Much Ado About Nothing

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Much Ado About Nothing Page 22

by William Shakespeare


  3 salvation a malapropism—Verges means “damnation”

  5 allegiance Dogberry means “treachery”

  7 charge duties/responsibilities

  8 desertless Dogberry’s error for “deserving”

  10 Otecake from “oatcake,” a cake made of oatmeal

  Seacole from “sea coal,” a more expensive type of fuel

  14 well-favoured good-looking

  18 favour face/appearance

  21 senseless Dogberry means “sensible”

  fit suitable

  23 comprehend malapropism for “apprehend”

  vagrom vagrant

  24 stand stop

  26 take…of him pay no attention to him

  31 meddle be concerned/involved with

  33 tolerable Dogberry means “intolerable”

  36 belongs to is the responsibility of

  37 ancient experienced

  39 bills long-handled weapons with axe-like heads

  48 true honest

  53 by according to

  54 pitch black tar-like substance

  defiled polluted, soiled

  59 by my will out of choice

  60 more Dogberry means “less”

  62 still quiet/calm

  69 present represent

  70 stay detain

  71 by’r lady by Our Lady (the Virgin Mary)

  73 statues malapropism for “statutes”

  marry by the Virgin Mary

  78 chances i.e. chances to occur

  79 counsels confidences

  84 coil bustle

  85 vigitant malapropism for “vigilant”

  90 Mass by the Mass

  91 scab scoundrel/skin disease characterized by a rash or scaliness and itching

  94 close concealed

  penthouse overhanging part of a building

  99 dear costly

  104 unconfirmed inexperienced

  105 is…man does not represent a man’s true self (Conrad, however, understands “is of no importance to a man”)

  108 fashion i.e. the style as opposed to garments (apparel) themselves

  111 deformed i.e. as fashion is constantly changing

  113 up and down all over the place

  118 hot bloods spirited, eager young men

  120 Pharaoh’s soldiers the soldiers of the Egyptian king who pursued the fleeing Israelites and were drowned in the Red Sea

  reechy smoky/grimy

  121 god Bel’s priests in the apocryphal Book of Daniel, the priests of Bel were slain by the king of Persia when Daniel showed that their god was false

  122 smirched soiled/discolored

  123 codpiece a conspicuous attachment, often ornamented, sewn onto the front of breeches over the crotch

  massy massive/heavy

  126 shifted moved (puns on the senses of “shift” as “underclothing” and as “a change of clothes”)

  129 gentlewoman attendant

  130 leans me out leans out

  133 possessed informed (with connotations of demonic possession, especially given that Don John is subsequently referred to as the devil)

  134 amiable loving

  139 oaths avowals

  148 recovered malapropism for “discovered”

  lechery malapropism for “treachery”

  151 lock lovelock, a fashionable lock of curled hair

  153 made made to

  156 obey the First Watchman means “command”

  158 commodity product/goods bought on credit

  159 taken up arrested/received on credit

  bills long-handled weapons/promissory notes

  160 in question subject to legal procedures/sought after/in doubt

  6 rabato stiff linen collar, sometimes used to support a ruff

  12 tire attire (i.e. headdress)

  within i.e. in an inner room

  hair i.e. false hair on the headdress

  13 rare splendid

  16 exceeds excels/is beyond comparison

  17 respect of comparison to

  18 cuts slashes in the fabric of a garment that reveal differently colored material beneath

  laced trimmed

  19 down sleeves fitted sleeves that went down to the wrists

  side sleeves secondary open sleeves hanging from the shoulders

  round underborne trimmed all the way around (this could refer either to the skirt or to the visible hem of a petticoat)

  20 tinsel silk shot with gold or silver thread

  quaint attractive/elegant/skillfully made

  21 on’t of it

  23 heavy sorrowful (Margaret plays on the literal sense of “weighed down”)

  25 Fie upon thee an expression of disgust or indignation

  27 in even in

  28 I…husband i.e. at this rate, I must even apologize for mentioning the word “husband”

  29 An if

  30 wrest distort/misinterpret

  31 an if

  32 light puns on “sexually loose”

  33 else otherwise

  34 coz cousin

  38 Clap’s into let us start singing

  “Light o’ love” a popular tune

  39 burden a man’s part, the bass accompaniment (Margaret continues to play on the idea of the weight of a man)

  dance playing on the sexual connotations of dancing

  40 Ye…heels! You’re a light-heeled (i.e. promiscuous) one!

  42 barns puns on “bairns” (i.e. children)

  43 illegitimate construction incorrect interpretation (puns on the notion of illegitimate children)

  scorn…heels reject that by stamping on or kicking at it

  46 Hey-ho!… husband? Margaret plays on the title of the well-known ballad

  48 H puns on “ache,” which was pronounced in the same way as the letter

  49 an if

  be…Turk have not rejected your faith (by rejecting your loathing of love)

  50 star the North Star, a reliable indicator for navigators

  51 trow I wonder

  56 stuffed with a cold (Margaret puns on the senses of “penetrated sexually” and “pregnant”)

  60 professed apprehension claimed to be witty

  62 rarely excellently (Beatrice plays on the sense of “infrequently”)

  63 in your cap i.e. like a fool’s coxcomb (headgear resembling a cock’s comb)

  65 CARDUUS BENEDICTUS the “holy thistle,” a plant often used in medicine (with an obvious pun on “Benedick”)

  66 qualm sudden sensation of faintness or nausea

  73 list please

  76 such another i.e. a similar enemy to love

  78 eats…grudging i.e. accepts his lot without complaining

  82 false gallop literally, a canter, but Margaret means “I speak the truth”

  2 confidence private conference

  3 decerns a malapropism for “concerns”

  9 Goodman title for a person beneath the rank of gentleman

  10 blunt Dogberry means “sharp”

  15 odorous malapropism for “odious”

  palabras short for pocas palabras, the Spanish for “few words”

  19 poor duke’s officers Dogberry means “duke’s poor officers”

  20 tedious Dogberry thinks that the word means something complimentary, such as “rich”

  24 exclamation public complaint, but Dogberry means “acclamation”

  28 excepting Dogberry means “respecting”

  29 arrant notorious/absolute

  32 a world i.e. wondrous

  33 a good man i.e. good

  42 comprehended malapropism for “apprehended”

  auspicious malapropism for “suspicious”

  46 suffigance malapropism for “sufficient”

  52 inkhorn inkwell

  56 non-come Dogberry probably means “nonplus” (i.e. state of perplexity), but the phrase also suggests “non compos mentis” (i.e. mad)

  57 excommunication malapropism for “communication” (i.e. discussion) o
r possibly “examination”

  Dogberry named after the berry of the wild cornel or dogwood, a type of shrub

  Verges named after verjuice, the bitter juice that comes from unripe fruit

  Watch a group of citizens who assisted with local policing

  Sexton a church officer

  10 inward secret

  21 Stand thee by stand aside

  by your leave with your permission (i.e. to call you Father)

  26 counterpoise balance, equal

  27 render her again give her back

  28 learn teach

  31 sign and semblance outward appearance and mere image

  34 withal with

  35 blood i.e. blush

  36 witness bear witness to

  39 luxurious lecherous

  43 approvèd proved

  44 in…proof your own test of her

  47 known had sex with

  49 extenuate…sin lessen the sin of having sex before marriage

  51 large unrestrained/licentious

  53 Bashful modest/sensitive

  comely becoming/proper

  55 write against it i.e. denounce it publicly

  56 Dian…orb Diana, goddess of chastity and the moon (her orb)

  57 blown in bloom

  58 intemperate immoderate, unbridled

  blood sexual desire

  59 Venus goddess of love

  61 wide wide of the mark

  65 stale prostitute

  74 move put

  75 kindly natural

  78 beset assailed, besieged

  79 catechizing questioning, a form of instruction used by the Church in which a person answers a set of questions about the Christian faith

  80 answer…name the first question in the Anglican catechism asks the respondent his or her name

  91 grievèd wronged/afflicted with sorrow

  94 liberal licentious/unrestrained

  101 much misgovernment great misconduct

  103 graces virtues/attractions

  107 For because of

  108 conjecture suspicion

  110 gracious attractive/joyful/virtuous

  114 spirits vital energies

  123 look up revive/look heavenward

  131 on…reproaches following this disgrace

  132 Grieved…one? Did I once grieve that I only had one child?

  133 Chid contended with/chastised

  frame plan/scheme of things

  138 mired soiled

  infamy bad reputation/disgrace

  142 mine so…her I was so devoted to and proud of her that I cared nothing for myself

  147 season preservative

  150 attired clothed

  152 belied slandered

  163 given way gone along with

  165 apparitions appearances

  172 Which…book which validates, through the confirmation of experience, all that I have read in books

  174 reverence respected state

  divinity status as a clergyman/knowledge of theology

  176 biting severe/painful

  180 perjury swearing something false to be true

  182 proper true

  186 warrant sanction

  189 unmeet unsuitable

  190 Maintained the change engaged in the exchange

  191 Refuse reject/disown

  192 misprision mistake, misunderstanding

  193 very bent of a total inclination for

  195 practice scheming/carrying out

  196 frame plotting/creating

  199 proudest finest/ most arrogant/most eminent/most vigorous

  201 eat eaten

  invention inventiveness (to plan revenge)

  202 means resources/wealth

  203 reft deprived

  204 kind manner

  205 policy shrewdness

  207 quit…throughly avenge myself on them thoroughly

  212 publish proclaim/make public

  213 mourning ostentation display of mourning

  214 monument burial vault

  218 carried carried out/managed

  220 that i.e. the changing of slander to remorse

  221 on this travail as a result of this effort (travail plays on the sense of “pains of childbirth”)

  226 prize…worth value not at its full worth

  228 rack stretch

  233 study of imagination introspective musings

  234 organ aspect, feature

  235 apparelled dressed

  habit clothing

  237 prospect field of view

  239 interest in a claim over

  liver believed to be the seat of love and passion

  242 success succeeding events

  243 event outcome

  244 lay…likelihood outline its probable outcome

  245 aim…false intentions except this one are confounded

  247 wonder of amazement at/curiosity about

  248 sort turn out

  251 injuries insults

  253 inwardness intimacy

  258 Being that since

  flow in grief overflow with grief/am overcome with tears

  259 twine thread

  261 For…cure for extreme/ unusual ills require extreme/unusual remedies

  272 even direct

  friend friend/lover

  282 eat it eat your words

  286 protest declare/avow/insist

  290 stayed detained, halted

  299 Tarry stay/linger

  310 bear…hand delude her with false hopes

  take hands i.e. in marriage

  311 uncovered open, barefaced

  315 A proper saying! A fine story!

  318 undone ruined

  320 counties counts

  testimony evidence/condemnation of error

  321 Count plays on the sense of “charge in an indictment”

  Comfit candy/sweet

  324 compliment etiquette/display

  turned into tongue are all talk

  trim fine/elegant

  326 swears it merely swears that the lie is true

  334 engaged pledged/ accepting of Beatrice’s wish

  336 dear costly/significant

  1 dissembly malapropism for “assembly”

  3 malefactors wrongdoers

  5 exhibition Dogberry means “commission” (i.e. authority to examine the offenders)

  12 sirrah sir (contemptuous)

  15 do…God the 1600 Quarto follows this with an exchange censored from the Folio: Conrad and Borachio reply “Yea, sir, we hope,” to which Dogberry says “Write down that they hope they serve God. And write ‘God’ first, for God defend but God should go before such villains.” He then continues “Masters…,” as in Folio

  19 witty clever/wily

  go about with get the better of/handle

  24 in a tale in agreement

  28 eftest a nonsense word, which Dogberry intends to mean “easiest/nearest”

  48 redemption Dogberry means “damnation”

  57 opinioned malapropism for “pinioned” (i.e. bound)

  58 Let…hands let their hands be tied

  59 coxcomb fool

  62 naughty wicked

  64 suspect malapropism for “respect”

  68 piety Dogberry means “impiety”

  73 had losses i.e. he was formerly even wealthier

  two gowns cloaks were fairly costly, so Dogberry suggests he has reasonably good finances

  74 handsome fitting/comfortable

  2 second support

  8 suit with correspond to/fit

  13 answer requite

  strain emotional pang/melody

  15 lineament physical feature/ characteristic

  branch division/part

  17 wag be off

  ‘Hem!’ i.e. clear one’s throat in preparation for speech

  19 candle-wasters those who waste candles by staying up late for study or drinking

  24 passion powerful emotion/rage

  25 preceptial of precepts (i.e.
instructions or rules)

  29 wring writhe/are oppressed/weep

  30 sufficiency ability

  31 moral full of moralizing advice and opinions

  33 advertisement advice/admonition/public proclamation

  35 peace silence

  38 However however much

  writ…of written in the manner of/ written as if with the authority of

  39 made…at scorned/attacked

  sufferance suffering/endurance (of misery)

  50 have are in

  52 all is one it’s all one/it does not matter

  55 Some of us i.e. Don Pedro and Claudio

  58 dissembler deceiver/hypocrite

  60 beshrew curse

  62 meant…sword had no intentions toward my sword

  63 fleer mock, jeer

  64 dotard old fool

  67 head face

  69 reverence respect due to an old man

  71 trial…man i.e. a duel

  82 nice fence refined and skillful swordsmanship/defensive action (contemptuous)

  83 lustihood vigor

  85 daff cast aside

  89 Win…wear me overcome me and then brag about it, flaunt your prize

  91 foining fence thrusting swordsmanship

  98 braggarts boasters

  Jacks rascals/louts

  milksops effeminate/cowardly men

  101 weigh i.e. are worth

  scruple very small measurement of weight

  102 Scrambling contentious/uncouth

  out-facing defiant/confrontational/bullying

  fashion-monging preoccupied with fashion/ dandies

  103 cog cheat

  flout insult/mock

  deprave defame/deride

  104 anticly grotesquely

  105 speak off throw out

  106 durst dared

  111 wake your patience disturb your patience further

  124 had…have nearly

  125 with by

  127 doubt fear (said with irony)

  131 high-proof in the highest degree

  133 draw as one draws a sword

  136 beside their wit out of their minds (plays on by thy side)

  draw…minstrels draw it as a musician (minstrel) would draw out his instrument from its case or draw a bow across strings

  140 care…cat a common proverb

  care anxiety/sorrow

  141 mettle spirit, vigor

  142 in the career at full gallop, as in a jousting tournament

  an if

  143 charge level/advance in attack

  144 staff lance

  145 cross crosswise, in the middle (an indication of clumsiness)

  148 turn his girdle a common proverb referring to the turning of one’s belt (girdle) so that the buckle is at the back, and meaning “put up with it”

  153 Do me right give me satisfaction

  protest declare

  156 so provided

  cheer entertainment

  158 calf’s…capon animals associated with foolishness (the calf) and cowardice (the capon, a castrated cockerel)

 

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