Semester 1 Vocabulary BritLit

Kenning

a condensed metaphor, typically a hyphenated compound word that characterizes a person, place or thing. A type of epithet.Ex: whale-road, treasure-giver

Comitatus

the basic idea that everyone protects the king at all costs even if it means a warrior giving up his own life

Interlacing

twisting and knotting imagery of this era, it represented a concept that nothing in the Anglo-Saxon period was independent. Everything depended on everything else whether agricultural, cultural, personal, or any other way.

Mead

an alcoholic liquor made by fermenting a mixture of honey & water

Thane

One who in Anglo-Saxon times held lands of the king or other superior by military service

Foil

a character that contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to highlight various features of the main character's personality

Wergild

a "death-price" paid to compensate the kin of anyone a warrior has killed

Ring-hoard

the 'treasury' of a nation or people; often made up literally of gold formed into large rings, sometimes linked together.

Scop

bard, a musician who sings stories of heroism

Wyrd

fate

Torque

a metal collar or neck-chain

Bulwark

a strong wall raised for protection and defense

Fetters

anything that confines or restrains

Surging

moving with a violent, heaving, swelling motion

Benignity

kindness or tolerance toward others. (noun)

Provident

making or indicative of timely preparation for the future. (adj)

Repugnance

intense disgust. (noun)

Fervid

intensely enthusiastic or passionate, especially to an excessive degree. (adj)

Resurgent

increasing or reviving after a period of little activity, popularity, or occurrence.(adj)

Colloquy

a conversation. (noun)

Erudite

having or showing great knowledge or learning. (adj)

Compunction

a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad.(noun)

Rumination

a deep or considered thought about something. (noun)

Tacit

understood or implied without being stated. (adj)

Felicitous

well chosen or suited to the circumstances. (adj)

Clairvoyant

a person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact. (noun)

Surmise

suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it. (verb)

Culpable

deserving blame. (adj)

Odious

extremely unpleasant; repulsive. (adj)

Prevarication

the fact of avoiding telling the truth or saying exactly what you think. (noun)

Bereavement

the state or fact of being deprived of something or someone through death. (n)

Importunate

persistent, especially to the point of annoyance or intrusion. (adj)

Vindictive

having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge. (adj)

Profligacy

reckless extravagance or wastefulness in the use of resources. (noun)

Requisition

demand the use or supply of, especially by official order and for military or public use. (verb)

Propitiatory

intended to reconcile or appease. (adj)

Rectitude

morally correct behavior or thinking; righteousness. (noun)

Solicitude

care or concern for someone or something. (noun)

Privation

a state in which things that are essential for human well-being such as food and warmth are scarce or lacking. (n)