Authors: William Shakespeare
78
Legion
biblical reference to a multitude of devils; Sir Toby may mistakenly think it is the name of a specific devil
82
private
privacy, with possible play on “private parts”
83
Lo
look
83
hollow
echoingly
84
have a
take
87
Let me alone
leave him to me
91
La
look
93
water
urine, examined for diagnosis
93
wise woman
local healer, thought able to cure those bewitched
99
move
excite/provoke
102
bawcock
good fellow (from the French
beau coq
, i.e. “fine bird”)
103
chuck
chick
105
Biddy
hen
106
gravity
respectability
106
cherry-pit
children’s game in which cherrystones are thrown into a hole
106
foul collier
dirty coalman, i.e. the devil
112
idle
worthless/trivial
113
element
sphere/type
117
genius
soul/guardian spirit
119
take … taint
be spoiled (by exposure to air)
123
in … bound
conventional treatment for the insane
124
carry
manage/maintain
127
bar
open court, i.e. judgment
128
finder of madmen
juror who formally declared whether a man was mad
129
matter
substance/sport
129
May morning
i.e. festive time
130
warrant
assure you/confirm
132
saucy
spicy/insolent
133
warrant
assure
135
scurvy
worthless/contemptible
137
admire
marvel
139
note
remark
139
keeps
protects
139
blow … law
legal punishment (for breaching the peace)
142
liest … throat
lie outrageously
149
o’th’windy
on the windward, i.e. safe
152
hope
i.e. of success
152
as … him
insofar as you treat him as such
155
move
provoke/set in motion
157
commerce
transaction/conversational exchange
158
Scout me
keep watch (for me)
159
bumbaily
bailiff who crept up on the debtor from behind
160
horrible
terribly/exceedingly
162
twanged off
uttered ringingly/said with a snide nasal intonation
162
approbation
credit
163
proof
testing out
164
let me alone
i.e. you can rely on me
166
capacity
intelligence
170
clodpole
idiot
173
youth
inexperience
173
aptly receive
readily believe
173
hideous
terrifying
175
cockatrices
basilisks, mythical reptiles whose gaze had the power to kill
176
Give them way
keep out of their way
177
presently
immediately
178
horrid
terrifying
181
laid
laid down/exposed
181
unchary
carelessly
185
’haviour … bears
behavior that characterizes your passion
187
jewel
piece of jewelry, here a miniature portrait of Olivia
191
honour saved
i.e. apart from my virginity
195
acquit
excuse, release (from obligation to love)
200
That
whatever
200
betake
resort
202
intercepter
one lying in wait
202
despite
contempt
202
bloody
bloodthirsty
203
Dismount
draw
203
tuck
sword
203
yare
quick
206
to
with
206
remembrance
memory
209
price
value
210
opposite
opponent
211
withal
with
213
dubbed
invested with knightly status
213
unhatched
unhacked, unmarked (in battle)
213
on carpet consideration
for courtly, rather than military, reasons
215
incensement
fury
216
satisfaction
recompense for offense to one’s honor
217
sepulchre
tomb
217
Hob, nob
have or have not, i.e. come what may
217
word
motto
220
conduct
protection
221
taste
test
222
quirk
peculiarity
224
competent
sufficient
226
that
i.e. the duel
228
meddle
get involved
228
forswear … you
cease to wear a sword
231
office
task
231
know of
inquire from
238
mortal arbitrement
fight to the death
240
Nothing … promise
not at all as extraordinary
240
read
judge
241
form
appearance
241
like
likely
248
mettle
spirit/courage
250
firago
virago, female fighter
250
pass
bout (of fencing)
251
stuck in
fencing thrust
251
mortal
fatal
251
motion
fencing maneuver
252
inevitable
unavoidable
252
answer
return hit
252
pays you
strikes you in return
254
to
in the service of
254
Sophy
Shah of Persia
255
Pox
plague
257
hold
restrain
259
cunning
skillful
259
fence
fencing
259
ere
before
262
motion
offer
263
perdition
destruction, damnation
263
perdition of souls
i.e. loss of life
264
ride
i.e. make a fool of
265
take up
settle
267
horribly conceited
has just as terrifying an idea
270
for’s oath
for his oath’s
271
quarrel
cause of complaint
272
supportance
upholding
272
protests
declares/vows
274
A … would
it wouldn’t take much to
(thing
plays on the sense of “penis”)
279
duello
established dueling code
283
up
away
289
undertaker
one who takes on a task/challenger
289
for
ready for
291
anon
shortly
293
for that
as for what
294
He
i.e. Capilet, the horse
294
reins
is obedient, responds to the reins
296
suit
order/request
299
favour
face
303
answer
be accountable for
307
amazed
shocked/bewildered
313
part
in part
315
having
fortune
316
present
available resources
317
coffer
money
318
deny
reject/disown
319
deserts
worthy deeds
320
lack persuasion
fail to persuade you to help me
320
tempt
try
321
unsound
morally weak/inadequate
327
vainness
ostentation
334
sanctity
holiness
335
image
appearance (plays on the sense of “religious icon”)
336
venerable worth
worthy to be venerated
339
feature
physical appearance
341
unkind
cruel/unnatural
343
trunks
chests/bodies
343
o’erflourished
richly decorated/made outwardly beautiful
352
sage
solemn/dignified
353
saws
sayings
355
glass
mirrored reflection/image
356
favour
appearance
356
went
went about
357
Still
always
357
ornament
clothing, adornments
358
prove
i.e. to be true
360
dishonest
dishonorable
360
a coward
cowardly
364
religious
devout
365
’Slid
by God’s eyelid (common oath)
368
event
outcome
369
yet
after all
Act 4 Scene 1
4
held out
kept up
8
vent
utter, let out
10
of
from
12
lubber
clumsy idiot
12
cockney
pampered child/affected, effeminate fellow
13
ungird
take off
13
strangeness
aloofness
15
Greek
buffoon/speaker of gibberish
16
tarry
linger
17
worse payment
i.e. blows
18
open
generous (with money or blows)
19
report
reputation
20
fourteen years’ purchase
i.e. a large investment of time and money
26
straight
at once
26
in … coats
in your position
28
hold
restrain yourself
30
action of battery
lawsuit for assault
35
iron
dagger/sword
35
fleshed
initiated into fighting
39
malapert
impudent
46
Rudesby
ruffian
46
friend
friend/lover
48
uncivil
barbarous
48
extent
assault
51
botched up
patched together
53
Beshrew
curse
54
started
startled/drove from cover
54
heart
puns on “hart”
55
relish
meaning (literally, “taste”)
56
Or
either
57
fancy
imagination
57
Lethe
river of forgetfulness in the classical underworld
58
still
always
59
Would thou’dst
if only you would
Act 4 Scene 2
2
Sir
respectful title for priest
2
Topas
topaz, a precious stone, was supposed to cure madness; also proverbial for a puritan priest