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Shakespearean & Literary Allusions Vocabulary
References from the Western literary canon
10 words
All 10 Words
star-crossed
/ˌstɑːr ˈkrɔːst/destined to fail or end tragically
“The star-crossed merger was doomed from the start.”
green-eyed monster
/ˌɡriːn aɪd ˈmɒnstər/jealousy personified
“The green-eyed monster destroyed their friendship.”
pound of flesh
/ˌpaʊnd əv ˈfleʃ/a debt collected without mercy
“The creditors demanded their pound of flesh.”
wild goose chase
/ˌwaɪld ˌɡuːs ˈtʃeɪs/a hopeless pursuit
“Searching for the missing file was a wild goose chase.”
salad days
/ˈsæləd ˌdeɪz/a time of youth and inexperience
“In my salad days, I thought I knew everything.”
brave new world
/ˌbreɪv njuː ˈwɜːrld/an imagined future of progress or dystopia
“AI promises a brave new world of automation.”
Kafkaesque
/ˈkɑfkəˈɛsk/nightmarishly complex and illogical
“The visa process was Kafkaesque.”
Orwellian
/ɔːrˈweliən/characterized by authoritarian control and propaganda
“The surveillance program had Orwellian implications.”
Machiavellian
/ˌmækiəˈveliən/cunning and unscrupulous in politics
“His Machiavellian tactics alienated even allies.”
quixotic
/kwɪkˈsɑtɪk/exceedingly idealistic and impractical
“His quixotic campaign for reform inspired many.”
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