Beowulf vocab 1

Barrow

a mountain or mound

Bawn

an enclosure usually of mud or stone walls, such as the fortified court of a castle or a fold for livestock

Brehon

a judge or lawgiver

Ceasura

a pause in a verse of poetry, usually at the midpoint

Epic

a long work of narrative poetry about a hero and his exploits

Feudal

concerned with sworn obligations between rulers and those they rule

Flagon

a large container in which drink is served, typically with a handle and spout

Gorge

to consume large quantities greedily

Howe

a depression in the earth’s surface, such as a basin or valley

Kenning

a special metaphor, usually two or three words, that renames a thing (for ex. whale road = sea; ring-giver = king)

Mail Shirt

armor made of small interlinked metal rings

Mayhem

violent or damaging disorder; chaos

Mead

fermented alcoholic drink made from honey

Moor

a flat, open wasteland

Pyre

a heap of combustible material, especially one for burning a corpse as part of a funeral ceremony

Reconnoiter

to make a military observation of a region

Reparation

something given in payment of a debt

Scop

a poet-singer who chanted poems and often played the harp while reciting

Thane

a noble who serves a higher lord such as a king

Torque

a neck ornament consisting of a band of twisted metal, worn especially by the ancient Gauls and Briton