Act 2 Vocabulary in Context
Directions: Study the following lines. Carefully examine the way in which the underlined word
is used in each sentence, then write out the meaning in your own words. (Note: In some
sentences, there is a change in the part of speech or the tense of the underlined words.) Last,
write one original (made-up from your own brain!) sentence for each underlined word, making
sure to use it correctly. Please do not copy or paraphrase the example sentences.
1. A. “Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour draws on apace.”
B. The members of the court will attend the nuptials of Hippolyta and Theseus.
C. A member of the clergy can perform nuptials.
Definition of “nuptials”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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2. A. “But, O, methinks how slow this old moon wanes!”
B. The moon wanes at the end of the month and gets harder to see.
C. Demetrius’ love for Helena has waned.
Definition of “wane”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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3. A. “Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung / With feigning voice verses of feigning
love…”
B. First Demetrius loves Helena, and then he hates her. When he tells her that he loves her
again, she thinks he is feigning.
C. The children feigned surprise at the presents; but, in fact, they already knew what they
were getting.
Definition of “feign”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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4. A. “…and she, sweet lady, dotes / Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, / Upon this spotted and
inconstant man.”
B. Helena dotes upon Demetrius; Demetrius dotes upon Hermia; Hermia dotes upon
Lysander, who also dotes upon her.
C. Some people dote upon dessert.
Definition of “dote”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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5. A. “But I beseech your Grace that I may know / The worst that may befall me in this case / If
I refuse to wed Demetrius.”
B. Hermia beseeches her father to let her marry Lysander.
C. The Student Council decided to beseech the administration for permission to have another
dance.
Definition of “beseech”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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6. A. “What is Pyramus – a lover or a tyrant?”
B. Hermia’s father acts like a tyrant when he forces her to choose between marrying
Demetrius or going to a convent.
C. The citizens overthrew the tyrant who was ruthlessly ruling their country.
Definition of “tyrant”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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7. A. “Our play is the most lamentable comedy and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe.”
B. To Helena, it is lamentable that Demetrius doesn’t love her.
C. A lamentable story may make the reader cry.
Definition of “lamentable”: ____________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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8. A. “For Oberon is passing fell and wrath / Because that she, as her attendant, hath / A lovely
boy…”
B. Oberon is full of wrath because Titania will not give him the Indian boy. .
C. When the sheriff discovered the prisoner had escaped, his wrath was great.
Definition of “wrath”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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9. A. “And this same progeny of evils comes / From our debate, from our dissension; / We are
their parents and original.”
B. Egeus is Hermia’s father; she is his progeny.
C. Parents want to be proud of their progeny.
Definition of “progeny”: ______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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10. A. “Lord, what fools these mortals be!”
B. “But she, being mortal, of that boy did die.”
C. Helena, Hermia, and their suitors are mortal, but Oberon and Titania are immortal and live
forever.
Definition of “mortal”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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11. A. “We’ll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, / And tarry for the comfort of the day.”
B. Tired out by their walk through the woods, Lysander and Hermia decide to tarry in the
forest.
C. If you tarry at breakfast, you may be late for school.
Definition of “tarry”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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12. A. “The more you beat me I will fawn on you.”
B. Although Demetrius is unkind to Helena, she fawns on him and gives him compliments.
C. Sometimes, people fawn on others to get money or approval.
Definition of “fawn”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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13. A. “Content with Hermia? No, I do repent / The tedious minutes I with her have spent.”
B. Once Lysander falls out of love with Hermia, he finds her tedious and he leaves her.
C. A tedious task may make you fall asleep.
Definition of “tedious”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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14. A. “A surfeit of the sweetest things / The deepest loathing to the stomach brings…”
B. Lysander has had a surfeit of Hermia’s company and wants to leave her.
C. A surfeit of food can cause a stomachache.
Definition of “surfeit”: _______________________________________________________
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Original Sentence: ___________________________________________________________
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