Words Used in Poems

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Also used:   http://webstersdictionary1828.com

Aeolian strings  -  the Aeolian Harp is a musical instrument that is played by the wind. It is named for Aeolus, the Greek god of the wind.

Adamantine  -  unbreakable or extremely hard like a diamond

Adown  -  an archaic word for down

Agone  -  an archaic word for ago

Aiden  -  Celtic sun god; meaning fiery

Alloy  -  adding an impairing alien element

Amaranth  -  flowers that never fade; unwilting

Apace  -  swiftly

Araby  -  literary name for Arabia

Athwart  -  across in an oblique direction, in opposition to

Aurora  -  ancient Roman goddess of the Dawn

Aye  -  ever, always, or continually  (long a sound) 

Azareal  -  identified with the Archangel of Death in Hebrew

Bard  -  in British culture - a professional story teller or poet; a famous author

Begrimed  -  unclean, dingy

Bier  -  a stand on which a corpse or coffin is placed; also a coffin together with its stand 

Blent  -  commingled, merged together into a harmonious whole

Brake  -  a thicket

Burnished  -  rubbed to make shiny

Cark  -  something that burdens or troubles the spirit

Circumambient  -  being on all sides

Cot  -  a small place of shelter

Dropt  -   archaic past tense of drop

Eglantine  -  sweet briar, a wild rose with fragrant leaves and flowers

Elysian  -  celestial, heavenly

Encrown  -  adorn or bestow something onto

Enlivening  -  making something more interesting or enjoyable

Ensanguined  -  stained crimson or with blood

Ere  -  before, or sooner than (pronounced - air)

Erin  -  a poetic name for Ireland

Erst  -  an archaic word meaning earlier, formerly

Eschews  - avoids, shuns

Fealty  -  allegiance, devotion

Flag  -  to lose vigor or strength; weaken or diminish

Fluey  -  downy, fluffy

Fulsome  -   overly or insincerely flattering 

Gilt  -  covered with gold or gold color

Halcyon  -  calm, peaceful

Heavings  -  risings or swells 

Hies  -  goes quickly, hastens

Hilt  -  the handle of a sword or dagger

Hoarfrost  -  ice crystals forming a white deposit on objects

Hoary  -  white with age

Hygeia  -  goddess of health

Ineffable  -  too great to be expressed by words

Jet  -  an intense black

Juggernaut  -  something (such as a force, campaign, or movement) that is extremely large and powerful and cannot be stopped

Kine  -  archaic plural of cow

Lay  -  a melody, song, warble, or tune. 

Lea  -  grassland; meadow

Mahomet  -  same as Mohammed

Marshalling  -  placing in proper rank or position

Meet  -  fit, suitable, proper, qualified

Mien  -  a person’s appearance, facial expression, or demeanor

Mirth  -  gladness or gaiety accompanied with laughter 

Morpheus  -  the Greek god of dreams. The poppy is a symbol of Morpheus.

Moss Rose  -  an old-fashioned garden rose that has a glandular mossy calyx and flower stalk 

Orient  -  east, where the sun rises; radiant and glowing

Pallid  -   lacking healthy color, wan, pale 

Panegyric  -   a formal expression of praise 

Parterre  -  an ornamental garden with paths between the beds 

Pean  -  hymn, anthem, a song of praise

Peerless  -   imcomparable, matchless

Phoebus  -  a name for Apollo who was the god of music (principally the lyre, and he directed the choir of the Muses)

Plume  -   to preen or arrange its feathers

Primrose way  -  a path in life of ease or pleasure

Purling  -  a gentle murmur, movement or swirling stream or rill 

Regnant  -  reigning

Repose  -  to lie at rest, to remain still or concealed, or eternal rest

Requiescat  -  a prayer for the repose of a dead person; rest in peace

Retinue  -  entourage, attendants

Rill  -  a brooklet;  a shallow channel cut into the soil by the erosive action of flowing water

Rove  -  purposeful roaming or wondering

Runic rhyme  -  having some secret or mysterious meaning

Serried  -  rows of people standing close together; example - serried ranks of soldiers

Sile  -  the river flowing into the Venetian Lagoon where Venice is an island

Soleil  -  the French word for sun

Spectres  -  phantoms, ghosts

Syren song  -  in Greek mythology, an enchantingly sweet song that leads to sadness

Tarn  -  a mountain lake

Thermopylae  -  was a Battle of the Greeks fighting off the Persians. An example of a patriotic army defending its native soil; it has become a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds.

Uprose - archaic for rose to an elevated position

Vespers  -  a service of evening prayers

Ween  -  an archaic word for believe 

White plume of Navarre  -  A reference to King Henry IV of Navarre in Thomas Babington Macaulay’s then-popular 1857 poem “Ivry.” The line, ‘Press where ye see my white plume shine, amidst the ranks of war.’ 

Wildering  -  moving at random; abandoned wondering

Zephyr  -  a gentle breeze from the west