The Tempest: Act 1

by William Shakespeare
After a shipwreck, a group of noblemen wash up on an enchanted island ruled by the magician Prospero. Read the full text here.

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

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

words only definitions & notes
  1. boatswain
    a petty officer on a merchant ship
    Good boatswain, have care. Where’s the Master?
  2. mischance
    an unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate
    Use your authority. If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap.
  3. furlong
    a unit of length equal to 220 yards
    Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground: long heath, brown furze, anything. The wills above be done, but I would fain die a dry death.
  4. fain
    in a willing manner
    Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground: long heath, brown furze, anything. The wills above be done, but I would fain die a dry death.
  5. perfidious
    tending to betray
    My brother and thy uncle, called Antonio—
    I pray thee, mark me—that a brother should
    Be so perfidious!
  6. inveterate
    habitual
    This King of Naples, being an enemy
    To me inveterate, hearkens my brother’s suit,
    Which was that he, in lieu o’ th’ premises
    Of homage and I know not how much tribute,
    Should presently extirpate me and mine
    Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan,
    With all the honors, on my brother
  7. lieu
    the post or function properly occupied or served by another
    This King of Naples, being an enemy
    To me inveterate, hearkens my brother’s suit,
    Which was that he, in lieu o’ th’ premises
    Of homage and I know not how much tribute,
    Should presently extirpate me and mine
    Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan,
    With all the honors, on my brother
  8. extirpate
    destroy completely, as if down to the roots
    This King of Naples, being an enemy
    To me inveterate, hearkens my brother’s suit,
    Which was that he, in lieu o’ th’ premises
    Of homage and I know not how much tribute,
    Should presently extirpate me and mine
    Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan,
    With all the honors, on my brother
  9. tempest
    a strong storm with violent winds
    Hast thou, spirit,
    Performed to point the tempest that I bade thee?
  10. brine
    water containing salts
    All but mariners
    Plunged in the foaming brine and quit the vessel,
    Then all afire with me.
  11. manifold
    many and varied; having many features or forms
    This damned witch Sycorax,
    For mischiefs manifold, and sorceries terrible
    To enter human hearing, from Argier,
    Thou know’st, was banished.
  12. knell
    the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce a death
    Sea nymphs hourly ring his knell.
  13. vouchsafe
    grant in a condescending manner
    Most sure, the goddess
    On whom these airs attend!—Vouchsafe my prayer
    May know if you remain upon this island,
    And that you will some good instruction give
    How I may bear me here.
  14. manacle
    confine or restrain with or as if with handcuffs
    I’ll manacle thy neck and feet together.
  15. unwonted
    out of the ordinary
    My father’s of a better nature, sir,
    Than he appears by speech. This is unwonted
    Which now came from him.
Created on Thu Feb 18 11:56:24 EST 2016 (updated Wed Aug 06 13:31:19 EDT 2025)

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