The Canterbury Tales

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The Canterbury Tales Page 158

by Geoffrey Chaucer


  3283 wryed faste turned vigorously

  3285 lat be leave off

  3287 Do wey take away for youre curteisye kindly, if you please

  3288 gan mercy for to crye begged forgiveness

  3289 profred him offered himself faste earnestly

  3293 hir leiser wel espye see her chance

  3295 but unless waite watch

  3296 I nam but deed I am as good as dead

  3297 derne secret

  3298 therof care thee noght don’t worry about it

  3299 A student would have spent his time poorly

  3300 But if he koude if he could not

  3304 thakked patted lendes buttocks

  3308 wirche perform

  3309 haliday holy day

  3311 leet left off

  3314 Crul curly

  3315 strouted stuck out fanne fan

  3316 evene straight joly shode handsome parting (of hair)

  3317 rode complexion

  3318 Poules window corven the window of St Paul’s cut out (n.)

  3319 fetisly elegantly

  3320 ful smal in very close-fitting clothes

  3321 kirtel tunic waget light-blue cloth

  3322 pointes laces (n.)

  3323 therupon over that

  3324 blosme blossom ris spray, branch

  3325 child youth

  3326 laten blood let blood (n.)

  3327 chartre of… aquitaunce document in evidence of a transaction

  3328 manere ways

  3330 casten leap

  3331 rubible ribible, two-stringed fiddle (n.)

  3332 quinible high treble part (lit. one octave above the treble)

  3333 giterne gittern, a lute-like instrument (n.)

  3334 nas there was no

  3335 solas powers of entertaining

  3336 gailard tappestere gaily dressed barmaid

  3337–8 somdel squaimous Of somewhat squeamish about daungerous fastidious

  3339 joly gallant

  3340 sencer censer

  3341 Sensinge censing faste vigorously

  3342 lovely fond, amorous

  3345 propre good-looking likerous delectable

  3347 hente catch

  3351 wolde noon did not want any

  3354 paramours love

  3357 ycrowe crowed

  3358 dressed him took up his position shot-windowe casement window (n.)

  3360 gentil and smal refined and high-pitched

  3362 rewe take pity

  3363 acordant to his giterninge in harmony with his accompaniment on the gittern

  3367 boures wal bedroom wall

  3369 everydel all

  3370 So this goes on; what more do you want

  3372 woweth woos him is wo bigon he is overcome with sadness

  3374 made him gay made himself handsome

  3375 menes intermediaries brocage employment of a go-between

  3376 page servant

  3377 brokking ?warbling

  3378 piment wine sweetened with honey and flavoured with spices

  3379 wafres wafers, thin cakes glede fire

  3380 of town from the town mede payment

  3382 strokes blows

  3383 lightnesse agility

  3384 scaffold stage (n.)

  3387 blowe the bukkes horn go and twiddle his thumbs (lit. to idle away time blowing a goat’s horn, like a shepherd)

  3389 maketh… hir ape makes her dupe

  3390 jape joke

  3391 sooth true

  3392 nye slye rogue who is close by

  3393 Makes the loved one who is further off fall out of favour

  3394 wood angry

  3396 stood in his lighte put him at a disadvantage

  3397 bere thee bear yourself

  3402 conclusioun decision

  3403 shapen hem a wile devise a trick for them

  3404 sely simple

  3410 softe unobtrusively

  3414 niste did not know

  3416 trowed believed in maladye ill

  3418 for thing that mighte falle in spite of anything that might happen

  3419 passeth forth continues

  3420 stille quietly

  3421 And ate and slept, or did what pleased him

  3423–4 hath greet mervaille Of wonders greatly about him aille be wrong with him

  3425 adrad afraid

  3426 It stondeth nat aright all is not well

  3427 shilde forbid

  3428 tikel changeable, unreliable

  3430 That… him whom wirche work

  3431 knave servant

  3432 Clepe call

  3436 wood mad

  3438 may ye can you al the longe day all day long

  3440 fond found

  3441 Theras where wont accustomed

  3442 depe far inside

  3444 caping evere uprighte continually staring upwards

  3445 kiked on gazed at

  3446 soone straightaway

  3447 array state

  3448 blessen him cross himself

  3452 woodnesse madness agonye fit

  3454 privetee secrets

  3455 Ye yes lewed uneducated

  3456 bileve creed

  3453 kan knows

  3458 prye gaze

  3460 marle-pit lime-pit

  3462 Me reweth sore of I am deeply sorry for

  3463 rated of scolded for

  3465 under-spore lever from beneath

  3466 hevest of lift off

  3468 gan him dresse turned his attention

  3470 haf it of lifted it off

  3472 stille silent

  3473 caped gawped eir air

  3474 wende he were thought he was

  3476 spitously vehemently

  3479 crouche… fro wightes guard from supernatural beings by making the sign of the cross

  3480 night-spel see n.

  3481 halves sides

  3482 withoute outside

  3484 wight creature

  3485 see n. to

  3480–86

  3486 wentestow did you go soster sister

  3488 sike soore sigh deeply

  3489 eftsones now right now

  3491 swinke labour

  3494 toucheth concerns

  3499 shette shut

  3500 sette seated

  3501 lief beloved

  3503 this counseil wreye reveal this secret

  3505 man to anyone art forlore will be destroyed

  3509 sely simple labbe loudmouth

  3510 lief to gabbe fond of blabbing

  3512 harwed helle harrowed hell (n.)

  3516 at quarter night a quarter of the way through the night

  3517 wood furious

  3518 Noes Noah’s

  3520 dreint drowned

  3521 drenche drown lese lose

  3526 for Gode by God

  3527 If you are willing to act according to instruction and advice

  3528 after thin owene heed according to your own judgement

  3530 Werk al by conseil always act after consultation rewe be sorry

  3536 lorn destroyed

  3537 ful yore ago long ago

  3541 Him hadde levere he would have preferred

  3542 wetheres (male) sheep

  3544 wostow do you know

  3547 in house

  3548 kneding-trogh trough in which bread was kneaded kemelin trough (used in cooking or brewing)

  3550 mowen may

  3551 vitaille suffisaunt enough food

  3553 aslake subside

  3554 prime 9 a.m. (g.)

  3555 wite know

  3559 but if thy wittes madde unless your wits are deranged

  3562 speed thee make haste heeraboute about this

  3564 Ygeten got

  3566 purveiaunce preparations

  3568 faire carefully

  3569 atwo in two

  3571 an heigh high up

  3572 Unto the gardinward towards the garden

  3576 doke duck

 
; 3577 How hello, hi

  3578 passe anon soon be over

  3583 o one

  3584 Be wel avised take good care ilke same

  3585 into shippes bord on board ship

  3587 Ne clepe ne crye nor call nor cry out

  3588 heste command

  3589 mote hange fer atwinne must hang far apart

  3592 ordinaunce order spede prosper

  3595 abiding waiting for

  3596 space time

  3599 it nedeth thee nat teche there is no need to teach you

  3603 privetee secret

  3604 bet better

  3605 What all this ingenious contrivance signified

  3606 ferde as acted as if

  3611 which a what a affeccioun emotion

  3612 imaginacioun fantasy, hallucination

  3613 So deeply may the mental image be imprinted

  3614 quake to tremble

  3616 walwing surging

  3618 maketh sory cheere acts sorrowfully

  3619 siketh sighs swogh groan

  3622 prively secretly in house

  3623 heeng hung

  3624 His owene hand with his own hands

  3625 ronges rungs stalkes uprights (of a ladder)

  3626 balkes rafters

  3627 vitailled stocked with food

  3628 jubbe jar

  3629 right inogh amply

  3630 array preparation

  3631 wenche serving-maid

  3632 nede business

  3633 drogh to drew towards

  3635 dressed arranged

  3636 clomben climbed

  3637 seten sat wel a furlong way a good two or three minutes

  3638 Pater noster, clum (say) the Lord’s Prayer, (then) hush

  3640 devocioun prayer

  3641 sit (= sitteth) sits biddeth prays

  3642 Awaitinge on waiting for

  3643 bisinesse activity

  3645 corfew-time curfew (n.)

  3646 travaille trouble goost spirit soore deeply

  3647 routeth snores mislay lay in an uncomfortable position

  3648 of from stalketh steals

  3649 spedde hastened

  3651 Theras where

  3654 Occupied with pleasure and fun

  3655 laudes Lauds (n.)

  3656 chauncel chancel (the part of the church containing altar and choir seats, separated from the nave by a screen)

  3658 wo-bigon overwhelmed with suffering

  3661 upon cas by chance cloisterer canon

  3663 drogh drew

  3664 werche work

  3665 be went has gone

  3666 ther where

  3668 graunge farm (n.)

  3671 joly cheerful light light-hearted

  3674 sin since

  3675 So mote I thrive as I may prosper

  3677 stant (= standeth) stands boures wal bedroom wall

  3679 misse fail

  3681 parfay truly

  3682 icched itched

  3684 me mette I dreamed

  3687 crowe crowed

  3688 rist (= riseth) rises joly gallant

  3689 And dresses himself finely, to the pitch of perfection

  3690 grein cardamom likoris liquorice

  3691 kembd combed

  3692 trewe-love Herb Paris (a plant with four leaves arranged around a central flower or berry, resembling a true-love knot)

  3693 gracious attractive, alluring

  3695 stant (= standeth) stands

  3696 raughte reached

  3697 cougheth clears his throat semi-soun slight, gentle sound

  3699 brid bird, ‘baby’ cinamome cinnamon, ‘honey’

  3700 lemman sweetheart

  3702 swete ther I go sweat as I walk

  3703 swelte grow faint

  3704 moorne… after yearn for tete teat

  3706 turtel turtle-dove

  3709 com pa me come and kiss me (n.)

  3711 bet better

  3713 a twenty devel wey in the devil’s name

  3715 ivel biset badly bestowed

  3721 stille quietly

  3722 hust hush

  3724 lord at alle degrees lord to the highest degree

  3726 oore mercy, favour

  3727 undoth opens

  3728 Have do… com of have done, get on with it speed thee hurry up

  3731 pich pitch

  3733 And Absalon had no better or worse fate

  3734 ers arse

  3735 savourly with relish

  3736 sterte sprang

  3738 rogh rough long yherd covered with long hairs

  3740 clapte… to banged shut

  3741 a sory paas with dejected steps

  3743 Goddes corpus God’s body

  3744 sely poor every del every bit

  3746 quite pay back

  3747 froteth rubs

  3750 bitake consign Sathanas Satan, the devil

  3751–2 But I would rather be avenged for this humiliation than (own) all this town

  3753 ybleint blenched, moved away

  3754 yqueint quenched

  3756 paramours love kers cress (a worthless object)

  3758 gan defye renounced

  3760 A softe paas at a leisurely pace

  3761 Until to

  3762 smithed plough-harneis forged harness or fittings for a plough

  3763 sharpeth sharpens shaar ploughshare cultour coulter (blade of plough-share)

  3764 esily softly

  3765 Undo open up

  3767 tree cross

  3768 rathe early

  3769 eileth is wrong with gay gerl loose woman

  3770 Has set you spinning (n.)

  3772–3 ne roghte nat a bene Of did not care a bean for pley fun again he yaf returned

  3774 He had more business in hand

  3777 Lend it to me; I have (something) to do with it

  3780 poke bag untold uncounted

  3782 Cristes foo the devil

  3783 Therof as to that be as be may let it be as it may

  3785 stele handle

  3788 therwithal as well

  3789 er before

  3792 lief beloved

  3793 dereling darling

  3796 ygrave engraved

  3798 was risen had got up

  3799 amenden al the jape improve on the joke

  3801 up… dide raised

  3805 noot noght do not know

  3807 thonder-dent thunder-clap

  3808 yblent blinded

  3809 hoot hot

  3810 smoot struck

  3811 Of off an hand-brede aboute a hand’s breadth all round

  3812 brende burned toute rump, arse

  3813 smert pain wende for to die thought he would die

  3814 wood mad

  3816 sterte started

  3817 oon someone

  3818 Nowelis Noah’s

  3819 sette him up sat up

  3820 atwo in two

  3821–2 he fond neither to selle, Ne breed ne ale he did not stop (n.) celle floor

  3823 aswowne in a swoon

  3824 Up stirte hire up jumped

  3827 ronnen ran gauren on stare at

  3829 brosten broken

  3830 stonde he moste unto he had to submit to

  3831 bore doun borne down

  3832 With by

  3834 agast afraid

  3835 fantasye delusion vanitee folly

  3839 par compaignye for company

  3841 kiken gaze cape stare

  3844 reson explanation, account

  3847 anon-right immediately

  3849 strif quarrel

  3850 swived laid (sexual sense)

  3851 For al his keping in spite of all his guarding

  3852 nether eye arsehole

  3855 nice cas ludicrous incident

  3858 moore part greater part pleyde joked

  3859 him greve get angry

  3860 But it were unless it was

  3862 ylaft left

  3863 gan to grucche grumbled
r />   3864 So thee’k (= So thee ik) as I prosper quite pay back

  3865 With the hoodwinking of a proud miller

  3867 ik I

  3869 writeth proclaims

  3870 also mowled as mouldy

  3871 openers medlar, ‘open-arse’

  3872 ever lenger the wers always the longer, the worse

  3873 mullok rubbish-heap stree straw

  3876 hoppe dance

  3878 hoor white

  3879 might capacity

  3880 evere in oon constantly

  3882 yreke raked up

  3883 gleedes live coals devise name

  3884 Avaunting boastfulness coveitise covetousness

  3885 sparkles sparks eelde age, old age

  3886 limes limbs unweelde impotent

  3888 have alwey a coltes tooth still have youthful desires

  3889 Though many years have passed since then

  3891 sikerlik certainly

  3892 drough the tappe pulled out the stopper (n.)

  3894 tonne barrel

  3895 chimbe rim (of a barrel)

  3896 sely innocent chimbe chime, ring out

  3897 ful yoore long ago

  3901 What is the meaning of this display of wisdom

  3902 What why

  3904 soutere cobbler leche doctor

  3906 half wey prime half-way between 6 and 9 a.m., 7.30 a.m.

  3907 ther where shrewe rascal

  3908 It were al time it is high time

  3910 yow greve take offence

  3911 somdel in some degree sette his howve mock him

  3912 leveful lawful of-showve repel

  3915 Paraventure perhaps

  3917 cherles termes boorish language

  3918 to-breke break

  3919 stalke straw (n.)

  3922 brigge bridge

  3923 melle mill

  3924 sooth truth

  3927 beete repair

  3928 turne coppes turn (wooden) cups (on a lathe) sheete shoot

  3929 panade large knife

  3930 trenchaunt sharp-edged

  3931 poppere small dagger

  3932 dorste dared

  3933 thwitel knife

  3934 camuse pug

  3935 piled bald

  3936 market-betere a swaggerer in the market atte fulle to the hilt

  3937 legge lay

  3938 abegge pay for it

  3940 sleigh cunning usant accustomed

 

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