Romeo and Juliet: Act 5

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 15334 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. presage
    indicate by signs
    If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep,
    My dreams presage some joyful news at hand.
  2. apothecary
    a health professional who prepares and dispenses drugs
    I do remember an apothecary
    (And hereabouts he dwells) which late I noted
    In tattered weeds, with overwhelming brows,
    Culling of simples.
  3. penury
    a state of extreme poverty or destitution
    Noting this penury, to myself I said
    “An if a man did need a poison now,
    Whose sale is present death in Mantua,
    Here lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him.”
  4. ducat
    formerly a gold coin of various European countries
    Come hither, man. I see that thou art poor.
    Hold, there is forty ducats.
  5. inexorable
    impossible to prevent, resist, or stop
    The time and my intents are savage-wild,
    More fierce and more inexorable far
    Than empty tigers or the roaring sea.
  6. maw
    the mouth, jaws, or throat
    Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death,
    Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth,
    Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,
    And in despite I’ll cram thee with more food.
  7. apprehend
    take into police custody
    This is that banished haughty Montague
    That murdered my love’s cousin, with which grief
    It is supposèd the fair creature died,
    And here is come to do some villainous shame
    To the dead bodies. I will apprehend him.
  8. peruse
    examine or consider with attention and in detail
    Let me peruse this face.
    Mercutio’s kinsman, noble County Paris!
  9. inter
    place in a grave or tomb
    Death, lie thou there, by a dead man interred.
  10. ensign
    an emblem flown as a symbol of nationality
    Thou art not conquered. Beauty’s ensign yet
    Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
    And death’s pale flag is not advancèd there.
  11. inauspicious
    presaging ill fortune
    O, here
    Will I set up my everlasting rest
    And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
    From this world-wearied flesh!
  12. discern
    perceive, recognize, or detect
    As I discern,
    It burneth in the Capels’ monument.
  13. sepulcher
    a chamber that is used as a grave
    Alack, alack, what blood is this which stains
    The stony entrance of this sepulcher?
  14. thwart
    hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire
    A greater power than we can contradict
    Hath thwarted our intents. Come, come away.
  15. ambiguity
    unclearness by virtue of having more than one meaning
    Seal up the mouth of outrage for awhile,
    Till we can clear these ambiguities
    And know their spring, their head, their true descent,
    And then will I be general of your woes
    And lead you even to death.
Created on Thu Aug 22 15:34:47 EDT 2019 (updated Tue Jul 15 15:35:28 EDT 2025)

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