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.