Wordlist 27Could Shakespeare Have

Written Shakespeare’s Plays?

1. Literary (adj.)Definition: connected with literature Synonym: poetic, artisticExample: a literary criticWord Family:lit·er·ar·i·ly, adverblit·er·ar·i·ness, nounnon·lit·er·ar·i·ly, adverbnon·lit·er·ar·i·ly·ness, nounnon·lit·er·ar·i·ness, noun

2. Patron (n.)Definition: a person or group that supports an activity or organization, especially by giving moneySynonym: sponsor, financierExample: The Princess Royal is a well-known patron of several charities.Word Family:pa·tron·al, pa·tron·ly, adjectivepa·tron·dom, pa·tron·ship, nounpa·tron·less, adjectivesub·pa·tron·al, adjective

3. Suspect (v.)Definition: to think or believe something to be true or probableSynonym: guess, deduce, Example: So far, the police do not suspect foul play.Word Family:sus·pect·i·ble, adjectivenon·sus·pect, noun, adjectivepre·sus·pect, verb (used with object)un·sus·pect·ing, adjectiveun·sus·pect·ing·ly, adverb

4. Sheer (adj.)Definition: used to emphasize how very great, important, or powerful a quality or feeling is; nothing exceptSynonym: complete, total, absoluteExample: The suggestion is sheer nonsense.Word Family:sheer·ly, adverbsheer·ness, noun

5. Elegy (n.)Definition: a sad poem or song, especially remembering someone who has died or something in the pastSynonym: Lamentation, funeral song, requiemExample: Gray's 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard' is a famous English poem.Word Family:

6. Come up with (exp.)Definition: to produce; supplySynonym: produceExample: She's come up with some amazing scheme to double her income.Word Family:

7. Investor (n.)Definition: a person who puts money into something in order to make a profit or get an advantageSynonym: financier, shareholder, sponsorExample: A New York investor offered to acquire the company's shares for $13 each.Word Family:in·ves·tor, nounnon·in·ves·tor, nouno·ver·in·vest, verbpre·in·vest, verb (used with object)re·in·vest, verb (used with object)

8. Will (n.)Definition: a legal declaration of a person's wishes as to the disposition of his or her property or estate after death, usually written and signed by the testator and attested by witnessesSynonym: Example: Word Family:

9. Adequate (adj.)Definition: enough or satisfactory for a particular purposeSynonym: sufficient, enoughExample: I didn't have adequate time to prepare.Word Family:ad·e·quate·ly, adverbad·e·quate·ness, nounpre·ad·e·quate, adjectivepre·ad·e·quate·ly, adverbpre·ad·e·quate·ness, noun

10. Intimately (adv.)Definition: in a very close and friendly waySynonym: closely, privatelyExample: She's been intimately involved in the project since it began.Word Family:in·ti·mate·ly, adverbin·ti·mate·ness, noun

11. Deed (n.)Definition: an intentional act, especially a very bad or very good one Synonym: actionExample: It seems to me that a lot of evil deeds are done in the name of religion.Word Family:deed·less, adjectivere·deed, verb (used with object)un·deed·ed, adjective

12. Crooked (adj.)Definition: dishonest Synonym: dishonest, dishonorableExample: His father was a crooked policeman.Word Family:crook·ed·ly, adverbcrook·ed·ness, nounun·crook·ed, adjectiveun·crook·ed·ly, adverb

13. Backward (adj.)Definition: developing slowly, having only limited ability to learnSynonym: dull, weak-mindedExample: He was the backward son of a poor family. Word Family:

14. Prosperous (adj.)Definition: successful, usually by earning a lot of moneySynonym: flourishing, successful, vigorousExample: In a prosperous country like this, no one should go hungry.Word Family:pros·per·ous·ly, adverbpros·per·ous·ness, nounnon·pros·per·ous, adjectivenon·pros·per·ous·ly, adverbnon·pros·per·ous·ness, noun

15. Bailiff (n.)Definition: an official who takes away someone's possessions when they owe moneySynonym: Example: They didn't pay their rent, so the landlord called/sent in the bailiffs.Word Family:bail·iff·ship, nounsub·bail·iff, nounun·der·bail·iff, noun

16. Portrayal (n.)Definition: the act of portraying.Synonym: characterization, depictionExample: You can see his dumb portrayal in his last novel. Word Family:mis·por·tray·al, nounnon·por·tray·al, nounpre·por·tray·al, noun

17. Depression (n.)Definition: the state of feeling very unhappy and without hope for the futureSynonym: melancholy, sadnessExample: I was overwhelmed by feelings of depression.Word Family:an·ti·de·pres·sion, adjective, nounmin·i·de·pres·sion, nounnon·de·pres·sion, nounpost·de·pres·sion, adjectivepre·de·pres·sion, noun, adjective

18. Ailment (n.)Definition: an illnessSynonym: disease, disorder, sicknessExample: Treat minor ailments yourself.Word Family:

19. Hoax (n.)Definition: a plan to deceive someone, such as telling the police there is a bomb somewhere when there is not one, or a trickSynonym: trickExample: The bomb threat turned out to be a hoax.Word Family:hoax·er, nounun·hoaxed, adjective

20. Protocol (n.)Definition: the system of rules and acceptable behaviour used at official ceremonies and occasionsSynonym: formalities, Example: a breach of Royal protocolWord Family:

21. Highborn (adj.)Definition: of high rank by birth.Synonym: aristocratic, eliteExample: He was the highborn son of a royal family. Word Family:

22. Acquaintance (n.)Definition: a person known to one, but usually not a close friend.Synonym: fellowship, companionshipExample: a business acquaintanceWord Family:non·ac·quaint·ance, nounnon·ac·quaint·ance·ship, nounpre·ac·quaint·ance, nounpseu·do·ac·quaint·ance, nounre·ac·quaint·ance, noun

23. Sustain (v.)Definition: to cause or allow something to continue for a period of timeSynonym: continue, carry on, Example: The economy looks set to sustain its growth into next year.Word Family:sus·tain·a·ble, adjectivesus·tain·ed·ly , adverbsus·tain·ing·ly, adverbsus·tain·ment, nounnon·sus·tained, adjective

24. Concede (v.)Definition: to acknowledge as true, just, or proper; admitSynonym: admit, allow, confessExample: He finally conceded that she was right.Word Family:con·ced·ed·ly, adverbcon·ced·er, nouncon·ces·si·ble, adjectivepre·con·cede, verb (used with object), pre·con·ced·ed, pre·con·ced·ing.un·con·ced·ed, adjective

25. Precede (v.)Definition: to be or go before something or someone in time or spaceSynonym: go in advance of, antecede Example: Kofi Annan preceded Ban Ki-moon as the Secretary-General of the UN.Word Family:pre·ced·a·ble, adjectiveun·pre·ced·ed, adjective

26. Persist (v.)Definition: to try to do or continue doing something in a determined but often unreasonable waySynonym: continue, go on, keep onExample: If he persists in asking awkward questions, then send him to the boss.Word Family:per·sist·er, nounper·sist·ing·ly, adverbper·sis·tive, adjectiveper·sis·tive·ly, adverbper·sis·tive·ness, noun

27. Speculation (n.)Definition: the activity of guessing possible answers to a question without having enough information to be certainSynonym: supposition, hypothesizingExample: Rumours that they are about to marry have been dismissed as pure speculation.Word Family:an·ti·spec·u·la·tion, noun, adjectivenon·spec·u·la·tion, nouno·ver·spec·u·la·tion, nounpre·spec·u·la·tion, nounsem·i·spec·u·la·tion, noun

28. Accumulate (v.)Definition: to collect a large number of things over a long period of timeSynonym: gather, collect, assemble Example: As people accumulate more wealth, they tend to spend a greater proportion of their incomes.Word Family:ac·cu·mu·la·ble, adjectivenon·ac·cu·mu·lat·ing, adjectiveo·ver·ac·cu·mu·late, verb, o·ver·ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, o·ver·ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.pre·ac·cu·mu·late, verb (used with object), pre·ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, pre·ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.re·ac·cu·mu·late, verb, re·ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, re·ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.

29. Conspiracy of silence (n.)Definition: a general agreement to keep silent about a subject for the purpose of keeping it secretSynonym: Example: Word Family: