Beowulf_Terms

Beowulf Vocabulary 1. Scop: n. an Old English bard or poet. Sentence: William Shakespeare was not considered as a scop. 2. Moored: vb. 1. to secure (a ship, boat, dirigible, etc.) in a particular place, as by cables and anchors or by lines. 2. to fix firmly; secure. Sentence: I always moored my bike with two locks so that it won’t get stolen. 3. Gables: n. 1. the portion of the front or side of a building enclosed by or masking the end of a pitched roof. 2. a decorative member suggesting a gable, used especially in Gothic architecture. Sentence: Most houses have gables, which two rooftops connect each other, making a triangular shaped roof. 4. Wergild: n. 1. money paid to the relatives of a murder victim in compensation for loss and to prevent a blood feud. 2. the amount of money fixed as compensation for the murder or disablement of a person, computed on the basis of rank. Sentence: If there was a crime scene, the guilty person would have to pay the wergild to the victim’s family. 5. Linden: n. 1. any tree of the genus Tilia, having fragrant yellowish-white flowers and heart-shaped leaves, grown as an ornamental or shade tree. 2. the soft, light, white wood of any of these trees, used for making furniture and in the construction of houses, boxes, etc. Sentences: As you walk through the streets, you’ll see lots of linden found in trees. 6. Mead: n. 1. an alcoholic liquor made by fermenting honey and water. 2. any of various nonalcoholic beverages. Sentence: The Vikings feasting in the great hall drank a lot of sweet mead. 7. Vexed: adj. 1. irritated; annoyed. 2. much discussed or disputed. 3. tossed about, as waves. Sentence: I was vexed when the customer kept arguing about the sale. 8. Gorges: n. 1. a narrow cleft with steep, rocky walls, especially one through which a steam runs. 2. a small canyon. 3. a gluttonous meal. 4. something that is swallowed; contents of the stomach. 5. an obstructing mass. Sentence: When it’s Thanksgiving Day, I eat so much food that I gorge myself. 9. Sentinel: n. 1. a person or thing that watches or stands as if watching. 2. a soldier stationed as a guard to challenge all comers and prevent a surprise attack. Sentence: Knights are considered sentinel when they have to guard the castle overnight. 10. Talons: n. 1. a claw, especially of a bird of prey. 2. the shoulder on the bolt of a lock against which the key presses in sliding the bolt. 3. stock. Sentence: Birds have talons to be able to wrap around and get a good grip on a branch of a tree. 11. Sinews: n. 1. a tendon. 2. the source of strength, power, or vigor. 3. strength; power; resilience. Sentence: When a person defeats another person, the winner is considered as a great moral sinew. 12. Hoarys: adj. 1. grayish-white. 2. having gray or white hair; aged. Sentence: As people get older, they tend to get weaker and have hoary hair. 13. Pyre: n. 1. a pile or heap of wood or other combustible material. 2. such a pile for burning a dead body, especially as part of a funeral rite, as in India. Sentence: When we go camping, we would always stack a pyre for campfires. 14. Hoard: n. a supply or accumulation that is hidden or carefully guarded for preservation, future use, etc. Sentence: The captain is a hoard with all the treasures that his crew found. 15. Scabbard: n. a sheath for a sword or the like. Sentence: After the fight, the warrior put his sword into his scabbard. 16. Runic: adj. 1. consisting of or set down in runes. 2. having some secret or mysterious meanings. 3. of an interlaced form seen on ancient monuments, metalwork, etc., of the northern European people. 4. of the ancient Scandinavian class or type, as literature or poetry. Sentence: Sometimes a poet would rhyme to make it a runic poem.