Beowulf Vocab Part 1

Chapters 1-7

Chapter 1Sheaf“…prepare a bed

that will burn. And in the heart of the bed let a sheaf of corn be planted.”

Def: Cut grain in a bundle

Stride“His stride was still enormous,

but no longer did his feet strike thunder from the earth.”

Def: Long step

Chapter 1Tributes“…peace came because none of

the neighbor countries dared to fight with such a giant. Instead, they brought him gifts and tributes.”

Def: Money paid to show respect

Litter“Scyld knew his end was near…

Scyld lay on a silver litter at the water’s edge…”

Def: A stretcher for carrying bodies

Chapter 2Masons

“Stone for the building of the hall…came from all over the world. The masons planned…”

Def: People who use stone to build

Chapter 2Fen

“Out in the black fen something stirred.”

Def: Swampy land

Chapter 3

Avenged“All were keen that so

terrible a deed should be swiftly avenged.”

Def: To get revenge for someone else

I will avenge my king’s death by killing the enemy!

Chapter 4

Cultivating“He did this by cultivating

habits of quickness and concentration…”

Def: To grow or improve

Integrity“Beowulf had made the best of all he had,

putting each imperfection to work in the service of his integrity.”

Def: Having strong morals

Chapter 4Indomitable“They were brave,

indomitable fellows, well tested in battle…”

Def: Not easily defeated, unbeatable

Shingle“His horse kicked up a stinging shower of

shingle…”

Def: large, rough gravel

Chapter 5Insinuated“’Only someone wicked could eat

witch’s apples and come to no harm,’ he insinuated darkly.”

Def: Hinted or implied

Uncouth“…wanting to apologize for

his henchman’s uncouth behavior.”

Def: clumsy, crude or uncivilized

Chapter 5Sustenance“He handed the cup back to her and

smiled as though he had taken sustenance from the deepest well in the world.”

Def: Food

Chapter 6Malignant“…the smell. It hit him like a great

wave of rotting matter: rank, malignant, bringing tears to his eyes…”

Def: evil

Retched“He retched at the stink of the

beast.”

Def: to vomit or try to vomit

Chapter 6

Mucid“Then Beowulf saw coil after

coil of slimy skin, mucid, spongy, dripping with the filth of the swamps.”

Def: Moldy, musty or slimy

Relinquish“Beowulf, badly bruised,

refused to relinquish his hold.”

Def: To let go, surrender

Chapter 7Timorous“He was small in stature,

timorous and shy by nature.”

Def: Timid or shy

Askance“…peering askance at murky

places…”

Def: With a sideways glance

Chapter 7

Impudent“It turned its terrible fourth head to

see and destroy whatever the impudent thing was that dared to tweak its tail.”

Def: Rude or disrespectful

Prosperity“…it would bring

prosperity to their land for years to come.”

Def: Success or wealth

Beowulf Vocab Part 2

Chapters 8-12

Chapter 8• Imperishable: “He

belonged out there in the night, the fatal darkness, the imperishable black.” (55)

• Loathsome: “The fen shook with unnatural storms as it witnessed their loathsome embracings.” (54)

Definition: disgustingDefinition: can’t be damaged

Chapter 8• Spoor: “There is the matter

of spoor, you see.” (59)

• ILLUMINATION: “Unferth slapped his side as a sudden illumination came into the dark chamber of his thought.” (56)

Definition: light or insight

Definition: trail of a wild animal

Chapter 9• Subtle: “…at his side the

sword as sharp as a flame…He knew…more subtle and essential weapons were necessary.” (63)

• Desolate: “He had never been in so desolate a place.” (62)

Definition: deserted, lifeless

Definition: not obvious, clever, sly

Chapter 9• Incensed:

“Hrothgar had wanted to come too, he was so incensed by the wanton slaying of Aeschere.” (63)

Definition: very angry, infuriated

Chapter 10• obsequious: “…

a part of the obsequious water.” (67)

• succumbed: “…For a moment he succumbed...” (67)

Definition: seeking favor Definition: gave in

Chapter 10• fetid: “A fetid breath

of air passed through the chamber.” (70)

• corroding: “…into the corroding sea of Her eyes.” (71)

Definition: stinky Definition: deteriorating, wasting away

Chapter 10• incantation: “…he

put an equal emphasis on each word, so that it sounded like an incantation.” (71)

Definition: chant, spell

Chapter 10• hilt: “Beowulf snatched

at his sword…The hilt slipped in his hand.” (68)

• clammy: “He let himself go dead in Her clammy grasp.” (69)

hilthilt

blade

Definition: handle of a sword

Definition: moist, sticky and cold

Chapter 11• subsided: “The waters of the lake subsided.” (74) • disconsolately:

“Beowulf’s men ringed the pool disconsolately… One Geat said: “No one could live in that.” (68)

Definition: sank to a lower level

Definition: sad, dejected

Chapter 12• vigorously, bough: “It flapped its wings vigorously

and hopped up and down on a withered bough.” (77)bough

Definition: energetically

Definition: large tree branch

Chapter 12• pine: “The king

saw by the tears in Beowulf’s eyes at the mere mention of the word “home” that he did indeed pine for his own country.” (78)

• venture: “In such a vessel, coming back so happy from such a venture, they soon reached home.” (80)

Definition: desire strongly, grieve for

Definition: dangerous undertaking, adventure

Beowulf Vocab Part 3

Chapters 13-16

Chapter 13• tussle: “…when he’s

not tall enough to win a tussle with a goat.” (82)

• tawny: “…most days would see him tending his tawny hives in the sun.” (84)

Definition: a fight

Definition: light brown

Chapter 13• faltering: “Hardred

was still a baby, unable to take more than a few faltering steps.” (85)

• virtue: “Pity,” said Hardred.

“A wise virtue in a king,” said Beowulf. (86)

Definition: unsteady Definition: good quality

Chapter 13• asylum & feud: “They had quarreled with their father, and

rebelled against their uncle Onela, king of Sweden. They wanted asylum. Hardred took pity on the two young men, doomed to wander the face of the earth because of a family feud.” (87)

Definition: a shelterDefinition: long, bitter argument

Chapter 13• pyre: “After the battle,

before the smoke had died from Hardred’s funeral pyre, the Geats sent again to Beowulf...” (87)

Definition: pile of sticks, etc., for burning a corpse

Chapter 14• strewn: “The place was wild. Huge blocks of stone lay

everywhere, piled against the mountainside, threatening to fall, strewn about as though hurled by giants in some dreadful battle.” (90)

Definition: scattered

Chapter 15• pestilence & strife: “Houses, churches, fields of grain,

nothing was spared by the firedrake in its ruinous flight…It means the old days are back. War and strife and pestilence.” (93)

Definition: disease, epidemic

Definition: bitter conflict

Chapter 15• flabbergasted: • “If swords are any use,

then-”

“They aren’t,” said Beowulf.

“Oh.” The soldier was flabbergasted.” (95)

Definition: surprised

Chapter 16• deftly: “Wiglaf moved on

tiptoe, deftly. He was a small person, slim and agile...” (98)

• quench: “Halloo,” he cried. “Halloo, old fire-belcher! I am Beowulf, come to quench you!” (98)

Definition: quickly and skillfully

Definition: put an end to, destroy

Chapter 16• flog: “It’s tail began to

flog the rock.” (99)

• scythe: “For a terrible moment Wiglaf thought the glove had come out too—but, no, it was still there, caught on a tooth that looked like a scythe. (99)

Definition: beat severely

Definition: long curved blade used for mowing

Chapter 16• essence: “This, whispered to Wiglaf on the way up

the mountain was the essence of Beowulf’s plan.” (100)

Definition: most important part