Glossary from The Complete Moby(tm) Shakespeare
A-D | E-M | N-R
| S-Z
- ABATE
- to shorten; To cast down; To blunt
- ABATEMENT
- diminution
- ABHOR
- protest; disgust
- ABIDE
- to sojourn; to expiate
- ABLE
- to uphold
- ABRIDGEMENT
- a short play
- ABROAD
- away, apart
- ABROOK
- to brook, abide
- ABSEY-BOOK
- a primer
- ABSOLUTE
- positive, certain; Complete
- ABUSE
- to deceive; a deception
- ABY
- to expiate a fault
- ABYSM
- abyss
- ACCITE
- to cite, summon
- ACCUSE
- accusation
- ACHIEVE
- to obtain
- ACKNOWN
- 'to be acknown' is to acknowledge
- ACQUITTANCE
- a receipt or discharge
- ACTION-TAKING
- litigious
- ACTURE
- action
- ADDITION
- title, attribute
- ADDRESS
- to prepare oneself
- ADDRESSED
- prepared
- ADVANCE
- to prefer, promote to honour
- ADVERTISEMENT
- admonition
- ADVERTISING
- attentive
- ADVICE
- consideration, discretion
- ADVISE
- sometimes neuter, sometimes reflective, to; consider, reflect
- ADVISED
- considerate
- ADVOCATION
- pleading, advocacy
- AFEARED
- afraid
- AFFECT
- to love
- AFFY
- to affiance; To trust
- AFRONT
- in front
- AGAZED
- looking in amazement
- AGLET-BABY
- the small figure engraved on a jewel
- AGNISE
- to acknowledge, confess
- A-GOOD
- a good deal, plenteously
- A-HOLD
- a sea-term
- AIERIE
- the nest of a bird of prey
- AIM
- a guess
- ALDER-LIEFEST
- most loved of all
- ALE
- alehouse
- ALLOW
- to approve
- ALLOWANCE
- approval
- AMES-ACE
- two aces, the lowest throw of the dice
- AMORT
- dead, dejected
- AN
- if
- ANCHOR
- an anchorite, hermit
- ANCIENT
- an ensign-bearer
- ANGEL
- a coin, so called because it bore the image of; an angel
- ANIGHT
- by night
- ANSWER
- retaliation
- ANTHROPOPHAGINIAN
- a cannibal
- ANTICK
- the fool in the old plays
- ANTRE
- a cave
- APPARENT
- heir-apparent
- APPEAL
- accusation ; to accuse
- APPEARED
- made apparent
- APPLE-JOHN
- a kind of apple
- APPOINTMENT
- preparation
- APPREHENSION
- opinion
- APPREHENSIVE
- apt to apprehend or understand
- APPROBATION
- probation
- APPROOF
- approbation, proof
- APPROVE
- to prove; To justify, make good
- APPROVER
- one who proves or tries
- ARCH
- chief
- ARGAL
- a ridiculous word intended for the Latin ergo
- ARGENTINE
- silver
- ARGIER
- Algiers
- ARGOSY
- originally a vessel of Ragusa or Ragosa, a; Ragosine; hence
any ship of burden
- ARGUMENT
- subject
- ARMIGERO
- a mistake for Armiger, the Latin for Esquire
- AROINT
- found only in the imperative mood, get thee; gone
- A-ROW
- in a row
- ARTICULATE
- to enter into articles of agreement; to exhibit in articles
- ASK
- to require
- ASPECT
- regard, looks
- ASPERSION
- sprinkling; hence blessing, because before the; Reformation
benediction was generally accompanied; by the sprinkling of holy
water
- ASSAY
- an attempt; to attempt, test, make proof of
- ASSINEGO
- an ass
- ASSUBJUGATE
- to subjugate
- ASSURANCE
- deed of assurance
- ASSURED
- betrothed
- ATOMY
- an atom; Used in contempt of a small person
- ATONE
- to put people at one, to reconcile; to agree
- ATTACH
- to seize, lay hold on
- ATTASKED
- taken to task, reprehended
- ATTEND
- to listen to
- ATTENT
- attentive
- ATTORNEY
- an agent ; to employ as an agent; To perform by an agent
- AUDACIOUS
- spirited, daring, but without any note of blame; attached to
it
- AUGUR
- augury
- AUTHENTIC
- clothed with authority
- AVAUNT
- int. be g???a ?Ί??eone, a word of abhorrence
- AVE
- the Latin for hail; hence acclamation
- AVE-MARY
- the angelic salutation addressed to the Blessed; Virgin Mary
- AVERRING
- confirming
- AVOID
- get rid of
- AWFUL
- worshipful
- AWKWARD
- contrary
- BACCARE
- keep back
- BACKWARD
- the hinder part; hence, when applied to time,; the past
- BAFFLE
- embarrass
- BALKED
- heaped, as on a ridge
- BALLOW
- a cudgel
- BALM
- the oil of consecration
- BAN
- to curse
- BANK
- to sail by the banks
- BARM
- yeast
- BARN
- a child
- BARNACLE
- a shellfish, supposed to produce the sea-bird; of the same name
- BASE
- a game, sometimes called Prisoners' base
- BASES
- an embroidered mantle worn by knights on; horseback, and reaching
from the middle to; below the knees
- BASILISK
- a kind of ordnance
- BASTA
- enough
- BASTARD
- raisin wine
- BATE
- to flutter, as a hawk; to except; To abate
- BAT-FOWLING
- catching birds with a clap-net by night
- BATLET
- a small bat, used for beating clothes
- BATTLE
- army
- BAVIN
- used as an a piece of waste wood, applied; contemptuously to
anything worthless;
- BAWCOCK
- a fine fellow
- BAWD
- procurer
- BAY
- the space between the main timbers of the roof
- BEADSMAN
- one who bids bedes, that is, prays prayers; for another
- BEARING-CLOTH
- a rich cloth in which children were wrapt at; their christening
- BEAT
- to flutter as a falcon, to meditate, consider; earnestly
- BEAVER
- the lower part of a helmet
- BEETLE
- a mallet
- BEING
- dwelling ; since, inasmuch as
- BE-METE
- to measure
- BE-MOILED
- daubed with dirt
- BENDING
- stooping under a weight
- BENVENUTO
- (Italian), welcome
- BERGOMASK
- a rustic dance
- BESHREW
- evil befal
- BESTRAUGHT
- distraught, distracted
- BETEEM
- to pour out
- BETID
- happened
- BEZONIAN
- a beggarly fellow
- BIDING
- abiding-place
- BIGGEN
- a night-cap
- BILBERRY
- the whortleberry
- BILBO
- a sword, from Bilboa, a town in Spain where; they were made
- BILBOES
- fetters or stocks
- BILL
- a bill-hook, a weapon
- BIN
- been, are
- BIRD-BOLT
- a bolt to be shot from a crossbow at birds
- BIRDING
- part. hawking at partridges
- BISSON
- blind
- BLANK
- the white mark in the middle of a target;; hence, metaphorically,
that which is aimed at
- BLENCH
- to start aside, flinch
- BLENT
- blended
- BLOOD-BOLTERED
- smeared with blood
- BLOW
- to inflate
- BOA???a ?Ί??eRD
- to make advances to; accost
- BOB
- a blow, metaph. a sarcasm; to strike, metaph. to ridicule, or
to obtain; by raillery
- BODGE
- to botch, bungle
- BODIKIN
- a corrupt word used as an oath. 'Od's Bodikin,'; God's little
Body
- BOITIER VERT
- green box
- BOLD
- to embolden
- BOLLEN
- swollen
- BOLTED
- sifted, refined
- BOLTER
- a sieve
- BOLTING-HUTCH
- a hutch in which meal was sifted
- BOMBARD
- a barrel, a drunkard
- BOMBAST
- padding
- BONA-ROBA
- a harlot
- BOND
- that to which one is bound
- BOOK
- a paper of conditions
- BOOT
- help, use; to help, to avail
- BOOTLESS
- without boot or advantage, useless
- BOOTS
- bots, a kind of worm
- BORE
- calibre of a gun; hence, metaph. size, weight,; importance
- BOSKY
- covered with underwood
- BOSOM
- wish, heart's desire
- BOTS
- worms which infest horses
- BOURN
- a boundary; A brook
- BRACE
- armour for the arm, state of defence
- BRACH
- a hound bitch
- BRAID
- deceitful
- BRAVE
- handsome, well-dressed; boast
- BRAVERY
- finery; Boastfulness
- BRAWL
- a kind of dance
- BREAST
- voice
- BREATHE
- to exercise
- BREATHING
- exercising
- BREECHING
- liable to be whip???a ?Ί??et
- BREED-BATE
- a breeder of debate, a fomenter of quarrels
- BREESE
- the gadfly
- BRIBE-BUCK
- a buck given away in presents
- BRING
- to attend one on a journey
- BROCK
- a badger, a term of contempt
- BROKE
- to act as a procurer
- BROKEN
- having lost some teeth by age
- BROKEN MUSIC
- the music of stringed instruments
- BROKER
- an agent
- BROTHERHOOD
- trading company
- BROWNIST
- a sectary; a follower of Brown, the founder of the Independents
- BRUIT
- noise, report, rumour; to noise abroad
- BRUSH
- rude assault
- BUCK
- suds or lye for washing clothes in
- BUCK-BASKET
- the basket in which clothes are carried to the; wash
- BUCKING
- washing
- BUCK-WASHING
- washing in lye
- BUG
- a bugbear, a spectre
- BULLY-ROOK
- a bragging cheater
- BURGONET
- a kind of helmet
- BURST
- to break
- BUSKY
- bushy
- BUTT-SHAFT
- a light arrow for shooting at a target;
- BUXOM
- obedient
- BY'RLAKIN
- by our little Lady: an oath
- CADDIS
- worsted galloon, so called because it resembles; the caddis-worm
- CADE
- a cask or barrel
- CAGE
- a prison
- CAIN-COLOURED
- red (applied to hair)
- CAITIFF
- a captive, a slave; hence, a witch
- CALCULATE
- prophesy
- CALIVER
- a hand-gun
- CALLET
- a trull
- CALLING
- appellation
- CALM
- qualm
- CAN
- to know, be skillful in
- CANAKIN
- a little can
- CANARY
- a wine brought from the Canary Islands
- CANDLE-WASTERS
- persons who sit up all night to drink
- CANKER
- a caterpillar; The dog-rose
- CANSTICK
- a candlestick
- CANTLE
- a slice, corner
- CANTON
- a canto
- CANVAS
- to sift: hence, metaphorically, to prove
- CAPABLE
- subject to; Intelligent; Capable of inheriting; Ample, capacious
- CAPITULATE
- make a combined force
- CAPOCCHIA
- a simpleton
- CAPRICIO
- caprice
- CAPRICIOUS
- lascivious
- CAPTIOUS
- capacious
- CARACK
- a large ship of burden
- CARBONADO
- meat scotched for broiling; to scotch for broiling
- CARD
- the taper on which the points of the compass; are marked under
the mariner's needle
- CAREIRE
- the curvetting of a horse
- CARKANET
- a necklace
- CARL
- a churl
- CARLOT
- a churl
- CASTILIAN
- a native of Castile; used as a cant term
- CASTILIANO VULGO
- a cant term, meaning, apparently, to use discreet; language
- CATAIAN
- a native of Cathay, a cant word
- CATLING
- cat-gut
- ???a ?Ί??eCAUTEL
- deceit
- CAUTELOUS
- insidious
- CAVALERO
- a cavalier, gentleman
- CAVIARE
- the roe of sturgeon pickled; metaph. a delicacy; not appreciated
by the vulgar
- CEASE
- decease; put off, made to cease
- CENSURE
- judgment; to judge, criticise
- CENTURY
- a hundred of anything, whether men, prayers, or; anything else
- CEREMONY
- a ceremonial vestment, religious rite, or; anything ceremonial
- CERTES
- certainly
- CESS
- rate, reckoning
- CHACE
- a term at tennis
- CHAMBER
- a species of great gun
- CHAMBERER
- an effeminate man
- CHANSON
- a song
- CHARACT
- affected quality
- CHARACTER
- a letter, handwriting; to carve or engrave
- CHARACTERY
- handwriting; That which is written
- CHARE
- a turn of work
- CHARGE-HOUSE
- a free-school
- CHARLES' WAIN
- the constellation called also Ursa Major, or; the Great Bear
- CHARNECO
- a species of sweet wine
- CHAUDRON
- entrails
- CHEATER
- for escheator, an officer who collected the; fines to be paid
into the Exchequer; A decoy
- CHEQUE
- a technical term in falconry; when a falcon; flies at a bird
which is not her proper game she; is said to cheque at it
- CHEQUES
- perhaps intended for ethics
- CHEER
- fortune, countenance
- CHERRY-PIT
- a game played with cherrystones
- CHEVERIL???a ?Ί??e
- kid leather
- CHEWIT
- cough
- CHILDING
- pregnant
- CH'ILL
- vulgar for 'I will.'
- CHIRURGEONLY
- in a manner becoming a surgeon
- CHOPIN
- a high shoe or clog
- CHRISTENDOM
- the state of being a Christian
- CHRISTOM
- clothed with a chrisom, the white garment; which used to be
put on newly-baptized children
- CHUCK
- chicken, a term of endearment
- CHUFF
- a coarse blunt clown
- CINQUE PACE
- a kind of dance
- CIPHER
- to decipher
- CIRCUMSTANCE
- an argument
- CITAL
- recital
- CITE
- to incite
- CITTERN
- a guitar
- CLACK-DISH
- a beggar's dish
- CLAP I' THE CLOUT
- to shoot an arrow into the bull's eye of the target
- CLAW
- to flatter
- CLEPE
- to call
- CLIFF
- clef, the key in music
- CLING
- to starve
- CLINQUANT
- glittering
- CLIP
- to embrace, enclose
- CLOUT
- the mark in the middle of a target
- COAST
- to advance
- COBLOAF
- a big loaf
- COCK
- a cockboat; a euphemism for God; vulgar term for phallus
- COCK-AND-PIE
- an oath
- COCKLE
- tares or darnel
- COCKNEY
- a cook
- COCK-SHUT-TIME
- the twilight, when cocks and hens go to roost
- COG
- to cheat, dissemble
- COGNIZANCE
- badge, token
- COIGN
- projecting corner stone
- COIL
- tumult, turmoil
- COLLECTION
- drawing a conclusion
- COLLIED
- blackened. Othello;
- COLOUR
- pretence
- COLOURABLE
- specious
- COLT
- to defraud, befool
- CO-MART
- a joint bargain
- COMBINATE
- betrothed
- COMBINE
- to bind
- COMMODITY
- interest, profit
- COMMONTY
- used ludicrously for comedy
- COMPACT
- compacted, composed
- COMPARATIVE
- drawing comparisons; a rival
- COMPARE
- comparison
- COMPASSIONATE
- moving comparison
- COMPETITOR
- one who seeks the same thing, an associate in; any object
- COMPLEMENT
- accomplishment
- COMPLEXION
- passion
- COMPOSE
- to agree
- COMPOSTION
- composition
- COMPTIBLE
- tractable
- CON
- to learn by heart; To acknowledge
- CONCEIT
- conception, opinion, fancy
- CONCUPY
- concubine
- CONDITION
- temper, quality
- CONDOLEMENT
- grief
- CONDUCT
- escort
- CONFECT
- to make up into sweetmeats
- CONFOUND
- to consume, destroy; Coriolanus;
- CONJECT
- conjecture
- CONSIGN
- to sign a common bond, to confederate
- ???a ?Ί??eCONSORT
- company; to accompany
- CONSTANCY
- consistency
- CONSTANT
- settled, determined
- CONSTANTLY
- firmly
- CONSTER
- to construe
- CONTEMPTIBLE
- contemptuous
- CONTINENT
- that which contains anything; That which is contained
- CONTINUATE
- uninterrupted
- CONTRACTION
- the marriage contract
- CONTRARY
- to oppose
- CONTRIVE
- to conspire; to wear away
- CONTROL
- to confute
- CONVENT
- to convene, summon; to be convenient
- CONVERT
- to change
- CONVERTITE
- a convert
- CONVEY
- to manage; To filch
- CONVEYANCE
- theft, fraud
- CONVICT
- convicted
- CONVICTED
- overpowered, vanquished; A doubtful word
- CONVINCE
- to conquer, subdue
- CONVIVE
- to feast together
- CONVOY
- escort
- CONY-CATCH
- to cheat
- CONY-CATCHING
- poaching, pilfering
- COOLING CARD
- used metaphorically for an insurmountable obstacle
- COPATAIN HAT
- a high-crowned hat
- COPE
- to reward, to give in return
- COPY
- theme
- CORAGIO
- courage!
- CORAM
- an ignorant mistake for Quorum
- CORANTO
- lively dance
- CORINTH
- a cant term for a brothel
- CORINTHIAN
- a wencher ???a ?Ί??e
- CORKY
- dry like cork
- CORNUTO
- a cuckold
- COROLLARY
- a surplus
- CORPORAL
- corporeal, bodily
- CORPORAL OF THE FIELD
- an aide-de-camp
- CORRIVAL
- rival
- COSTARD
- the head
- COSTER-MONGER
- peddling, mercenary
- COTE
- a cottage; to quote, instance; to come alongside, overtake
- COT-QUEAN
- an effeminate man, molly-coddle
- COUCHINGS
- crouchings
- COUNT CONFECT
- a nobleman composed of affectation
- COUNTENANCE
- fair shew
- COUNTERFEIT
- portrait; A piece of base coin
- COUNTERPOINT
- a counterpane
- COUNTERVAIL
- to counterpoise, outweigh
- COUNTRY
- belonging to one's country
- COUNTY
- count, earl
- COUPLEMENT
- union
- COURT HOLY-WATER
- flattery
- COVENT
- a convent
- COVER
- to lay the table for dinner
- COWISH
- cowardly
- COWL-STAFF
- the staff on which a vessel is supported; between two men
- COX MY PASSION
- an oath, a euphemism for 'God's Passion.'
- COY
- to stroke, fondle; to condescend with difficulty
- COYSTRIL
- a kestrel, a cowardly kind of hawk
- COZEN
- to cheat
- COZENAGE
- cheating
- COZENER
- a cheater
- COZIER
- a tailor
- CRACK
- to boast; a loud noise, clap; A forward boy
- CRACKER
- boaster
- CRACK-HEMP
- a gallows-bird
- CRANK
- a winding passage
- CRANKING
- winding
- CRANTS
- garlands. A doubtful word
- CRARE
- a ship of burden
- CRAVEN
- a dunghill cock
- CREATE
- formed, compounded
- CREDENT
- creditable; Credible; Credulous
- CREDIT
- report
- CRESCIVE
- increasing
- CRESTLESS
- not entitled to bear arms, lowborn
- CRISP
- curled, winding
- CROSS
- a piece of money, so called because the coin; was formerly stamped
with a cross
- CROW-KEEPER
- one who scares crows
- CROWNER
- a coroner
- CROWNET
- a coronet
- CRY
- the yelping of hounds; A pack of hounds; A company, use contemptuously
- CRY AIM
- to encourage
- CUE
- the last words of an actor's speech, which; is the signal for
the next actor to begin
- CUISSES
- pieces of armour to cover the thighs
- CULLION
- a base fellow
- CUNNING
- skill; skillful
- CURB
- to bend, truckle
- CURRENTS
- occurrences
- CURSTNESS
- shrewishness
- CURTAIL
- a cur
- CURTAL
- a docked horse
- CURTAL-AXE
- a cutlass
- CUSTALORUM
- a ludicrous mistake for Custos Rotulorum
- CUSTARD-COFFIN
- the cru???a ?Ί??est of a custard-pudding
- CUSTOMER
- a common woman
- CUT
- a cheat; 'To draw cuts' is to draw lots
- CYPRESS
- a kind of crape
- DAFF
- to befool; To put off; this seems to be a corruption of 'doff.'
- DAMN
- to condemn
- DANGER
- reach, control, power
- DANSKER
- a Dane
- DARE
- to challenge
- DARKLING
- in the dark
- DARRAIGN
- to set in array
- DAUB
- to disguise
- DAUBERY
- imposition
- DAY-WOMAN
- a dairy-maid
- DEAR
- dire; That which has to do with the affections; Piteous; Important
- DEARN
- lonely
- DEBOSHED
- debauched, drunken
- DECK
- to bedew. This is probably a form of the verb 'to dag,' now
a provincial word; a pack of cards
- DECLINE
- to enumerate, as in going through the cases of; a noun
- DECLINED
- fallen
- DEEM
- doom, judgment
- DEFEAT
- to undo, destroy; destruction
- DEFEATURE
- disfigurement
- DEFENCE
- art of fencing
- DEFEND
- to forbid
- DEFENSIBLE
- having the power to defend
- DEFTLY
- dexterously
- DEFY
- renounce
- DEGREES
- a step
- DELAY
- to let slip by delaying
- DEMERIT
- merit, desert
- DEMURELY
- solemnly
- DENAY
- denial
- DENIER
- the 12th part of a F???a ?Ί??erench sol coin
- DENOTEMENT
- marking; Note or manifestation
- DENY
- to refuse
- DEPART
- departure; to part
- DEPARTING
- parting, separation
- DEPEND
- to be in service
- DERIVED
- born, descended
- DEROGATE
- degraded
- DESCANT
- a variation upon a melody, hence,; metaphorically, a comment
on a given theme
- DESIGN
- to draw up articles
- DESPATCH
- to deprive, bereave
- DESPERATE
- determined, bold
- DETECT
- to charge, blame
- DETERMINE
- to conclude
- DICH
- optative mood, perhaps contracted for 'do it.'
- DIET
- food regulated by the rules of medicine
- DIFFUSED
- confused
- DIGRESSING
- transgressing, going out of the right way
- DIGRESSION
- transgression
- DIG-YOU-GOOD-DEN
- give you good evening
- DILDO
- the chorus or burden of a song
- DINT
- stroke
- DIRECTION
- judgment, skill
- DISABLE
- to disparage
- DISAPPOINTED
- unprepared
- DISCASE
- to undress
- DISCONTENT
- a malcontent
- DISCOURSE
- power of reasoning
- DISDAINED
- disdainful
- DISLIMN
- to disfigure, transform
- DISME
- a tenth or tithe
- DISPARK
- to destroy a park
- DISPONGE
- to squeeze out as from a s???a ?Ί??eponge
- DISPOSE
- disposal; to conspire
- DISPOSITION
- maintenance
- DISPUTABLE
- disputatious
- DISPUTE
- to argue, examine
- DISSEMBLY
- used ridiculously for assembly
- DISTASTE
- to corrupt
- DISTEMPERED
- discontented
- DISTRACTION
- a detached troop or company of soldiers
- DISTRAUGHT
- distracted, mad
- DIVERTED
- turned from the natural course
- DIVISION
- a phrase or passage in a melody
- DIVULGED
- published, spoken of
- DOFF
- to do off, strip; To put off with an excuse
- DOLT
- a small Dutch coin
- DOLE
- portion dealt; Grief, lamentation
- DON
- to do on, put on
- DONE
- 'done to death,' put to death
- DOTANT
- one who dotes, a dotard
- DOUT
- to do out, quench
- DOWLAS
- a kind of coarse sacking
- DOWLE
- the swirl of a feather
- DOWN-GYVED
- hanging down like gyves or fetters
- DRAB
- a harlot
- DRABBING
- whoring
- DRAUGHT
- a privy
- DRAWN
- having his sword drawn; drunk, having taken a good draught
- DRIBBLING
- weak
- DRIVE
- to rush impetuously
- DROLLERY
- a puppet-show
- DRUMBLE
- to dawdle
- DRY
- thirsty
- DUC-DAME
- perhaps the Latin duc-ad-me, bring him to me
- DUDGEON
- a dagger
- DULL
- soothing
- DULLARD
- a dull person
- DUMP
- complaint
- DUP
- to do up, Lift up
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