The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  o’erteemed exhausted by bearing children

  o’er-watch’d, o’erwatched exhausted through lack of sleep

  o’erwhelm hang over

  o’er-wrested overdone

  off-cap take off one’s cap or hat out of respect

  offend trouble, injure

  offer attempt; threaten violence

  office sb. duty; official or body of officials; v. act as a servant; deter by means of one’s station

  offices servants’ quarters, pantry, etc.

  old plenty of; ‘fine old’

  omit neglect, disregard; forbear to use

  omittance omission

  omne bene all’s well (Lat.)

  onyers a grand-sounding title, possibly sherrifs owing debts to the king

  ope open

  open-arse the medlar fruit (seemedlar)

  operant working, effective

  operation effective power

  opinion reputation; general opinion; (adverse) judgement; (high) opinion of oneself

  opposeless unable to be opposed

  opposite sb. opponent; adj. opposed, antagonistic

  opposition combat

  oppress distress

  oppression distress

  oppugnancy antagonism, opposition

  or ere, before; or … or = either … or

  orb ring; earth; seesphere

  ordinance that which is ordained by God, providence, tradition, etc.; order; ordnance, artillery

  ordinant ordaining, directing

  ordinary supper, as served in a tavern

  orgulous haughty

  orifex orifice, opening

  orison prayer

  ort left-over, scrap

  orthography correct spelling, hence pedantic style of speaking

  ostent appearance, show

  ostentation public display, formal show

  ostler groom, stable-boy

  othergates in another way

  Ottomite Ottoman, Turk

  ouches gems, brooches

  ought owed

  ounce lynx

  ousel blackbird

  outbrave outdo in bravery or splendour (cf.brave)

  out-crafty outdo in craftiness

  outdure outlast

  out-peer excel

  outvied outbidden

  outward sb. outside, exterior; adj. on the outside of secret affairs

  ovator one who receives ovations

  overhear hear over

  overhold value too highly

  overlook seeo’erlook

  over-peer, overpeer seeo’erpeer

  overscutched worn out

  overture opening, disclosure, declaration

  Ovid Roman poet, author of Metamorphoses, a long poem telling stories of transformation, and erotic verse which may have contributed to his exile among the Getae (Goths)

  owe own; bear

  oyez (Fr.) ‘hear ye’, a call for order before a public announcement

  pace sb. horse’s trained walk; way, passage; v. train or exercise (a horse) in walking

  pack sb. conspiracy; v. conspire; be in league; pack off, go; pack cards with seecard

  packing intrigue

  paddock toad

  pageant sb. spectacular show or float; v. mimic, as in a pageant

  pain sb. penalty; labour, pains; v. put to pains

  painful involving labour; undergoing labour

  painted hollow, false; painted cloth = decorative wall hanging painted with familiar figures

  pair-taunt like as if holding a better hand (at cards)

  pajock (?) peacock, supposed to be lecherous; (?) patchock (rogue)

  palabras seepaucas pallabris

  pale sb. pallor; fence; rail; enclosure; v. make pale; enclose

  palfrey small horse

  palisadoes iron-pointed stakes

  pall lose force; wrap

  Pallas Greek goddess associated with law and wisdom

  pallet basic bed

  palliament candidate’s gown

  palmer pilgrim

  palmy flourishing, victorious

  palter equivocate, use deceit

  pandar, pander sb. pimp, go- between; v. serve, as a pandar

  Pandion father of Philomel and Progne (seePhilomel)

  pantaloon stock figure of the foolish old man in Italian comedy

  Pantheon a temple in Rome

  pantler servant in charge of the pantry

  paper sb. statement of one’s crime worn as a public penance; v. send a note to

  Paracelsus innovative Swiss physician

  paradox improbable or unusual proposition

  paragon put forward as a paragon; surpass; parallel

  Parca one of the Parcae, the Latin name for the Fates (seeFates)

  parcel sb. group, band; item, part, bit; v. particularise

  parcel-gilt partly gilded

  pard leopard

  Paris-balls tennis-balls

  Parish top large spinning-top

  Parish-garden Paris Garden in London where bear-baiting took place

  paritor officer of the Ecclesiastical Courts

  parle parley, talk

  parlous perilous, dangerous

  parmacity spermaceti, used as a medicinal treatment

  part sb. ability, accompishment; quality; action; v. depart; in part = in part-payment

  partake take sides; partake to = share with

  partaker confederate

  parted gifted, accomplished; (of the eyes) unfocused

  partial of partiality

  partialize make partial

  partially by or with partiality

  particular regard; personal concern, duty or motive

  partisan pike-like weapon

  Partlet traditional name for a hen

  parti-coated dressed in a fool’s outfit (cf.motley)

  party-verdict share in a joint decision

  pash sb. head; v. bash

  passado forward lunge with a sword

  passant (in heraldry) walking position

  passenger traveller

  passion sb. strong emotion; suffering, esp. the final sufferings of Christ; passionate speech; v. suffer; express passion

  passionate adj. compassionate; v. express passionately

  passy measures pavin = passe- measure pavan, a stately dance

  patch sb. jester, clown; v. make, as from patches

  patchery fool’s play, cheating

  paten shallow metal dish, as used in Holy Communion

  patent entitlement, licence

  patience sufferance, permission

  patronage patronise, defend

  pattern sb. example, model; v. set a precedent (for)

  paucas pallabris Sly’s version of ‘pocas palabras’ (Sp.= ‘few words’)

  pauca verba few words (Lat.)

  Paul’s St Paul’s Cathedral, London, a centre for trade and the hiring of servingmen

  paunch rip or stab the belly

  pax representation of Christ kissed by worshippers at Mass

  peach seeappeach

  peak languish, become emaciated

  pearl cataract

  peat pet, sweetheart

  peck sb. reasonable-sized vessel; v. seepick

  peculiar own, personal, private

  pedant schoolmaster

  pedascule from ‘pedasculus’ (pseudo-Lat. = little pedant)

  peeled tonsured

  Pegasus winged horse associated with the hero Perseus

  peise weigh (down); balance

  pelf possessions, booty

  pelican bird supposed to feed its young with its own blood

  Pelion like Ossa and Olympus, a famous mountain from Greek antiquity

  Pelops boy to whom the gods gave an ivory shoulder

  pelt scold

  pelting trivial, petty, worthless

  pencil paintbrush

  pencilled painted

  pendulous overhanging

  Pene gelidus timor occupat artus ‘Cold fear almost seize
s the limbs’ (Lat.)

  penner pen-holder

  penn’orth, pennyworth bargain (often in a bad sense)

  pensioner royal attendant

  Penthesilea an Amazon queen

  Pepin French king of the eighth century

  Per Stygia, per manes vehor‘I am carried through the Stygian regions, through the realm of shades’ (Lat., after Seneca) (cf. Styx)

  peradventure perhaps

  perdie by God (an oath)

  perdition loss; ruin

  perdu sentinel placed in a fatally exposed position

  perdurable everlasting, imperishable

  perdy seeperdie

  peregrinate like one who travels abroad

  peremptory determined, obstinate, high-handed

  perfect adj. matured; ripe, prepared; learned; v. finish; enlighten, instruct

  perfection achievement, fulfilment

  perfumer one who fumigates rooms with pleasant scents

  perge continue (Lat.)

  periapts amulets, charms

  period sb. end-point, goal; full- stop, pause at the end of sentence; v. end

  perjure sb. perjurer; v. force into perjury

  perniciously fatally, to the point of death

  peroration oration, speech

  perpend weigh, consider

  persistive persistent

  perspective optical illusion or a glass device for producing one

  pert quick, sharp

  pervert divert

  pester obstruct, trouble

  petard bomb

  pettish peevish

  pew-fellow companion at church

  Phaëthon, Phaeton, Phaëton son of Phoebus (seePhoebus) and stepson of Merops; attempting to drive Phoebus’ sun chariot, he failed to control its horses and almost crashed into the earth, whereupon Jupiter killed him with a lightning bolt

  phantasma nightmare

  phantisime person given to flights of fancy

  Philip traditional name for a sparrow; Philip and Jacob = feast of SS. Philip and James (1 May)

  Philippan from the Battle of Philippi, where Antony and Octavius defeated the republicans

  Philomel, Philomela daughter of King Pandion, she was raped and mutilated by her brother-in- law Tereus but revealed her ordeal by depicting it in a tapestry; she was subsequently transformed into a nightingale (cf.Progne)

  philosopher’s stone means of transforming base metal into gold

  Phoebe the goddess Diana when represented as the moon

  Phoebus the god Apollo in his role as sun god and father of Phaeton (seePhaëthon)

  phoenix fabulous bird supposed to be one of a kind and to rise again from its ashes

  phraseless that defies the power of language

  phthisic consumptive cough

  physic sb. medicine; v. mend, heal

  physical healthy, therapeutic

  pia mater membrane in the brain, hence brain

  pick hurl

  picked select; dandified, refined

  pickers and stealers hands

  pickthanks flatterers

  Picked-hatch seedy district of London

  ’pie magpie

  pie church service book; see’pie

  piece sb. coin; wine cask; masterpiece, paragon; insulting term for a woman; v. supplement; piece out, piece up = add to, increase

  pigeon-liver’d incapable of anger

  pight pitched; set, determined

  pike pitchfork; spike set in the centre of shield

  pilcher scabbard

  pill pillage, take by force; peel, strip

  Pillicock penis; Pillicock Hill = female genitals

  pin nothing, an irrelevance; (in archery) bullseye; pin and web = cataracts

  pinch sb. nip; v. vex, irritate; (of an animal) nip with the teeth

  pinfold pound for stray animals

  pinioned bound

  pinked with small holes or slits cut (in material or finished garment)

  pioned (?) covered in flowers; (?) dug out

  pip spot on a playing card, hence one point

  pipe-wine wine from a cask

  Pippen seePepin

  pismire ant

  pitch sb. height; Pitch and pay = ‘cash only’

  Più per dolcezza che per forza ‘More by gentleness than by force’ (Ital.)

  place sb. safe place; (in falconry) a hawk’s highest pitch; v. employ; take place = become respectable

  placket skirt or slit in a skirt

  plain-song basic melody

  planched made of planks

  plant sole of a foot

  plantage plant growing

  plantain plant used for basic first aid

  plantation planting; colonization

  plash puddle

  plate sb. coin; v. dress in armour

  plausible worthy of applause

  plausibly with applause

  plausive approved, worthy of applause; plausible

  Plautus Roman writer of comedies

  pleached intertwined, as the branches of a hedge; hedged

  pleasant jesting

  please-man flatterer

  pleurisy inflamed excess

  plight sb. pledge, promise; v. pledge, swear; in plight = physically fit

  plume up (?) make a show of, as a bird ruffles its feathers

  Pluto god of the underworld

  Plutus personification of wealth, sometimes imagined as its god

  point sb. lace for tying garments; sword; signal; pinnacle; v. appoint, assign; at point = ready, prepared; in every detail; about

  point-device, point-devise adj. neat, exact; adv. exactly

  poise sb. weight; v. weigh, consider; counterpoise

  poke large bag

  poking-sticks rods used for the stiffening of ruffs

  Polack sb. Pole; adj. Polish

  pole star; standard

  polecat whore

  policy politics; wisdom; strategy; stratagem

  politic political

  politician plotter, schemer

  pole-clipped hedged in by tall stakes (?); pruned short

  polled lopped, cleared; bald

  pomander perfume ball

  pomewater popular type of apple

  Pomgarnet‘Pomegranate’, the name of a room

  pompous characterized by pomp, magnificent, stately

  poop overcome

  Poor-John, poor-John dried, salted hake

  popinjay parrot

  popular common, of the people

  popularity the people

  porpentine porcupine

  porridge soup, broth

  porringer fancy hat, shaped like a dish

  port sb. portal, gate; (high) position in life; attitude, behaviour; v. bring to port

  portable supportable

  portage voyage (through life); porthole

  portance attitude, behaviour

  portion dowry

  posied engraved with a posy (seeposy)

  position proposition, tenet advanced

  possess give possession; tell, give to understand

  posset sb. drink made by curdling hot milk with wine; v. curdle

  post sb. messenger; horse; adv. quickly; v. hurry; in post = quickly; post off = defer

  poster one who travels quickly

  postern small side-gate

  post-post-haste urgently

  posy short motto engraved on a ring

  potable seemed’cine

  potato supposed to be an aphrodisiac

  potch jab, poke

  potency power, authority

  potential potent, commanding

  potents potentates, rulers

  pother uproar, riot

  potting drinking

  pottle half-gallon tankard

  pouncet-box box containing perfume

  powder pickle in salt

  powdering-tub pickling barrel; Pistol’s reference to the sweating tub (seetub)

  power military force; person in authority; faculty

&nb
sp; pox syphilis

  practic practical

  practice trick, machination; doing, performance

  practisants accomplices

  practise plot

  praemunire writ issued against one who prefers papal to sovereign authority

  praetor Roman magistrate

  praise sb. virtue, merit; v. appraise; praise in departing = do not praise too soon

  prank offensive act

  preambulate walk before

  precedence that which has preceded

  precedent sb. example; sign; original; adj. earlier, previous

  preceptial of precepts or moral instruction

  precipitation precipitousness, sharpness of a drop

  precise morally scrupulous, puritanical

  precisian puritanical guide in religious matters

  pre-contract future contract of marriage

  precurrer precursor

  precurse that which precedes by way of an omen

  predicament category; situation

  predominance ascendency, predominant influence (seeinfluence)

  predominant in the ascendent, a powerful planetary position

  prefer bring forward; bring to attention, recommend; promote

  pregnancy sharpness of intellect

  pregnant skilful; ready, open; clear

  prejudicate judge in advance

  prejudice sb. detriment, disadvantage; v. harm

  premeditation meditation on the future

  premised predestined

  prenominate adj. aforenamed; v. say in advance

  pre-ordinance established rule

  preparation military force; quality, gift

  preposterous topsy-turvy, perverse

  prerogative privilege, precedence

  presage prediction, omen

  prescript sb. order, instruction; adj. prescribed

  prescription claim based on long standing possession

  presence presence chamber, where royalty entertains visitors

  present sb. present moment; document; adj. sudden, immediate; ready; v. act; lay before a court

  presentation representation, image

  presently at once

  presentment presentation; representation

  press sb. licence for conscription; cupboard; v. conscript; torture with crushing weights

  pressure image, as if impressed on wax

  Prester John legendary ruler of a medieval Eastern kingdom

  presuppos’d previously laid down

  pretence intention

  pretend intend; claim; propose; show

  prevent anticipate, pre-empt

  prevention anticipation, forestalling

  price value

  prick sb. mark; point aimed at in archery; v. mark; urge; clothe

  pricket two-year-old male deer

  pricksong singing from printed music

  pride highest pitch; splendour; lust

  prig tinker, thief

  prime sb. spring; adj. first, principal; sexually aroused