads, bronze and iron implements for the master’s game.”

• Original Sentence: In the fields, many farmers use implements to help them grow and harvest crops.

Assuage• Definition (Verb): To relieve something

unpleasant or distressing; to calm or pacify

• From “The Odyssey”: “Thus to assuage the nations of the dead I pledged these rites, then slashed the lamb and ewe, letting their black blood stream into the wellpit.”

• Original Sentence: To help assuage my guilt, I told the truth.

Keen• Definition: (Adjective) sharply intense and

piercing. • From “The Odyssey”: “Salt tears rose from the

wells of longing in both men, and cries burst from both as keen and fluttering as those of the great taloned hawk, whose nestlings farmers take before they fly.”

• Original Sentence: The knife in the drawer had a keen blade.

Abominably

• Definition (Adverb) repugnantly hateful; detestable; loathsome

• From “The Odyssey”: “But that is the den of Scylla, where she yaps abominably, a newborn whelp’s cry, though she is huge and monstrous.”

• Original Sentence: We abominably yelled at each other for taking each others pencil pouches.

Travail• Definition (Noun) Painfully difficult or

burdensome work; toil• From “The Odyssey”: “ And all this time, in

travail, sobbing, gaining on the current, we rowed into the strait-Scylla to port and on our starboard beam Charybdis, dire gorge of the salt sea tide.”

• Original Sentence: Moving the 100 pound weights across the football field was a travail because it was hard to move.

Incredulity

• Definition (Noun) inability or unwillingness to believe

• From “The Odyssey”: “Only Telemachus, uncomprehending, wild with incredulity, cried out: “You cannot be my father Odysseus!”

• Original Sentence: The child’s incredulity kept him from believing in platypuses.