chapless with the lower jaw gone
chaplets garlands
chapman merchant
chaps chops, jaws
character sb. handwriting; v. write
charactery writing
chare sb. chore; v. accomplish, finish
charge-house school
charging-staff knight’s lance
Charles’ wain constellation of the Plough
charneco sweet wine
Charon ferryman of the underworld
chase hunt; (in tennis) bouncing ball
chat gossip about
chaudron entrails
che I; che vor ye = I warrant you; ch’ill = I will; ch’ud = I had (dial.)
cheapen bargain for
cheater officer in charge of estates forfeited to the crown
check sb. rebuke; v. come to a stop; rebuke
chequin gold coin
cherry-pit children’s game of throwing cherry stones into a hole
cherubin cherub
cheval volant … qui a les narines de feu, le ‘the flying horse … who has fiery nostrils’ (Fr.)
cheveril, chev’ril kid leather, known for its stretching capacity
chewet jackdaw; minced-meat pie
Chi passa name of a popular dance tune (Ital.= ‘Who is passing?’)
chiding din
chien est retourné à son propre vomissement, et la truie lavée au bourbier, le ‘The dog has returned to his own vomit and the washed sow to her mud’ (Fr., 2 Peter ii.22)
child girl
childe title used by young nobles aspiring to knighthood
childed having children
childing generative, fertile
ch’ill seeche
chirurgeonly in the expert manner of a surgeon
choler one of the four humours (seehumour); anger
chop sb. crack; v. crack; chop on = burst in on
chopine fashionable platform shoe
chopless seechapless
chough jackdaw
christom newly christened
chrysolite white or green gem
ch’ud seeche
cicatrice mark, scar
cinque-pace quick dance
Cinque-ports five English ports; the barons of these places
ciphersb. the figure nought, zero; v. decipher; represent
Circe sorceress in Homer’s Odyssey who transformed men into beasts
circummur’d walled round
cite summon, as to court; incite
citizen city-bred
cittern guitar with a carved head
civet perfume derived from a civet cat’s anal glands
civil of citizens, urban; well-behaved; civil doctor = doctor of civil law
clack-dish begging bowl
clap pledge with a clasping of hands; clap aboard = board (a ship); clap into = begin promptly; clap i’th’ clout = hit the bull’s-eye (cf.clout); clap up = agree promptly
clapper-claw handle roughly
clepe call
clept called
clerestories upper windows in halls and churches
clerk cleric, scholar
clew ball of twine
climate sb. region of the earth or sky; v. live in a particular region
climatures inhabitants of a particular region
cling shrink up, wither
clinquant glittering
clip encircle, embrace
clipper one who trims coins for the metal
close sb. encounter; (in music) cadence; adj. confined; secret; secretive; adv. secretly; v. come to agreement
closure containment; conclusion
cloth o’ gold, cloth-of-gold sumptuous, top-quality cloth
clothier’s yard a ‘cloth-yard’ length, the length of an arrow (cf.yard)
cloud (of horses) facial blemish
clout target in archery; cloth, rag; babe of clouts = rag doll; idiot
clouted patched; hobnailed
clown person from the country
clubs traditional cry for assistance in breaking up a brawl
clyster-pipe syringe inserted into the rectum or vagina
coat coat of arms
cobloaf small loaf
cock rowing boat towed behind a larger ship; weathercock; tap; (in oaths) God; by cock and pie = by God and pie (an oath) (cf.pie)
cockatrice legendary creature with a fatal stare
cockle cockleshell; weed; cockle hat = pilgrim’s hat
cocklight first light, dawn
cockney person of affected manners
cock’red pampered
cockshut twilight
Cocytus a river of the underworld
cod husk
codding lascivious
codpiece prominent pouch at the front of a man’s breeches to hold his genitals
coffin pie-crust
cog cheat
cognizance emblem worn by retainers
coif cap
coign corner
coil commotion, fuss
coistrel base person, scoundrel
Colbrand Danish giant in the English romance of Guy of Warwick
collect infer, learn
collection piecing together, understanding
collied darkened
collop slice of flesh
Colme-kill Iona
coloquintida colocynth, a bitter apple
Colossus gigantic statue of Apollo at Rhodes that stood over the harbour entrance
colour sb. appearance; pretext; sort, type; v. disguise
colourable plausible
colours military colours, banner
colt sb. young and foolish person; v. play the fool with, trick; colt’s tooth = friskiness
combinate bound by pledge
come off withdraw; pay up
coming-on compliant
commeddled mingled
commit commit sins
commodity supply of merchandise; benefit, advantage; pledge against a loan
commoner prostitute
comonty Sly’s word for ‘comedy’
companion fellow, used insultingly
comparative sb. dealer in insults; adj. skilled at (insulting) comparisons
compeer sb. peer, companion; v. be the peer of, equal
competitor partner
complain bewail
complement outward appearance
complexion constitution, nature; face
complot sb. design, conspiracy; v. conspire
comply behave formally
compose reach agreement
compt account, reckoning; the Day of Judgement
comptible sensitive
con study, memorize; con thanks = acknowledge gratitude
Con tutto il cuore ben trovato ‘With all my heart well met’ (Ital.)
conceit sb. mental, imaginative or artistic conception; wit, intelligence; fancy article; v. conceive
conceited witty, inventive; be conceited of = conceive of
conceptious conceiving, fertile
concernancy relevance
conclusion experiment; judgement; riddle
concolinel (?) title of a song; (?) singer’s preparatory warble
concupiscible concupiscent, lustful
concupy (?) concupiscence; (?) concubine
condition rank; disposition; compact, contract
condolement grieving; (?) confused with dole, portion
conference conversation, debate
confessors boasters
confiners inhabitants
congee, congie bow, take one’s leave
congree agree together
conscience matter of conscience; mind, thoughts
conscionable governed by conscience
consider reward; (?) appreciate
consign subscribe, endorse
consist stand firm, insist
consolate console
conspectuity power of vision
constring’d drawn together, compressed
contain reta
in
contestation contention
continent sb. container, vessel; sum, summary; adj. restraining
contraction solemn agreement
control sb. compulsion; v. contradict; overpower
controller steward; critic
convenient fit, suitable
convent call together
conventicle secret assembly
conversation dealing; social conduct
converse associate, be in company (with)
conversion promotion; conversation
convert change
convertite penitent
convey manage discreetly; steal
conveyance dishonest dealing; (in law) transfer of property; escort
convict convicted
convince overpower; prove; prove guilty, convict
convive feast together
convoy means of transport
cony rabbit
cony-catch dupe, cheat
copatain hat hat with a high crown
cope sb. sky; v. encounter; have dealings; requite
copesmate companion
copp’d peaked
copy theme, copiously discussed; exemplar, model; copyhold, tenure
coragio courage (Ital.)
coram for ‘quorum’, justice whose particular presence was necessary for some cases
coranto dance with a running step
Corinth ancient city know for its licentiousness and partying
Corinthian one from Corinth (seeCorinth)
corky dry, withered
Cornelia mother of the Gracchi (famous early Roman republicans)
cornet body of cavalry
cornuto horned beast, cuckold (Ital.) (cf.horn)
corollary excessive amount
corporal of the body, physical
correctioner one from the ‘House of Correction’
corrigible corrective; susceptible of punishment
corroborate strengthened; Pistol’s word for ‘ruined’
corslet piece of body armour
costard large apple; the head
costermonger fruit seller, petty trader
cote sb. cottage; v. overtake
cot-quean man who meddles in domestic affairs
Cotsall the Cotswold hills
couch lie hidden; cause to shrink back
counsel reflection; secrets
countenance sb. face, outward appearance, demeanour; approval, patronage; v. behold; suit
counter sb. coin of negligible value; debtors’ prison; adv.(in hunting) backwards, off course
counterchange exchange, reciprocation
counterfeit sb. image, reproduction; fake money; adj. painted, not real
Counter-gate gate of the Counter prison (cf.counter)
countermand contradict; prohibit
counterpoint counterpane, tapestry
countervail counterbalance, be equal to
county count
Couple a gorge Pistol’s version of ‘coupe la gorge’ (Fr.= ‘cut the throat’)
courage disposition
course sail of a ship
courser horse; courser’s hair = horse’s hair, supposed to turn into a serpent in water
court of guard guard room; body of soldiers on guard
court-cupboard sideboard
courthand handwriting used for legal contracts
cousin any near relation
coverture covering, shelter
cowish cowardly
cowl-staff wooden rod for carrying a cowl (tub)
cox cock’s (God’s) (seecock)
coxcomb jester’s cap; the head
coy caress; show reluctance
coz cousin (seecousin)
cozen cheat
cozier cobbler
crab crab apple
crack sb. lad, rascal; partial fracture; v. boast; cracked within the ring = (of coins) nicked past the ring around the sovereign’s head, and so no longer legal tender
crack-hemp one deserving to be hanged
crak’d cracked (seecrack)
crank sb. winding passage; v. twist and turn
crants garland
craven sb. cock; coward; v. make cowardly
craze break, damage
credent believing; believable, plausible
credit credibility; belief, current opinion
crescive growing, having the power of growth
cressets fire-baskets, beacons
crestless not bearing a heraldic crest, not aristocratic
critic fault-finder, satirist
cross sb. an Elizabethan coin; adj. quarrelsome, thwarting; (of lightning) forked
cross’d, crossed freed from debts
cross-gartered wearing garters above and below the knee (and so crossed behind)
cross-row the alphabet
crow-flower the ragged robin flower
crow-keeper, crowkeeper scarecrow; boy employed to shoo birds off crops
crown imperial the fritillary plant
crudy thick
crupper strap fixing the saddle to the horse’s back end
crusado Portuguese coin
cry sb. barking pack of hounds; rumour; v. proclaim; cried in the top of = loudly exceeded; cry aim seeaim; cry out of = cry out against; cry up = applaud
cubiculo bedroom
Cucullus non facit monachum ‘The hood does not make the monk’ (Lat., proverbial)
cullion rascal
culverin small cannon
cum privilegio‘with privilege (i.e. immunity)’ (Lat.); cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum = ‘with the privilege for printing only’ (i.e. ‘with the sole right to print’)
cunning sb. knowledge; skill; adj. skilful; ingenious
Cupid son of Venus, a winged boy, sometimes thought of as blind, whose arrows caused people to fall in (and out of) love; Cupid’s flower = pansy
curate parish priest
curdied congealed
curiosity delicacy, scrupulousness
curious scrupulous, careful; elaborate, exquisite; anxious
currence flowing
curst fierce, cantankerous
curtal with a docked tail
curtle-axe short broadsword
cushes thigh-armour
Custalorum for ‘Custos Rotulorum’ (Lat.= ‘keeper of the rolls’), the highest justiciary office in a county
customer prostitute; prostitute’s client
cut docked or gelded horse; female genitals; cut and long- tail = every kind; in any event; draw cuts = draw lots
cut-purse, cutpurse petty thief who snips purses from people’s belts
cuttle (?) thief
Cyclops = Cyclopes, one-eyed giants who assisted in the manufacture of armour for the gods
cyme a medicinal plant
cynic foul-mouthed philosopher
Cynthia the goddess Diana when represented as the moon
cypress cypress wood; crape, linen
Cytherea the goddess Venus
Daedalus father of Icarus (seeIcarus)
daff seedoff
Dagonet King Arthur’s fool
Daintry Daventry
dainty adj. particular, finicky; make dainty = hesitate primly
dam mother
Damascus traditional scene of Abel’s murder (seeCain)
dan sir
dancing horse a famous Elizabethan performing horse
dancing-rapier ornamental sword worn when dancing
danger power to harm
Dansker Dane
Daphne seeApollo
dare (in bird-catching) dazzle, daze
darkling in the dark
darraign set in order, prepare
dash sb. mark, sign; v. crush, dishearten; at first dash = at the outset
date fixed term or limit
daub it put on a false show
daubery false pretence, trickery
day-bed couch
day-woman dairymaid
dear important; intense, ardent; grievous
dearth scarcity, hence high value
death-practised whose death has been plotted
deathsman executioner
death-token sign of the plague
debate sb. struggle, contention; v. contend; contend about
debile feeble
debitor and creditor account book; book-keeper
Deborah Israelite judge who incited an attack on Sisera, the general of the Canaanite king Jabin
deboshed debauched
decerns Dogberry’s word for ‘concerns’
decimation execution of one man in ten
deck sb. deck of cards; v. adorn, cover
decoct boil up
deed performance, doing; contract; deed of saying = keeping promises
deep-fet fetched from deep down
deer animals
default fault, offence; in the default = (?) when necessary; (?) when you fail
defeat mar, destroy; defraud
defeature disfigurement
defence armour; fencing, swordplay
defend forbid
definement definition, description
defunct extinct, dead
defunction death
defunctive relating to death, funereal
degree order, hierarchy; step, stage
delations narrations, accusations
delicates luxuries, delicacies
deliverly nimbly
demean conduct, behave
demerit merit; deficiency, sin
demi-cannon large gun
demure adj. solemn, modest; v. look thoughtfully
denay sb. denial; v. deny
denier small copper coin
denunciation public announcement
depend be dependent; lean; hang, impend
dependency dependants; logical sequence; submissiveness
deplore talk woefully
depose take an oath; examine on oath
deputation appointment or office of a deputy (usually in high office)
deracinate uproot
derived descended
dern dark, wild
derogate adj. degenerate, debased; derogatory; v. degrade oneself
descant sb. sung variations; v. sing variations
descension descent
descry sb. discovery; v. discover
design sb. purpose, enterprise; v. designate, refer to
designment purpose, enterprise
determinate adj. at an end; decisive; planned; v. put an end to
determination end, expiry; decision
determine end, conclude; put an end to
Deucalion with his wife, the sole survivors of a great flood sent by Jupiter
deuce-ace a low score at dice
dewlap loose flesh around a cow’s throat
dexter right
dey-woman dairy woman
Di faciant laudis summa sit ista tuae ‘The gods grant that this may be the peak of thy glory’ (Lat., Ovid)
diable devil (Fr.)
diablo devil (Sp.)
dial clock; sundial
Dian, Diana goddess of chastity, hunting and the moon (cf. Cynthia)
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 580