Othello (38 page)
Authors: William Shakespeare
511
clip
embrace
513
execution
action, performance wit mind
515
remorse
(an act of) compassion (for Othello)
516
What…ever
whatever the bloodthirsty business
519
to’t
to the test
524
minx
lewd, wanton woman/prostitute
1
sirrah
sir (used to a social inferior)
2
lies
lodges (the Clown puns on the sense of “to fib”)
5
stabbing
an offense one may be stabbed for
10
lie…throat
fib outrageously
12
edified
instructed (the Clown plays on the sense of “spiritually improved”)
13
catechize
question; the catechism is a form of instruction used by the Church in which a person answers a set of questions about the Christian faith
16
moved
petitioned/persuaded
22
crusadoes
Portuguese gold coins
but
were it not that
27
sun…Drew
just as the sun was supposed to draw noxious vapors from the earth
28
humours
moods (literally, bodily fluids thought to govern a person’s temperament)
32
dissemble
deceive/disguise one’s feelings
37
fruitfulness
generosity/fertility/sexual liberality
liberal
open/generous/licentious
39
sequester
seclusion/separation
40
castigation
chastisement/corrective discipline
exercise
religious observances
43
frank
free/generous/sexually open
46
the…hearts
i.e. whereas once people gave away their hands (in marriage) together with their hearts, nowadays people give away their hands without their hearts
49
chuck
chick (term of endearment)
51
salt…rheum
miserable running cold
62
amiable
lovable
66
fancies
loves
68
her
i.e. my wife
heed
careful attention
73
web
weave
74
sibyl
prophetess
75
compasses
annual circuits, i.e. years
76
prophetic fury
frenzy of prophetic inspiration
77
hallowed
holy, consecrated
78
mummy
medicinal substance obtained from mummified bodies
79
Conserved of
prepared/preserved from
84
startingly and rash
abruptly and impetuously
85
out o’th’way
misplaced
88
an if
if
89
How?
What?
95
misgives
is filled with suspicion/ foreboding
97
sufficient
competent, able (with unwitting sexual connotations)
103
In sooth
truly
107
wonder
extraordinary or magical quality
108
unhappy
unfortunate/miserable
111
hungerly
hungrily
112
belch
burp/vomit
115
happiness
good fortune (at meeting Desdemona)
118
virtuous
good/effective
120
office
duty/functioning
122
mortal
fatal
123
nor
neither
124
purposed…futurity
the merit I intend to display in the future
126
But
merely
be my benefit
content me/be my gain (as I will know the worst)
128
shut… in
confine/devote myself to
129
To fortune’s alms
relying on the charity of fortune
131
advocation
advocacy, pleading (on your behalf)
133
favour
appearance
humour
mood
136
within the blank
at the center of the target/at point-blank range
139
suffice
content
144
his ranks
Othello’s troops
146
brother
brother-in-arms, dearly loved comrade
147
moment
momentous importance
149
of state
connected with state affairs
150
practice
plot, treachery
152
puddled
muddied
155
indues
brings
156
members
limbs
158
observancy…bridal
proper attentions as those that befit the wedding
159
Beshrew
curse
160
unhandsome
inadequate
161
Arraigning
indicting, accusing
162
suborned the witness
bribed or influenced the witness to give false evidence
165
toy
fancy, nonsensical notion
171
Begot upon
conceived from
178
Save
God save (common greeting)
friend
friend/lover
179
make you
are you doing
184
Eight score eight
i.e. 168 (the number of hours in a week)
score
twenty
185
dial
(hours on the) clock
186
reck’ning
counting/total, account
189
continuate
uninterrupted
190
Strike…score
settle this account/repay my sexual debt with copulation
191
Take…out
copy this embroidery for me
193
friend
lover, mistress
194
To…cause
I now discern a cause for the absence I have suffered
203
demanded
asked after
209
womaned
with a woman or paramour
213
bring
accompany
214
soon at night
soon, tonight/early this evening
217
circumstanced
subject to circumstances, i.e. accept the situation
8
hypocrisy…devil
i.e. by seeming to do something wicked, but in fact having virtuous intentions
11
venial
light, pardonable
19
They…not
those that have lost it often still appear to possess it
23
raven
a bird of ill omen, whose cry was thought to herald death
infectious
disease-ridden
24
Boding
predicting ominously (i.e. making its croaking cry)
28
abroad
out and about, at large
29
importunate
persistent
30
voluntary dotage
willing infatuation
31
Convincèd
conquered sexually
supplied
filled up, satisfied sexually
37
did
plays on the sense of “had sex (with)”
42
Lie on her
tell lies about her
43
belie
slander
fulsome
repulsive/lustful
46–47
Nature…instruction
i.e. I would not be losing consciousness and suffering a fit (
passion
) without good reason
invest
clothe, envelop
shadowing
darkening/ominous
instruction
reliable information
48
Noses
displaced image of the penis
lips
also the vaginal labia
51
medicine
poison
53
reproach
disgrace
59
lethargy
faint, torpor
64
on great occasion
about an important matter
66
Dost…me?
Othello thinks that Iago is referring to the growth of a cuckold’s horns on the head
69
hornèd
cuckolded
71
civil
city-dwelling/civilized
74
bearded
i.e. adult
yoked
married/constrained and oppressed by wrongs
75
draw
pull the plow like a yoked ox
76
unproper
improper/not entirely their own
77
peculiar
their own
79
lip
kiss
wanton
lover/lewd woman
secure couch
carefree bed
84
in…list
within the bounds of patience
87
shifted him away
got rid of him/used a ruse to get him out of the way
88
laid…ecstasy
gave convincing explanations about your frenzy
89
anon
shortly
90
encave
conceal
91
fleers
sneers
95
cope
have sex with
97
all…spleen
entirely overcome by violent passion
103
keep time
remain steady and controlled
105
housewife
hussy, prostitute
107
strumpet
whore
108
beguile
cheat
beguiled
charmed, ensnared
109
restrain
refrain
112
unbookish
unlearned/ignorant
conster
construe
113
light
merry
115
addition
title (of
lieutenant
)
116
Whose want
the lack of which
117
on’t
of it
119
speed
succeed, prosper
120
caitiff
wretch
124
faintly
without serious intent/unconvincingly
127
said
done
131
triumph
exult, gloat (literally “hold a victory procession,” an ancient
Roman
celebration during which shackled captives were paraded through the streets)
132
A customer?
i.e. Marry a whore? I, who pay her for sex?
bear…wit
be more charitable toward my judgment;
wit
plays on the sense of “penis”
133
unwholesome
unsound/diseased (i.e. with venereal disease)
136
cry
rumor
138
else
if it is not so
139
scored me
wounded me/got one over on me sexually
141
love and flattery
love for me and self-flattery
144
haunts
follows, hangs around
145
sea-bank
seashore
146
bauble
plaything/worthless trifle
falls me
falls (
me
is emphatic)
