The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  Metz, G. Harold, Four Plays Ascribed to Shakespeare, An Annotated Bibliography: ‘The Reign of King Edward III’, ‘Sir Thomas More’, ‘The History of Cardenio’, and ‘The Two Noble Kinsmen’ (New York: Garland, 1982)

  Pollard, Alfred, and others, Shakespeare’s Hand in ‘The Play of Sir Thomas More’: Papers by Alfred W. Pollard, W. W. Greg, E. Maunde Thompson, J. Dover Wilson and R. W. Chambers, with the text of the III May Day Scenes, edited by W. W. Greg (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1923)

  Proudfoot, Richard, ‘The Reign of King Edward the Third (1596) and Shakespeare’, in British Academy Shakespeare Lectures 1980―89, introduced by E. A. J. Honigmann (Oxford: Oxford University Press for The British Academy, 1993)

  Timon of Athens

  Butler, Francelia, The Strange Critical Fortunes of Shakespeare’s ‘Timon of Athens’ (Ames IA: Iowa State University Press, 1966)

  Nuttall, A. D., Timon of Athens, Harvester Critical Introductions to Shakespeare (Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1989)

  Soellner, Rolf, ‘Timon of Athens’: Shakespeare’s Pessimistic Tragedy, with a Stage History by Gary J. Williams (Columbus OH: Ohio State University Press, 1979)

  Afterlife

  Bate, Jonathan, The Genius of Shakespeare (London: Picador, 1997)

  Cohn, Ruby, Modern Shakespeare Offshoots (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 1976)

  Dobson, Michael, The Making of the National Poet: Shakespeare, Adaptation, and Authorship 1660―1769 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1992)

  Gager, Valerie L., Shakespeare and Dickens: The Dynamics of Influence (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996)

  Gross, John (ed.), After Shakespeare: An Anthology (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002)

  Hartnoll, Phyllis (ed.), Shakespeare in Music (London: Macmillan, 1964)

  Holderness, Graham (ed.), The Shakespeare Myth (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1988)

  Merchant, Moelwyn W., Shakespeare and the Artist (London: Oxford University Press, 1959)

  Schmidgall, Gary, Shakespeare and Opera (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990)

  Shutte, William M., Joyce and Shakespeare: A Study in the Meaning of ‘Ulysses’ (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1957)

  Taylor, Gary, Reinventing Shakespeare: A Cultural History from the Restoration to the Present (London: Hogarth, 1989)

  Wells, Stanley, Shakespeare: For All Time (London: Macmillan, 2002)

  A SELECT GLOSSARY

  a, (as pronoun) familiar, unstressed form of ‘he’

  abate, to shorten, take from, deprive, except, blunt

  abatement, reduction, depreciation

  abhor, disgust, protest against

  abide, await the issue of, pay the penalty for

  able, to vouch for

  abode, delay, stay; to foretell

  about, irregularly, indirectly; be on the move

  abram, auburn

  abridgement, reduction, pastime

  abroad, away, apart, on foot, current, at large, outside

  abrogate, abstain from

  abruption, breaking off

  absolute, complete, certain, positive, beyond doubt

  Absyrtus, see MEDEA

  abuse, wrong, ill-usage, deception; to deceive, dishonour

  aby, pay the penalty for

  accident, occurrence, event, incident

  accite, summon, induce

  accommodate, equip, adapt itself to

  accommodation, comfort, entertainment

  accomplish, equip, obtain

  accountant, accountable

  accoutred, dressed, equipped

  acerb, bitter

  Acheron, river of the underworld

  achieve, make an end, finish; win, obtain

  Achilles’ spear, a mythical spear: rust scraped from it cured a wound that it had inflicted

  acknow, acknowledge

  acknown, be acknown, confess knowledge

  aconitum, poison

  acquit, atone for, repay, release

  Actaeon. Diana turned him into a stag because he saw her bathing; he was torn to pieces by his dogs

  acture, action

  adamant, impenetrably hard stone; magnet

  addition mark of distinction, title

  admiration, wonder, astonishment, marvel

  admire, wonder, marvel

  admittance, fashion, reception

  adoptious christendoms, fond nicknames

  advantage, opportunity, interest on money; to profit

  adventure, chance, hazard, to risk

  advertise, inform

  advertisement, information, advice

  advice, consideration, forethought

  advised, cautious, aware, carefully considered

  Aeneas, a Trojan prince who carried his father, Anchises, from the blazing city. Dido, Queen of Carthage, received him and his son, Ascanius. She fell in love with him, but he left Carthage at the gods’ command, and Dido committed suicide.

  Aeolus, god of the winds

  Aesculapius, god of medicine

  affect, affection, tendency, disposition; love, like, imitate

  affected, disposed, in love

  affection, passion, desire, disposition, affectation

  affeer, confirm

  affiance, confidence

  affined, related, obliged

  affront, meet, confront

  affy, trust, betroth

  aflaunt, with a swagger

  alter, according to, at the rate of

  against, in expectation of, in preparation for the time when, in time for

  Agenor, father of EUROPA

  aglet-baby, tag in shape of a tiny figure

  agnize, confess, acknowledge

  aim, target, guess

  Ajax, a strong, dim-witted Greek hero; mad with anger at not being given the arms of the dead Achilles he slaughtered a flock of sheep as if they were human enemies and killed himself

  alarum, call to arms, assault

  Alcides, HERCULES

  alder-liefest, dearest of all

  Alecto, one of the furies; her head was wreathed with serpents

  allay, relief; to qualify

  All-hallond eve, Halloween, the eve of All Saints’ Day

  Allhallowmas, All Saints’ Day (I November)

  All-hallown summer, fine weather in late autumn

  allowance, admission of a claim, reputation

  alter, exchange

  Althaea. Her son, Meleager, was fated to live until a brand of fire burned away. After he killed her brothers she burned it.

  amerce, punish with a fine

  ames ace, two aces, lowest possible throw at dice

  amort, spiritless, dejected

  an, if, though, whether, as if

  anatomize, dissect, lay bare

  anatomy, skeleton

  Anchises, see AENEAS

  anchor, hermit

  angel, gold coin

  Anna, sister of Dido of Carthage (see AENEAS)

  anon, soon, ‘coming’

  Anthropophagi, cannibals

  antic, grotesque pageant, clown; fantastic

  antre, cave

  ape, to lead apes in hell, an old maid’s function

  Apollo, god of the sun, music and poetry. Daphne, escaping from his pursuit, was changed to a laurel.

  appaid, contented, satisfied

  apparently, openly

  appeach, inform against

  appeal, accusation; to accuse

  apple-john, apple eaten when shrivelled

  appliance, service, remedy, treatment

  appointment, equipment, instruction

  apprehensive, lively, quick-witted

  approof, proof, trial, approval

  appropriate, make specially

  approve, prove, show to be true, confirm, put to the proof, test, convict

  apt, willing, impressionable

  Aquilon, north wind

  Arabian bird, phoenix

  argosy, large merchant ship


  argue, prove, show

  argument, proof, subject of debate, subject matter, summary

  Ariadne, deserted by her lover, Theseus

  Arion, a singer carried ashore by a dolphin

  arm, reach, take in one’s arms

  arm-jaunced, jolted by armour

  armipotent, powerful in arms

  aroint thee, be gone

  arras, wall-tapestry

  articulate, arrange terms, specify

  artificial, made by art, skilled, skilful

  artist, scholar, doctor

  Ascanius, see AENEAS

  asnico, ass

  aspect, look, glance, position and influence of a planet, sight

  aspersion, sprinkling

  assay, trial, attempt

  assubjugate, debase

  assurance, pledge, deed of conveyance, guarantee

  assure, betroth, convey property

  Astraca, goddess of justice

  Atalanta, maiden huntress who killed the suitors she outraced

  Ate, goddess of mischief and destruction

  atomy, atom, mote

  atone, reconcile, unite, agree

  atonement, reconciliation

  Atropos, one of the three fates; her duty was to cut the thread of life

  attach, arrest, seize

  attachment, arrest, stop

  attaint, conviction, infection; infect, convict of treason, disgrace

  attribute, reputation, credit

  attribution, praise

  aught, anything

  aunt, old woman, bawd, girl friend

  austringer, falconer

  avoid, get rid of, get out of

  awkward, oblique, not straightforward

  back friend, pretended friend

  back-sword, sword with only one cutting edge

  baffle, disgrace

  bait, set dogs on, worry, persecute, entice with bait, feed, feast

  balk, let slip, quibble, heap

  ballow, cudgel

  ban, to curse

  Banbury cheese, proverbially thin

  bandog, fierce chained dog

  banquet, dessert, light meal of fruit and sweetmeats

  barge, large ornamental vessel used on state occasions

  barque, ship

  bases, skirt-like garment worn by a knight

  Basilisco-like, like Basilisco, a braggart knight in the play Soliman and Perseda

  basilisk, fabulous reptile whose look was fatal, large cannon

  basta, enough!

  bastard, sweet Spanish wine

  baste, beat

  bastinado, beating

  bate, trouble; beat wings ready for flight, blunt, reduce, grow less, deduct

  bateless, not to be blunted

  bat-fowling, catching birds at night

  batlet, bat used in washing clothes

  bauble, jester’s stick

  bavin, brush-wood

  bawd, procurer (male or female)

  beadle, parish officer with power to punish

  beadsman, one who prays for another

  bearherd, bear-keeper

  bearing cloth, christening garment

  beaver, visor, helmet

  bedlam, lunatic hospital, lunatic

  beetle, heavy hammer-like tool; overhang

  beldam, grandmother, hag

  bell-wether, castrated ram with a bell round its neck

  be-mete, measure

  bemoiled, covered with mud

  Bench, King’s Bench (a high court)

  bench, raise to authority, sit as judge

  bench-hole, privy

  bend, look, glance; to turn, incline, direct, strain, submit

  bent, inclination, direction, tension, force, range, aim

  berayed, defiled

  bergamask, a rustic dance

  besonian, beggar, scoundrel

  besort, suitable company; to suit

  beteem, pour over, grant

  bewray, reveal

  bias, in bowls, weight which makes a bowl swerve; natural bent, inclination, compelling influence

  bigamy, marriage with widow(er)

  biggin, nightcap

  bilbo, finely-tempered sword

  bilboes, shackles

  bill, halberd, pike, note, catalogue, label

  birdbolt, blunt-headed arrow for shooting birds

  bisson, partly blind, blinding

  blank, blank page or charter, white mark in centre of target, aim, range; to make pale

  blazon, coat of arms, description, proclamation; to proclaim, praise

  blood-baltered, stained with clots of blood

  blow, swell, blossom, (of flies) deposit eggs (on), defile

  blowse, chubby girl

  bluecap, Scotsman

  blunt, make light of

  board, to address, make advances to, mount sexually

  bob, taunt, mock, cheat, get by trickery, pummel

  bodkin, dagger, hair-pin or ornament

  boll’n, swollen

  bolt, broad-headed arrow, shackle; to sieve, fetter

  bolter, sieve

  bolting-hutch, sifting-bin

  bombard, leather jug or bottle

  bombast, cotton-wool padding for clothes, bombastic

  bona-roba, well dressed prostitute

  bone-ache, syphilis

  boot, booty, profit, advantage, help, use, avail, addition; to be of use, profit, present in addition

  Boreas, north wind

  borrow, receive, assume, counterfeit

  bosky, wooded

  botchy, ulcerous

  bots, disease of horses caused by worms

  bottom, ship, valley, bobbin; to wind on a bobbin

  bounce, bang

  boy, rogue

  brabble, brawl

  brace, suit of armour, readiness

  brach, hound, bitch

  braid, deceitful; to reproach

  branched, patterned as with branches

  brave, finely dressed, splendid, excellent; bravado or threat; to adorn, challenge, defy, swagger, taunt

  bravery, bravado, finery, splendour, ostentation, defiance

  brawl, French dance; quarrel

  break-neck, ruinous course of action

  breast, voice, stomach

  breathe, speak, exercise, rest

  breathed, exercised, valiant, inspired

  breese, gadfly

  brewis, bread soaked in broth

  Briareus, hundred-handed giant

  brief, letter, summary

  broke, bargain

  broken, (of music) in parts, scored for different instruments

  broker, agent, go-between, pawnbroker

  Brownist, member of a Puritan sect founded by Robert Browne

  bruised, crushed, battered

  bruit, rumour, report; to announce

  bubuncle, facial eruption

  buck, washing, dirty clothes for washing

  buckler, shield

  Bucklersbury, street of apothecaries’ and druggists’ shops off Cheapside

  budget, wallet, bag

  buff, strong leather used for coats of bailiffs and legal officers

  bug, bogey, terror

  bugle, bead, hunting-horn

  bulk, body, stall in front of a shop

  bully, friend, fine fellow

  bumbaste, thrash the backside

  bung, pickpocket

  burgonet, helmet

  burn, infect with venereal disease

  buss, kiss

  cabin, den

  cabinet, dwelling

  cacodemon, evil spirit

  caddis, woollen tape

  cade, barrel

  caduceus, Mercury’s magic wand entwined by two serpents

  caitiff, wretch, miserable person

  caliver, light musket

  callet, whore

  Cambyses, hero of a bombastic tragedy

  can, to know, be skilled in

  canary, lively dance, light sweet wine

  cantle, segment
r />   canvass, toss (as in a blanket)

  capable, able to receive, feel, or understand

  capacity, understanding

  cap-à-pie, from head to foot

  capitulate, specify terms

  captious, capacious

  carbonado, meat scored across for cooking

  carcanet, necklace

  card, playing card, compass card; mix, debase

  carl, carlot, peasant

  carnation, flesh-colour

  carrack, galleon

  carriage, ability to bear

  carve, cut, shape, invite with look and gesture

  case, vagina

  cast, throw of dice, tinge, founding; to throw, vomit; reckon, add

  casual, accidental, subject to accident

  cataplasm, poultice

  catastrophe, outcome, end, rear

  cater, purchaser of household supplies

  caterpillar, extortioner, parasite

  cates, food, delicacies

  catling, catgut string

  cautel, trick, deceit

  cautelous, deceitful

  censure, judgement, blame; judge, estimate

  centre, centre of the earth or the universe

  Cerberus, three-headed dog of the underworld

  cerecloth, cerements, winding-sheet

  ceremonious, punctilious about ritual

  Ceres, goddess of agriculture

  certain, fixed

  cess, death; out of all cess, beyond all measure

  challenge, claim, accuse

  chamber-lye, urine

  chamblet, light fabric

  champaign, open country

  changeling, waverer

  chape, sheath

  chapman, merchant, customer

  chaps, jaws

  character, writing, hand-writing; to write

  charactery, writing

  charneco, Portuguese wine

  Charon, ferryman of the underworld

  chaudron, entrails

  cheapen, bargain, bid for

  cheater, officer appointed to look after property forfeited to the king

  check, rebuke

  cheerly, cheerfully

  cherry-pit, game of throwing cherry stones into a little hole

  cheverel, kid leather, pliant and easily stretched