Hamlet act 1

Portentous

foreboding or menacing; indicative of an impending unpleasant event

Probation

the release of an offender from imprisonment, dependent on a period of good behavior under supervision

Commendable

worthy of deserving praise

Obstinate

fiercely stubborn

Apparition

ghost or ghostlike image

Pole

Polaris, the North Star

Harbingers

officials who went ahead of the king to announce his approach

Retrograde

contrary

Auspicious

happily looking to the future

Usurp’st

wrongfully takes over

Filial

relating to offspring, children

Liegemen

sworn followers

Obsequious

overly attentive; ingratiating

Waxes

to become larger or stronger; increase

Calumnious

(of a statement) untrue and damaging to one’s reputation; slanderous

Prodigal

reckless or extravagant; promiscuous

Beguile

to trick, deceive

Harrow

to cause distress

Antic Disposition

fantastic or foolish manner; odd, strange

Traduced

slandered

“Frailty, thy name is woman” Who said this?

Hamlet

“For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favor, Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood”

Laertes to his sister

“This bodes some strange eruption to our state”

Horatio

“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”

Marcellus