Romeo and Juliet: Act 4

by William Shakespeare
Sparks fly when Romeo and Juliet meet, but their families are sworn enemies locked in an ancient feud. Learn these words from Shakespeare's classic tale of star-crossed love.

Here are links to our lists for the play: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Act 4, Act 5
15 words 19547 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. inundation
    the overflowing of a body of water onto normally dry land
    Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous
    That she do give her sorrow so much sway,
    And in his wisdom hastes our marriage
    To stop the inundation of her tears,
    Which, too much minded by herself alone,
    May be put from her by society.
  2. pensive
    showing deep sadness
    My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now.
  3. arbitrate
    act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
    Therefore out of thy long-experienced time
    Give me some present counsel, or, behold,
    ’Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife
    Shall play the umpire, arbitrating that
    Which the commission of thy years and art
    Could to no issue of true honor bring.
  4. surcease
    a stopping
    Take thou this vial, being then in bed,
    And this distilling liquor drink thou off;
    When presently through all thy veins shall run
    A cold and drowsy humor; for no pulse
    Shall keep his native progress, but surcease.
  5. supple
    capable of moving or bending freely
    Each part, deprived of supple government,
    Shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death,
    And in this borrowed likeness of shrunk death
    Thou shalt continue two and forty hours
    And then awake as from a pleasant sleep.
  6. kindred
    group of people related by blood or marriage
    Then, as the manner of our country is,
    In thy best robes uncovered on the bier
    Thou shalt be borne to that same ancient vault
    Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie.
  7. behest
    an authoritative command or request
    Where I have learned me to repent the sin
    Of disobedient opposition
    To you and your behests, and am enjoined
    By holy Lawrence to fall prostrate here
    To beg your pardon.
  8. enjoin
    give instructions to or direct somebody to do something
    Where I have learned me to repent the sin
    Of disobedient opposition
    To you and your behests, and am enjoined
    By holy Lawrence to fall prostrate here
    To beg your pardon.
  9. wayward
    resistant to guidance or discipline
    My heart is wondrous light
    Since this same wayward girl is so reclaimed.
  10. orison
    reverent petition to a deity
    But, gentle nurse,
    I pray thee leave me to myself tonight,
    For I have need of many orisons
    To move the heavens to smile upon my state,
    Which, well thou knowest, is cross and full of sin.
  11. accursed
    under or as if under an evil spell
    Accursed, unhappy, wretched, hateful day!
  12. beguile
    influence by slyness
    Beguiled, divorcèd, wrongèd, spited, slain!
    Most detestable death, by thee beguiled,
    By cruel, cruel thee quite overthrown!
  13. detestable
    unequivocally offensive
    Beguiled, divorcèd, wrongèd, spited, slain!
    Most detestable death, by thee beguiled,
    By cruel, cruel thee quite overthrown!
  14. dirge
    a song or hymn of mourning as a memorial to a dead person
    All things that we ordainèd festival
    Turn from their office to black funeral:
    Our instruments to melancholy bells,
    Our wedding cheer to a sad burial feast,
    Our solemn hymns to sullen dirges change.
  15. pestilent
    exceedingly harmful
    What a pestilent knave is this same!
Created on Thu Aug 22 15:09:07 EDT 2019 (updated Tue Jul 15 15:32:52 EDT 2025)

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