The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  child, baby girl, youth of noble birth

  childing, fertile

  chopine, shoe with high platform-sole

  cicatrice, scar, impression

  cinquepace, lively dance

  cipher, zero, nought; to express, decipher

  cittern, wire-stringed instrument

  civil, of the city, well-ordered

  clack-dish, begging bowl

  clapperclaw, maul, thrash

  cleave, attach themselves

  clepe, call

  clerk, scholar

  clew, ball of thread

  climate, region, dwell

  cling, shrivel

  clinquant, glittering

  clip, embrace

  closure, bound, enelnaure, conclusion

  clown, rustic, jester

  clyster, enema

  cockney, milksop, squeamish or affected woman

  cod, testicle

  codpiece, bag-shaped flap on breeches, covering the genitals, tied with laces, often embroidered and padded

  coffin, pastry case

  cog, cheat, flatter

  coign, corner-stone, corner

  coil, noisy disturbance, fuss, trouble

  Colbrand, legendary Danish giant

  collection, inference, understanding

  collied, darkened

  collop, slice, offspring

  colour, pretext, excuse

  colours, military ensigns

  colt, young fool; to make a fool of; to have sexual intercourse with

  co-mart, agreement, bargain

  commodity, commercial privileges, expediency, advantage, consignment

  companion, knave

  comparative, proportionate, full of comparisons; one who assumes equality

  competitor, associate, partner

  complexion, bodily habit or constitution, temperament, appearance, colour

  complot, conspiracy

  composition, consistency, agreement

  con, learn by heart

  conceit, idea, device, apprehension, understanding, opinion, judgement, fancy, imagination, fancy trifle; to think, estimate

  conceited, full of imagination, ingenious, having a certain opinion

  conclusion, experiment, riddle

  condolement, mourning

  conference, conversation, talk, discussion

  confiner, inhabitant

  congree, harmonize

  conscience, knowledge, understanding, scruple

  conscionable, ruled by conscience

  consign, agree, yield up possession

  consist, insist

  conspectuity, sight

  contain, keep

  continent, container, sum; restrained, temperate

  controller, detractor

  convenience, fitness, advantage

  convent, convene, summon

  conversation, intercourse, behaviour

  convert, turn, change

  convey, lead away, carry

  conveyance, underhand dealing

  convince, overcome

  convive, feast together

  convoy, means of conveyance

  cony, rabbit

  cony-catch, cheat

  copatain, highcrowned

  cope, sky; have to do with, encounter, recompense

  copped, peaked

  copy, original; subject matter, copyholdtenure

  coranto, a dance

  Corinthian, reveller

  corky, withered

  Cornelia, mother of the Gracchi, model of Roman motherhood

  cornett, a brass instrument, capable of great brilliance

  cornuto, cuckold, deceived husband

  corollary, surplus

  costard, an apple; the head

  cote, cottage; pass by

  cotquean, ‘old woman’, man who interferes in housekeeping

  couch, hide, lie hidden, make crouch

  counsel, secret, secret purpose or thought

  Counter, debtors’ prison

  counterpoint, quilt, counterpane

  countervail, equal, counter-balance

  court-cupboard, sideboard

  cousin, nephew, kinsman, relative

  cowl-staff, pole on which a ‘cowl’ (or basket) is carried

  coxcomb, fool’s cap, fool, head

  coy, scorn, stroke

  cozen, cheat

  cozier, cobbler

  crackhemp, gallows-bird, one born (or deserving) to be hanged

  crank, twist; wind

  crant, wreath

  crare, small trading vessel

  crave, require

  craze, break

  credent, believing, credible

  credit, credibility, reputation, report

  crestfallen, humbled, abased

  cresset, fire-basket, torch

  cricket, low stool

  crow-keeper, one employed to drive away crows

  crusado, Portuguese coin

  cry, pack of hounds; yelp in following scent

  cubiculo, bedroom

  cullion, testicle (term of abuse)

  culverin, large cannon

  cunning, knowledge, skill; ingenious

  Cupid, god of love, son of Venus and Mars (or Mercury), usually thought of as a boy armed with bow and arrows

  curate, parish priest

  curiosity, exactness, over-scrupulousness, delicacy

  curious, anxious, needing care, fastidious, difficult to please, delicate, beautifully made; delicately

  curst, shrewish, cross, cantankerous, malignant, fierce

  curtal, having the tail docked

  curtal-axe, cutlass

  customer, prostitute

  cut, docked or gelded horse; vulva

  Cyclops, one of a race of one-eyed giants, workmen for Vulcan the smith.

  cyme, medicinal plant

  Cynthia, goddess of the moon

  cypress, fine lawn fabric

  Cytherea, Venus, goddess of love

  Daedalus, with his son Icarus, escaped from imprisonment on home-made wings. Icarus flew too high, the sun melted the wax, and he was drowned. Daedalus escaped.

  danger, harm, injury, power to harm, range (of a weapon), debt

  Daphne, see APOLLO

  dare, dazzle

  date, time, term, term of life, end

  daub, cover with false show; daub it, pretend

  dear, important, energetic, dire

  debile, weak

  Deborah, prophetess who inspired Israel to victory

  decimation, execution of every tenth man

  decoct, heat

  defeat, destruction; to ruin, destroy, disfigure, defraud

  defeature, disfigurement

  defend, forbid

  defunction, death

  defunctive, funereal

  delightsome, delightful, delighted

  demerit, merit, sin

  denier, copper coin of little value

  denunciation, formal declaration

  deplore, tell with grief

  depose, swear, examine on oath

  deprave, defame

  deputation, office of deputy

  deracinate, uproot

  derive, inherit, descend, bring down on, draw

  dern, dark, drear

  desperately, recklessly

  determinate, fix; ended, decisive, intended

  determination, ending, decision, intention

  determine, end, settle, decide

  Deucalion, the Greek Noah

  dexter, right

  dey-woman, dairy-woman

  Diana, goddess of hunting, the moon, and chastity

  diaper, table napkin

  dich, attach to

  Dido, see AENEAS

  diffidence, distrust, suspicion

  diffused, confused, disordered

  dilate, relate, express at length

  dildo, penis, phallus; used in ballad refrains

  dime, tenth man

  Dis, god of the underworld

  disable, impair, disparage


  disappointed, unprepared

  discase, undress

  discourse, reasoning, talk, conversational power, familiarity

  discover, uncover, reveal, make known, recognize, spy out, reconnoitre

  disease, trouble, annoyance; to disturb

  disedge, dull the appetite, sate

  disgrace, insult; disfigurement, disfavour

  disgracious, disliked, out of favour

  dishabit, dislodge

  dishonest, dishonourable, unchaste, immoral

  dishonesty, dishonour, immorality

  dislike, disagreement, disapproval; to displease

  disliken, disguise

  dismiss, forgive

  dismission, dismissal

  dismount, lower, draw from sheath

  dispiteous, pitiless

  displeased, angry

  dispose, disposal, control, disposition, temperament, manner; to control, direct, incline, come to terms

  disputable, argumentative

  distain, stain, defile

  distemper, ill humour, illness of mind or body, intoxication; disturb, disorder

  distemperature, intemperateness of weather, illness, ailment, disturbance of mind

  distinction, discrimination

  distinctly, separately, individually

  distract, divide, perplex, drive mad

  distrain, seize

  distressful, hard-earned

  dive-dapper, dabchick, little grebe

  division, variation, modulation, disposition

  divulge, proclaim

  do, copulate (with)

  doctrine, lesson, learning

  document, lesson

  dogged, cruel

  doit, coin worth half a farthing, a minute sum

  dole, portion, share, grief, sorrow

  domineer, feast riotously

  dominical, red-printed letter in calendar marking the Sundays

  doom, judgement

  double, false, deceitful; wraith

  doubt, suspicion, fear; to suspect, fear

  dout, extinguish

  dowlas, coarse linen

  dowle, downy feather

  doxy, beggar’s wench

  draff, pigwash

  draught, cesspool, privy

  draw, withdraw, empty, search for game, track by scent

  drawer, tapster

  dress, train, groom

  dressing, trimming

  dribbling, falling short or wide of the mark

  drift, purpose, plot, shower

  drollery, puppet-show, comic picture

  drumble, move slowly

  drybeat, beat soundly

  dudgeon, hilt of a dagger

  duello, duelling code

  dump, mournful tune or song

  dun, dark; dun horse

  dup, open

  durance, durability, strong and durable cloth, imprisonment

  eager, sour, bitter

  ean, to bring forth (lambs)

  eanling, young lamb

  ear, plough

  ecstasy, excitement, trance, madness

  edge, appetite, desire

  effectual, pertinent, to the point

  eftest, easiest

  eftsoons, soon

  egg, epitome of worthlessness; take eggs for money, accept injury tamely

  eisel, vinegar

  eld, old age, ancient time

  elder gun, pop-gun made from elder wood

  element, sky, pl, atmospheric powers

  elf, tangle

  embarquement, embargo, prohibition

  emboss, to drive (a hunted animal) to extremity

  embossed, swollen, foaming at the mouth

  embowel, disembowel

  empiric, quack

  emulation, ambitious rivalry, grudge, envy

  emulator, disparager

  encompassment, winding course, ‘talking round’ a subject

  enew, drive into water

  engine, artifice, plot, mechanical contrivance, rack

  engross, write out in a fair hand; collect, monopolize, fallen

  enlarge, set free

  enlargement, release, liberty

  enormous, disordered, irregular

  ensconce, shelter, hide

  enseamed, defiled with sweat

  ensear, dry up

  enshield, concealed, emblazoned

  ensteeped, lying under water

  entertainment, employment

  entreat, treat, negotiate, intercede

  entreatment, entering into negotiation

  envy, malice, enmity; show malice towards

  Ephesian, boon companion

  epicurism, luxury, excess

  equally, justly, impartially

  Erebus, place of darkness, hell

  erected, active, attentive

  ergo, therefore

  eringo, aphrodisiac sweetmeat

  erne, grieve

  erst, formerly

  escot, support financially

  espial, spy

  estimable, appraising

  estimate, valuation, value, repute

  estimation, value, thing of value, esteem, reputation, conjecture

  estridge, goshawk

  Europa, carried away by Jupiter who had taken the form of a bull

  event, outcome, issue, result

  evidence, evidential documents, title-deeds

  evitate, avoid

  exception, objection, dissatisfaction

  exclamation, loud reproach

  excrement, growth (of hair)

  excursion, rush, passage of arms

  exempt, cut off

  exhalation, meteor

  exhale, draw forth

  exhaust, draw out

  exhibit, to submit, present

  exhibition, allowance of money, gift

  expectancy, hope

  expedience, speed, expedition

  expedient, speedy, direct

  expeditious, immediate, urgent

  experimental, of experience

  expiate, end

  extemp’rically, with skill in improvisation

  extend, be lavish in praise, exaggerate the worth of, take by force

  extent, seizure of property in execution of a writ, attack

  extirp, root out

  extracting, distracting

  extravagancy, wandering

  extravagant, straying, vagrant

  eyas, young hawk

  eyas-musket, young sparrow-hawk

  eye-glass, retina, eye’s lens

  eyestrings, muscles or nerves of eye

  face, appearance, appearance of right; to put on a false appearance, brave, bully, brazen, trim

  facinorous, vile

  fact, deed, crime

  factious, seditious

  factor, agent

  faculty, disposition, quality

  fadge, be suitable, succeed

  fading, refrain of a song

  fail, failure, fault; to offend, die

  fain, glad, obliged

  fairing, gift

  faithed, believed

  faitor, cheat, rogue

  falchion, sword, scimitar

  falling sickness, epilepsy

  falsing, deceptive

  fame, rumour, report, reputation; make famous

  familiar, attendant spirit

  fancy, love, whimsicality; to love, fall in love with

  fang, seize

  fangled, foppish

  fantastic, imaginary, fanciful, extravagant

  fantasy, delusion, imagination, fancy, whim

  fap, drunk

  farce, to cram, stuff

  farced, stuffed out

  fardel, bundle, burden

  farm, lease

  farthingale, hooped petticoat

  fashions, disease of horses

  fault, lack, (in hunting) break in the scent

  favour, leniency, something given as a mark of favour, badge, charm, appearance, look, face, feature

  feat, dexterous, graceful; sho
w to advantage; deed

  feature, shape, form, comeliness

  fedary, federary, confederate, accomplice

  feed, pasture

  feeder, servant, parasite, shepherd

  fee-farm, fixed rent for perpetual tenancy

  fee-grief, individual sorrow

  fee-simple, estate belonging to owner and his heirs for ever, absolute possession

  felicitate, happy

  fell, fierce, cruel, enraged; skin, covering of hair or wool, fleece

  felly, section of rim of wooden wheel

  fence, art of fencing, defence; to defend

  fere, spouse

  fern seed, believed to be invisible and to confer invisibility

  ferret, worry

  festinate, hasty

  fetch, stratagem, trick; to draw, derive, strike a blow

  fettle, make ready

  fig, to insult with a ‘figo’

  fig of Spain, figo, fico, scornful gesture made by thrusting the thumb between two of the closed fingers or into the mouth.

  fight, screen for protection of crew in sea battle

  file, catalogue, list, roll, rank, number; to smooth, polish, defile

  fill, fulfil

  fill-horse, shaft horse

  film, fine mesh

  fine, end; to end, pay, fix as sum payable, punish

  fire-drake, fiery dragon, meteor

  firk, thrash

  fitchew, polecat

  fitment, fit equipment, fitting office

  fives, strangles (a horse disease)

  flap-dragon a raisin in burning brandy; to swallow as a flap-dragon

  flapjack, pancake

  flatness, completeness

  flaw, flake of snow, gust, fragment, fault, outburst; to crack, break

  fleckled, dappled

  fledge, fledged, covered with down

  fleer, mock, sneer; to gibe

  flesh, initiate in bloodshed, inflame, gratify

  fleshment, excitement resulting from a first success

  flewed, having large chaps

  flight, fleet, swiftly moving

  flirt-jill, woman of loose character

  float, sea

  flourish, gloss, embellishment, florid decoration, fanfare of trumpets

  flush, full, lusty

  flux, discharge, flowing, stream

  fob, cheat, trick

  foin, thrust

  foison, harvest, plentiful crop

  fond, foolish, silly, trivial, eager, desirous

  fool, professional jester, term of endearment or pity, plaything

  foot, see FOUTRE

  footcloth, saddle cloth

  fop, to dupe, fool

  foppery, folly, deceit

  foppish, foolish

  forage, preying

  forbid, cursed

  fordo, kill, destroy

  fordone, exhausted

  forecast, foresight

  forehorse, first in team

  forespent, previously spent, past

  forestall, condemn in advance

  forgetive, inventive

  fork, forked tongue, barbed arrow-head

  forked, horned

  formal, traditional, dignified, sane