A Midsummer Night's Dream: Act 3

by William Shakespeare
In this comedy, two Athenian couples and a troupe of actors become unwitting pawns in a squabble between a fairy king and queen. Read the full text here.

Here are links to our lists for the play: Act I, Act II, Act III, Act IV, Act V

Here are links to our lists for other plays by William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Hamlet, King Lear, Julius Caesar, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, Othello
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. auditor
    someone who listens attentively
    I’ll be an auditor—
    An actor too perhaps, if I see cause.
  2. gambol
    play or run boisterously
    Be kind and courteous to this gentleman.
    Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes
  3. kindred
    group of people related by blood or marriage
    Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well. That same cowardly, giantlike ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house. I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now.
  4. rebuke
    censure severely or angrily
    O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?
  5. troth
    a solemn pledge of fidelity
    Then fate o’errules, that, one man holding troth,
    A million fail, confounding oath on oath.
  6. derision
    the act of treating with contempt
    Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?
    Scorn and derision never come in tears.
  7. sojourn
    spend a certain length of time; reside temporarily
    If e’er I loved her, all that love is gone.
    My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourned,
    And now to Helen is it home returned,
    There to remain.
  8. disparage
    express a negative opinion of
    Disparage not the faith thou dost not know.
  9. recompense
    the act of making amends for service or loss or injury
    Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,
    The ear more quick of apprehension makes;
    Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,
    It pays the hearing double recompense.
  10. asunder
    into parts or pieces
    And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
    To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
  11. vixen
    a malicious woman with a fierce temper
    She was a vixen when she went to school,
    And though she be but little, she is fierce.
  12. officious
    intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
    You are too officious
    In her behalf that scorns your services.
  13. wend
    direct one's course or way
    When they next wake, all this derision
    Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision.
    And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,
    With league whose date till death shall never end.
  14. harbinger
    something indicating the approach of something or someone
    My fairy lord, this must be done with haste,
    For night’s swift dragons cut the clouds full fast,
    And yonder shines Aurora’s harbinger.
  15. recreant
    an abject coward
    Come, recreant! Come, thou child!
    I’ll whip thee with a rod.
Created on Fri Oct 25 19:41:08 EDT 2013 (updated Tue Jul 15 15:53:44 EDT 2025)

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