Shakespeare words: B

babe noun

A doll or toy made from cloth scraps. The kind of thing a child plays with.

baby noun

A very young child, especially a girl. In Shakespeare's time, this word could also refer to a child born to an unusually young mother.

The nurse tends to the baby with great care.

baccare interjection

A command to stand back or get out of the way. Shakespeare uses it as a sharp order to make room or clear a path.

bacchanal noun

A wild party or drunken celebration—named after Bacchus, the god of wine. In Shakespeare's time, it meant someone devoted to drinking and revelry, or the rowdy festivities themselves.

The soldiers turned the victory feast into a bacchanal, singing and drinking all night.

back noun

Support or backing—the person or thing that stands behind you. Also: the rear of a group or force, or the back side of a property.

This project needs a back—someone powerful to vouch for it.

back-friend noun

A false friend who stabs you in the back—someone who pretends loyalty while working against you. The word plays on the idea of a sergeant sneaking up from behind to arrest you.

back-trick noun

A move in the galliard, a lively Renaissance dance. The exact step is unclear from historical sources, but it likely involved a backwards leap or turning motion.

back-wounding adjective

Harming someone with a sneaky attack from behind, especially through lies or slander. The wound comes when the person least expects it.

A rumor that hurts you when you're not looking—that's back-wounding.

backare interjection

A shout telling someone to move out of the way or step back. It's an urgent command, often used to clear a path or get someone away from danger.

"Backare!" cries the guard, pushing through the crowd.

backsword-man noun

A person who fights with a backsword—a single-edged blade with a basket hilt for protection. In Shakespeare's time, backsword fighting was a common martial practice.

The backsword-man parried and thrust with his wooden practice blade.

backward adjective

What happened before; the past. Shakespeare uses it to mean looking behind you, either literally or in time.

He couldn't see the backward glance she threw at him as she left.

backwardly adverb

In a twisted or wrongheaded way. To think or act against what's reasonable or expected.

Does he now think so badly of me?

bacon noun

A country person, or sometimes a fat fellow. The insult 'chaw-bacon' meant a rustic who chewed on bacon—a mark of low, rural living.

badge noun

A symbol or mark that shows who you are or what side you're on. Knights wore them on cloth or silver. It can also mean any sign or token of something—courage, guilt, loyalty, whatever.

Duncan's grooms were badged with blood—marked by it as guilty.

baffle verb

To publicly shame or disgrace someone, especially by exposure or mockery. In Shakespeare's time, this could mean literally displaying a traitor's image in dishonour.

The false knight was baffled before the whole court.

bag noun

Baggage and personal possessions. When soldiers retreated with bag and baggage, they left in good order, taking their belongings with them—which meant they hadn't been routed or forced to abandon their gear.

bail noun, verb

Money or a promise put up to release someone from jail, with the understanding they'll return for trial. Also: to release someone from jail by putting up that money or promise. Or: to guard or confine.

I'll put up bail for him if he swears to appear in court.

bailiff noun

A law officer who works for a sheriff. He carries out court orders, seizes property from people who owe money, and makes arrests.

baille verb

To hand over or deliver something to someone. A French word that appears in some texts as a variant spelling.

bait verb

To torment or harass someone, like a pack of dogs set loose on a trapped animal. Shakespeare uses it for any kind of relentless needling—by people, by fate, by your own thoughts.

My wretchedness torments me from within.

baiting verb

To drink heavily or deeply. Often used of someone gulping down alcohol in large amounts, as if their throat were a cannon being loaded.

The soldiers were baiting all night before the battle.

bajazet's mule noun

A reference to a legendary stubborn mule belonging to Bajazet (a Ottoman ruler). Shakespeare's audience would recognize it as a proverbial example of stubbornness or obstinacy.

baked-meats noun

Meat cooked inside a pastry crust — basically a meat pie. Shakespeare's characters eat these at funerals and feasts.

The leftovers from the funeral feast were served cold the next day.

baker noun

A reference to an old folk tale about a baker's daughter who was turned into an owl as punishment for refusing bread to a beggar (who was Jesus in disguise). Shakespeare uses it as shorthand for a hard-hearted, ungrateful person.

balance noun

A scale or weighing device—literally the metal pans that hold things you're comparing. Used figuratively to mean something that weighs equally against something else, or the act of weighing one thing against another.

She weighed his promises against his past actions, trying to balance the scales of trust.

bald adjective

Thin, meagre, or plain in a disappointing way. Shakespeare uses it to describe something stripped of substance—bare of meaning or weight.

A bald excuse won't save you; he'll see right through it.

bale noun

Harm or injury. In Shakespeare's time, to "have bale" meant to suffer, to come out of something worse for wear.

If you cross him, you'll have bale before the day is done.

balk verb

To miss or waste an opportunity; to let something slip away. In Shakespeare, often means to dodge or shy away from something you should do.

To balk the prey is to watch your catch escape unused.

balked verb

To pile up or heap together. In Shakespeare, often used of blood pooling or accumulating—a grim image of violence.

ball noun

A sphere, usually small and solid. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean a golden orb that symbolized a king's power, a tennis ball, or a cannonball fired from a gun.

A tennis ball in the king's hand, or a cannonball hurtling through the air.

ballad noun

A simple, popular song—often one that tells a story or attacks someone. In Shakespeare's time, ballads were everywhere, cheap and common, which is why characters sometimes use the word dismissively, the way you might say 'gossip rag' today.

ballad-monger noun

Someone who writes or sells cheap ballads and popular songs—used as an insult to suggest they're a hack churning out low-quality verse for profit.

ballast adjective

Weighted down or heavily loaded. In Shakespeare's time, ships were ballasted—filled with heavy cargo or stones—to sit low in the water and sail steadily.

A ship ballasted with gold sits deep and true in the waves.

ballasting verb

To add weight or substance to something, especially as a way to steady or ground it. Often used figuratively to mean giving something heft or importance.

ballow noun

A wooden club or stick used as a weapon. A regional word from the north and midlands of England.

balm verb

To soothe or heal, as if with a soothing oil. Shakespeare uses it rarely, and always for emotional or physical comfort—calming pain, easing worry, restoring peace.

Rest might heal your wounded spirit.

balmy adjective

Pleasantly fragrant or soothing. It describes something gentle and delightful to the senses—a soft breeze, sweet-smelling air, or peaceful rest.

The balmy night air drifted through the garden.

balsam, balsamum noun

A fragrant oil or healing ointment. Used for treating wounds and for perfume.

The physician applied balsam to soothe the soldier's burned skin.

banbury cheese noun

A type of cheese from Banbury that was famously thin and delicate. When you cut into it, the slices were almost papery.

As thin and insubstantial as a Banbury cheese.

band noun

A bond, tie, or agreement that holds people together. It can mean a physical restraint, a promise, or a binding commitment—anything that links or obligates.

To bind our loves up in a holy band — to join their love through marriage vows.

banditto noun

A bandit or outlaw—someone driven from society who lives by robbery and violence. The word is Italian in origin and carries a sense of lawlessness and danger.

The banditto had been hunted across three kingdoms for his crimes.

bandy verb

To exchange blows, insults, or sharp words back and forth. Like a ball batted in a game—someone throws something at you, you throw it back, and the volley continues.

I will not bandy words with you—no point in trading insults.

bane noun

A poison or something that causes ruin and death. In Shakespeare's time, it meant a deadly threat—either literal poison or a person or force that destroys.

If Rome turns against itself, Rome becomes its own bane.

banished adjective

Forced to leave a place, usually by law or royal order, and forbidden to return. Can describe a person or a period of time spent away.

A banished man has lost his home and must live elsewhere in exile.

bank noun

The shore or edge of a river or sea. Also a ridge or shallow spot rising up from the sea floor or riverbed.

upon this bank and shoal of time

banner noun

A small decorative flag attached to a trumpet. Heralds and musicians hung these fringed banners from their instruments as part of ceremonial dress.

The herald's trumpet bore a crimson banner, announcing the king's arrival.

banquet noun

A light meal or course of sweets, fruit, and wine—often served between meals or as dessert. In Shakespeare's time, a banquet could mean a quick bite or a more elaborate spread of delicacies.

"My banquet is to close our stomachs up" — a sweet course to finish the meal.

bar noun

A legal objection strong enough to stop a case dead—like a barrier the law puts in your way. Also the actual barrier in court where prisoners stand, or the court itself.

barbary noun

A region in North Africa, also used as a shorthand for horses or animals from that region. A Barbary horse was prized for its speed and beauty.

barbed adjective

Wearing armor that covers the chest and sides. In Shakespeare's time, a barbed horse was one fitted with protective metal plates.

A barbed steed carries its rider into battle with steel at every vital point.

barber-monger noun

A man who spends too much time at the barber's shop, fussing over his appearance. An insult for someone vain and concerned with fashion over substance.

He's such a barber-monger, primping his hair while serious business waits.

bardolph proper noun

A character in the Henry IV and Henry V plays; one of Falstaff's roguish companions and a soldier, known for his red nose and involvement in various schemes and thefts.

Now, my good sweet lord, ride with us tomorrow: I have a joke to pull off that I can't do alone. Falstaff, Bardolph, Peto, and Gadshill will rob those men we've already ambushed: you and I won't be there; and when they have the loot, if you and I don't rob them, cut off my head.

bare adjective, noun, verb

As an adjective: worn thin, shabby, or stripped of covering. As a noun: a naked or exposed surface. As a verb: to shave or strip away.

A bare arm, a bare purse, or the bare ground where grass once grew.

bare-bone noun

A very thin, scrawny person. Shakespeare uses it as an insult, calling someone skeletal or underfed.

That beggar is nothing but a bare-bone wrapped in rags.

bare-faced adjective

Open and obvious; not hidden or pretended. Said of something shameless or done right in front of everyone.

A bare-faced lie told to the king's own face.

barely adverb

Naked or wearing almost no clothes. Shakespeare uses it to describe someone stripped down or exposed.

The beggar stood barely clothed against the winter wind.

bareness noun

Thinness or lack of flesh on the body. A lean, gaunt appearance.

His bareness after months of illness was heartbreaking to see.

barful adjective

Blocking or getting in the way. Something that creates obstacles or prevents progress.

A barful strife — conflict that keeps you from moving forward.

bargain verb

To trick or cheat someone by pretending to offer them a good deal. You're playing on their desire for a bargain to make them the fool.

He bargained me with false promises of gold.

bark about verb

To cover or encrust something the way bark covers a tree. Shakespeare uses it to describe a skin disease that crusts over the body.

barlet noun

A small bird used in heraldry, shown without feet or beak. It appears in coats of arms and family crests.

barley-broth noun

Ale—a cheap, weak beer made from barley. The name comes from the grain and the watery quality of the brew.

A beggar might drink barley-broth instead of proper wine.

barm noun

The froth or foam that rises on fermenting beer or ale. Shakespeare's people used it as a leavening agent in bread baking.

The baker skimmed the barm from the ale vat to make his bread rise.

barn verb

To store grain or hay inside a barn. Shakespeare uses it to mean gathering and keeping a harvest safe.

The farmers barn their wheat before winter comes.

barn(e noun

A child or young person. Shakespeare plays on the word's sound, sometimes spelling it 'barne' to make a pun work or to match a regional accent.

The old nurse tends the barn as if it were her own grandchild.

barnacle noun

A type of goose. People used to believe (wrongly) that these birds grew from tree fruit or from shells attached to branches—no egg or mother needed.

Some fool swears he saw barnacles sprouting from an oak like apples.

baron noun

A nobleman of the lowest rank, who holds his title and land directly from the king. In Shakespeare's time, barons were among the least powerful of the nobility, but still commanded respect as lords of their estates.

The king summoned all the barons of the realm to his court.

bartholomew tide noun

August 24th, the feast day of St. Bartholomew. Also used for the roasted pig sold at the famous Bartholomew Fair in London, which ran around this date.

basan noun

A strong, muscular bull—or sometimes used to describe a tough, thick leather made from such an animal's hide. The word comes from the biblical region of Bashan, famous for its powerful cattle.

A man with the strength of a basan.

base noun

The foundation or reason for something. Also: a children's chasing game where players sprint between safe spots and risk being caught if they leave their 'home' base.

base string noun

The thickest string on a stringed instrument, which produces the lowest, deepest notes.

The lute player plucked the base string to anchor the melody.

base-court noun

The outer or lower courtyard of a large house—the practical working area where servants went about their daily chores, as opposed to the inner courts where the family lived.

base-viol noun

A large stringed instrument held between the knees when played, with a deeper tone than a violin. It's the ancestor of the modern cello.

The musicians tuned their base-viols before the evening's concert began.

bases noun

A pleated skirt made of fancy fabric—velvet or embroidered cloth—that hangs from a doublet (fitted jacket) down to the knee. Men wore these as part of their formal dress.

His doublet was crimson silk, with bases of gold brocade.

basilisco-like adjective

Like Basilisco, a blustering, self-important character from an earlier play. Used to describe someone who talks big but is mostly hot air.

basilisk noun

A legendary serpent that could kill with a single glance or poisonous breath. Shakespeare also uses it as a pun for a massive cannon, especially one made of brass.

Her glance was as deadly as a basilisk's stare.

basimecu noun

A mocking name for a Frenchman, popular in Shakespeare's England. The word plays on 'monsieur' and French-sounding syllables to create a cartoon version of French speech.

The English characters use 'Basimecu' to mock the pretensions of French nobles.

basis noun

The bottom or foundation of something—either the physical base that something rests on, or the underlying ground of an idea or argument.

The column crumbled from its basis upward.

bastard noun

A sweet Spanish wine, typically brown or golden in colour. It was a luxury import in Shakespeare's time, similar to muscatel.

baste verb

To sew fabric together loosely with big, temporary stitches. This holds pieces in place before you sew them properly.

The tailor basted the doublet before stitching it tight.

bastinado noun

A beating with a stick or cudgel. Shakespeare uses it figuratively too—harsh words that feel like blows.

His insults were like a bastinado; we couldn't defend ourselves against them.

bat noun

A stick or club, usually used as a weapon or in games. In Shakespeare's time, a bat could be a cudgel swung in a fight or a stick for hitting a ball.

He grabbed a bat and swung at his attacker.

bat-fowling noun

Catching birds at night using lights to dazzle them, then trapping them with nets or poles. Shakespeare uses it as a metaphor for sneaky, underhanded dealing.

Don't trust him—he's all bat-fowling schemes and tricks.

batch noun

A group of things made or produced together at one time. Shakespeare uses it as an insult, calling someone a worthless lump.

A batch of bread fresh from the oven.

bate verb

To reduce, weaken, or hold back. In Shakespeare, you'll most often see it in the phrase "bated breath"—breathing that's controlled and restrained, as if you're holding it in.

She spoke with bated breath, afraid to disturb the silence.

bateless adjective

Sharp and undiminished. A blade or wit that won't dull or lose its edge.

His bateless sword cut through armor without hesitation.

batlet noun

A wooden bat or club used to beat wet clothes during washing. It was common in Shakespeare's time and stayed in use in some parts of England well into modern times.

A laundress would swing the batlet against the cloth to loosen dirt and grime.

battalion noun

A large organized group or army. In Shakespeare, it usually means soldiers marching together in formation, or any overwhelming force arriving all at once rather than one at a time.

Troubles don't come alone—they come in battalions.

batten verb

To feed and grow fat, usually at someone else's expense. In Shakespeare, it often carries a sense of greedy feasting or profiting unfairly.

The parasites batten on the king's wealth while honest men starve.

battery noun

A beating or violent attack on someone. In Shakespeare's time, it was also a legal term for the crime of striking or wounding another person.

He faces an action of battery for the wound he gave her.

battle noun

A group of soldiers arranged in formation, or the main body of an army. Shakespeare uses it to mean the troops themselves, not the fight.

Lead our first battle forward to the field.

battlement noun

The notched wall or parapet that runs along the top of a castle or fortress. The gaps let defenders shoot arrows or look out; the solid parts shield them from return fire.

Guards stood at the battlements, watching for approaching armies.

batty adjective

Like a bat, or having bat-like qualities. Shakespeare uses it to describe something swift and fluttering, or sometimes dark and unsettling.

bauble noun

A cheap, showy trinket. In Shakespeare's time, also the stick or wand a court fool carried as part of his costume—a prop that announced his role.

A king might toss gold coins, but a fool treasures his bauble.

bavin noun

A bundle of sticks or brushwood. Shakespeare uses it as an insult: a "bavin wit" is a mind that flares up quickly but burns out fast—all show, no substance.

His clever remarks are just bavin wit—bright for a moment, then ash.

bawbling adjective

Trivial, worthless, or insignificant. Used to dismiss something as small and unimportant.

A bawbling vessel—a ship of no real consequence.

bawcock noun

A spirited or gallant fellow. A term of friendly admiration, sometimes playful or teasing.

You're a bold one, bawcock — always ready for adventure.

bawd noun

A hare. This is a regional word from northern England and the Midlands.

bay noun

The deep, loud bark of a hunting dog. When a hunted animal turns to face the dogs chasing it, we say it's brought to bay — cornered, forced to stand and fight.

The hounds drove the stag to bay in the forest.

be-leed verb

To be blocked or sheltered from the wind—used figuratively to mean held back or constrained by something. In Shakespeare's usage, it suggests being stuck in place by forces beyond your control.

Trapped by debt, he felt be-leed and powerless to move forward.

be-mete verb

To measure someone or something out, often with the sense of dealing out or distributing in measured amounts. Can carry a tone of retaliation or justice—measuring back what someone deserves.

I'll measure you back with the same treatment you gave me.

be-monster verb

To turn something into a grotesque or hideous version of itself. In Shakespeare, often used about distorting your own face or body through grimace or deformity.

Don't contort your face into something hideous.

be-rime verb

To attack or destroy something through verse or incantation. Shakespeare alludes to an old Irish belief that rats could be killed by magical rhyming.

The witch threatened to be-rime her enemies with a curse.

bead noun

A drop of liquid, especially sweat or tears. Shakespeare uses it to describe tiny round things — sometimes beads on a string (like a rosary), sometimes the small glittering drops that form on skin.

Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead in the summer heat.

beaded adjective

Formed into small round drops or spheres, like beads. Often describes liquids that have gathered into tight, gleaming pellets—water on a leaf, sweat on a brow, or jewels strung together.

Dew beaded on the grass at dawn.

beadle noun

A low-ranking local official who enforced petty laws and handed out punishments. Shakespeare uses it figuratively to describe anything that deals out harm or punishment.

War is his beadle—it does his dirty work.

beadsman noun

A man hired or supported by charity to pray for someone else's soul—often an elderly pensioner or poor man given room and board in exchange for his prayers.

The old beadsman spent his days in the chapel, praying for the merchant who paid for his keep.

beagle noun

A small hunting dog that tracks by smell. Shakespeare sometimes uses it as an insult for a woman, though the exact tone—mean or joking—isn't always clear.

beak noun

A carved, pointed ornament at the front of a ship. In Shakespeare's time, people knew these from old Roman and Greek vessels.

beam noun

A wooden rod or shaft, either the roller in a loom that holds thread, or a long wooden pole like a spear or lance. Shakespeare uses it to compare large objects—a beam of wood is solid, heavy, hard to miss.

The giant's spear was thick as a weaver's beam.

bear noun, verb

As a noun: the Big Dipper constellation. As a verb: to hold or contain something as part of yourself — blood, meaning, consequence. Also: to carry on or conduct yourself in a certain way.

bear back, verb

To move or step backward. Often used as a command to clear space or create distance.

Stand back! room! bear back!

bear-herd noun

A person who looks after a bear and shows it to audiences for money. In Shakespeare's time, bear-baiting was a popular entertainment, so these handlers were common figures.

bearer noun

Someone who holds or carries something. In Shakespeare, often the person who owns or possesses something valuable—like a title, a letter, or a precious object.

The bearer of bad news often gets blamed, even though they didn't cause the trouble.

bearing noun

The way you carry yourself—your posture, manner, and overall presence. It's how you come across to others.

His blunt bearing made people nervous—he seemed ready for a fight.

bearing-cloth noun

A rich gown or robe that a baby wore to be christened. It was a formal, often expensive garment worn for the baptism ceremony.

The new lord's bearing-cloth was trimmed with gold thread, marking his family's wealth and status.

beastly adverb

In a cruel, savage, or brutish way. Acting without thought or mercy, like an animal driven by instinct rather than reason.

He fought beastly, all rage and no skill.

beat verb

To work hard at thinking something through; to keep turning an idea over in your mind. Your brain keeps at it, like wings beating.

The problem keeps beating in my mind no matter what I do.

beated verb

To cut or slice turf from the ground, especially for fuel. A regional term from the southwest of England and the Welsh border areas.

beautied adjective

Made beautiful or more attractive. Shakespeare uses it to describe someone or something enhanced by beauty, grooming, or artifice.

Her face was beautied with cosmetics and jewels.

beauty noun

Physical attractiveness or pleasing appearance; also, a quality that delights the senses or mind.

It's not your fault, but your beauty: I wish that fault were mine!

beaver noun

The metal face-guard on a helmet that can be raised or lowered. Sometimes used to mean the whole helmet itself.

He lifts his beaver to breathe, sweat dripping down his face.

become verb

To suit or look good on someone. To be fitting or proper for a person or situation.

That dress becomes her well.

becomed verb

Suited or fitted to someone. Looked good on them, or was proper for them to do.

That behavior becomed a king, not a common soldier.

becoming adjective

Flattering or attractive in a way that suits someone well. Something that makes a person look or sound good.

That jeweled gown is most becoming on her.

bed noun

A place of rest or sleep. Also used to mean a grave, or the end of life—the final resting place.

He went unto his bed, never to rise again.

bed-presser, noun

A man who stays in bed too much—either because he's lazy, or because he's unfaithful to his wife. The word plays on the idea that he spends more time in bed than he should.

bed, bedded noun

An older spelling of bead—a small, round piece of glass or stone strung together with others to make ornaments or rosaries.

bedded verb

Arranged or packed down flat and smooth, like settling something into a bed or base. Used literally for plants, soil, or other material.

The stones were bedded firmly in the earth.

bede noun

A prayer, or a single bead on a prayer string. The word comes from an old root meaning 'to ask' or 'to pray.' In Shakespeare's time, people counted their prayers on beads, so 'bede' could mean either the prayer itself or the physical bead.

bedlam noun

A madman or lunatic. The word comes from Bethlehem Hospital in London, which housed people with mental illness and became synonymous with chaos and insanity. Shakespeare uses it as a direct insult for someone acting wild or deranged.

"Bedlam, have done!" — stop your mad ranting.

beef-witted adjective

Stupid or dull. Someone whose mind works slowly, like muscle rather than quick wit.

A beef-witted servant who can't understand the simplest instruction.

beer noun

Trivial things; matters too petty to waste time on. Weak beer was cheap and common, so "small beer" became slang for anything worthless or insignificant.

To chronicle small beer is to waste your pen on gossip.

beetle noun, verb

As a noun: a heavy mallet, so large it took three men to lift it, used for driving paving stones into place. As a verb: to jut out or overhang, the way a cliff leans over its base.

A cliff beetles over the sea.

beetle brows noun

Eyebrows that stick out and overhang the eyes, like the shell of a beetle. A heavy, jutting brow.

His beetle brows made him look angry even when he was calm.

befall verb

To happen to someone or something. Something that befalls you is an event or circumstance that comes upon you, often unexpected.

Tell me what has befallen your brother since he left.

before preposition, adverb, conjunction

As a preposition: a sworn oath or invocation—like saying 'I swear by God.' As an adverb: in front, or ahead in position or time. As a conjunction: rather than, or instead of.

beforehand adverb

To get ahead of someone, or beat them to it. To act first so that someone else can't.

If you speak first, you'll be beforehand with any accusations they might make.

beg verb

To petition the royal court for guardianship of a minor, heiress, or person deemed mentally unfit. This was a real legal power in Shakespeare's England—the Crown controlled who could be a ward and profit from their estates.

A nobleman might beg the Queen for wardship of a rich orphan to gain control of her lands.

beget verb

To create or bring forth something. In Shakespeare, it often means to cause or produce an effect or feeling.

His quick wit begets laughter in the room.

beggar noun, verb

As a noun: someone asking for help or mercy. As a verb: to make something worthless or exhausted. When you beggar something, you drain it of value or resources—it becomes too poor to matter.

The sunset beggared all description—no words could capture it.

beggary noun

A shameful stinginess or smallness of spirit. It's the kind of petty, grasping behavior that makes someone contemptible.

To refuse a friend in need would be beggary of the heart.

begin verb

to start or commence; to initiate an action or process

Pyramus, you start: after you speak your lines, go into that bush: and then everyone else, follow your cue.

beguile verb

To pass time pleasantly, or to distract yourself from something unpleasant. Can also mean to trick or cheat someone out of something.

Music beguiles the long winter evening.

behalf noun

Interest or advantage; the side or cause of someone. "In behalf of" means for the benefit of, or on someone's part. "On behalf of" means in someone's name or representing them.

She spoke on behalf of the accused man, defending his character in court.

behave verb

To control or manage something—usually an emotion or impulse. In Shakespeare, you'll see it used to mean "conduct" or "govern" rather than simply "act in a certain way."

He behave his anger — meaning he kept it in check.

behaviour noun

The way you present yourself to the world through your actions and how you carry yourself. It's about what people see and know of you by how you act.

"In my behaviour" means through the way I actually conduct myself and appear to others.

behind-hand adjective

Late or slow. Behind in progress or payment—not keeping up with what's expected.

A merchant who falls behind-hand with his debts invites ruin.

behold verb

to look at or observe; to witness or see

Four days will quickly pass into night; Four nights will quickly pass away; And then the moon, like a silver bow Newly bent in the sky, will witness the night Of our celebrations.

beholding noun

The act of looking at something, or the way something appears to the eye. Often used to describe an impression or sight that strikes you—wild, strange, beautiful, or otherwise.

A ghost wild in my beholding.

behoof, behove noun

Your own good or advantage. When someone does something for your behoof, they're doing it because it helps you or serves your interests.

He gave the warning for your behoof—to protect you from harm.

behoveful adjective

Necessary or required. Something you have to do or have.

It is behoveful that you learn his name before you meet him.

behowl verb

To howl at something—especially the moon. The prefix 'be-' intensifies the action, making it a complete, directed howl rather than just any noise.

being noun

Your life or existence. Shakespeare sometimes uses it to mean where you are or how you're living—your state or condition at a given time.

"Pisa gave me my being"—meaning Pisa is where I was born and got my life.

being (that) conjunction

Since; given that. You use this to introduce a reason or condition.

Being that you swore an oath, you must keep it.

beldame noun

An old woman, often used with scorn or disgust. Shakespeare sometimes calls the earth itself a 'beldame'—treating it as ancient and worn.

The old beldame earth has seen empires crumble.

belie verb

To tell lies about someone, or to spread false claims about them. To make something seem false or wrong through deception.

His calm words belied the rage boiling underneath.

believe verb

to think true; to accept as real or genuine; to suppose or imagine

I won't answer your questions; let me go: Or, if you follow me, don't believe That I won't harm you in the woods.

bell noun

A small bell attached to a hawk's leg so the hunter can track the bird in flight. Also used in the phrase 'bell, book, and candle' to invoke excommunication or a curse—the bell rung as part of the ritual.

If Warwick shake his bells—the hawk is loose and hunted.

bell-wether noun

The sheep at the head of a flock, wearing a bell so the others follow. Used figuratively for someone who leads a crowd or sets the trend—especially loudly.

He's the bell-wether of fashion in their circle; everyone copies what he wears.

bellman noun

A town official who rang a bell to announce deaths and call people to pray for the dead. He also worked as a night watchman, ringing the hours through the streets after dark.

The bellman's bell tolled at midnight, marking the saddest watch of the night.

belly-doublet noun

A style of doublet (close-fitting jacket) cut to emphasize or accommodate the belly. The term describes the garment's silhouette rather than the wearer's build.

belonging noun

Your personal possessions and circumstances — the things that come with you and define your place in the world. In Shakespeare's time, this could mean your clothes, your rank, your family connections, all the stuff that made you *you*.

You and everything that comes with you aren't really yours to do with as you please.

beloving adjective

Deeply or intensely loving. A way of emphasizing that someone's love is particularly strong or devoted.

below adverb

Downstairs, in the lower part of a house or building. Shakespeare also uses it to mean the underworld or hell.

The servants waited below while the master dined above.

belt noun

A boundary or limit that holds something in check. Think of it as the restraint that keeps chaos contained — or fails to.

His anger burst through every belt of reason.

bemadding adjective

Driving someone crazy or to the point of losing their mind. Something that gets under your skin and makes you lose it.

The bemadding noise kept him awake all night.

bemoil verb

To make dirty or muddy. To soil something by getting it covered in muck or mess.

His fine doublet was bemoiled by the journey through the swamp.

ben venuto interjection

An Italian word meaning welcome or well-come. Shakespeare uses it as a warm greeting.

Ben venuto, friend — you arrive at the perfect moment.

bench noun, verb

As a noun: the group of senators or judges sitting together in authority. As a verb: to put someone in a position of power, or to sit in judgment. Shakespeare uses the verb form rarely, but when he does, it means to elevate someone to a seat of authority or to preside as a judge.

I raised him from nothing and seated him in power.

bench-hole noun

A toilet or outhouse. In Shakespeare's time, a simple hole in a wooden seat over a pit or cesspool.

bencher noun

A senior member of an inn of court—one of the legal societies in London. Benchers held significant power in their institution and were respected figures in the law.

The benchers debated whether to admit him to the bar.

bend verb

To direct or aim something—your body, attention, or effort—toward a target or purpose. To turn your course or inclination toward something.

She bent all her strength toward winning his approval.

bending adjective

Showing respect or deference by yielding to someone else's wishes. The image is physical — bowing or leaning down — but the meaning is emotional: being humble or courteous.

A bending subject asks the king's forgiveness.

beneath adjective

Below, or of the lower world. In Shakespeare's time, people thought of the universe in layers—the heavens above, the earth in the middle, and everything below as inferior or base.

benedicite interjection

A blessing or greeting used by friars and religious people. It's Latin for "may you be blessed" — a formal, pious way to say hello.

A friar greets the traveler: "Benedicite, good stranger."

benediction noun

A blessing, or words spoken to wish someone well. Often God's favor or protection.

The priest gave his benediction as the couple left the church.

beneficial adjective

Helpful or doing good. In Shakespeare, it means either generous and kind, or simply advantageous — bringing something you want or need.

The sun's beneficial rays warmed the garden.

benefit noun

A gift or advantage given to you—either something concrete like money or property, or something natural like the gifts of your homeland. Shakespeare uses it for both.

The benefits of your own country—meaning all the natural gifts and protections you were born into.

benetted adjective

Caught or trapped, as if in a net. Used for someone surrounded by danger or enemies.

surrounded by villains, completely caught in their trap

benevolence noun

A tax or forced loan that English kings claimed was a voluntary gift from their people. It's really just money the crown demanded, dressed up in courteous language.

benign adjective

Kind, gentle, or harmless. In Shakespeare's time, the word often carried a sense of something favorable or gracious—a benign fate meant good luck coming your way.

A benign ruler who treated his people with mercy.

benison noun

A blessing, especially one given by God or a figure of authority. The word carries weight—it's not just any good wish, but something sacred or formal.

May heaven's benison fall upon you.

bent noun

A natural inclination or tendency of mind. Also used for the limit of what someone can endure or stretch to—like how far a bow can bend before it breaks. Shakespeare uses it to mean both a person's true leaning (their character or desire) and the furthest point they can push themselves.

"To the top of my bent" means stretched to my absolute limit.

berattle verb

To fill a place with noise and commotion. The word suggests loud rattling or clattering sounds that dominate the space.

The soldiers berattle the town square with their marching and shouting.

bereave verb

To take something away from someone, or to strip away a quality—usually strength, beauty, or clarity. Shakespeare almost always uses it in the past tense: bereft.

His bereaved sense could no longer tell right from wrong.

bergomask noun

A silly, clumsy dance from the Bergamo region of Italy. In Shakespeare's time, Bergamese people were stereotyped as simple and rustic, so their dances got the same reputation—good for a laugh.

The play ends with a bergomask, everyone stumbling around in comic fashion.

berlady interjection

An oath swearing by the Virgin Mary. A mild exclamation people used the way we might say "good heavens" or "honestly."

Berlady, what strange news you bring me!

bermoothes noun

The Bermudas, a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Shakespeare's audience knew them as a dangerous, storm-plagued place.

The ship was wrecked on the Bermoothes during the tempest.

bescreen'd verb

Hidden or covered up. To bescreen something is to put a screen or barrier in front of it so it can't be seen.

The lovers met bescreen'd in darkness, where no one could spot them.

beseech noun

A humble or urgent request; the act of asking someone earnestly for something. When you beseech, you're pleading rather than demanding.

beseek verb

An old form of 'beseech' — to ask or plead with someone earnestly. You'd see this in northern English texts from Shakespeare's time.

beseeming noun

The way someone looks or presents themselves. Their outward appearance or manner.

beside preposition

Next to, or alongside. Also used to mean outside of or apart from—as in 'beside yourself' (out of your mind with emotion).

A tear fell beside her cheek.

besides preposition

Outside of; away from. Used to mean something is set apart or removed from its proper place or context.

His rage took him quite besides all patience.

beslubber verb

To smear or slap something wet and messy all over something else. Shakespeare uses it for getting your clothes gross.

besort verb

To suit or be fitting for someone. If something besorts you, it matches who you are or what your position calls for.

Men who besort our age are those fit for our times.

bespeak verb

To speak to someone directly, or to address them. Often carries the sense of arranging or engaging something in advance—like placing a spoken order.

I spoke to you kindly when we first met.

bespice verb

To season food with spice. In Shakespeare's time, spices were exotic and expensive, so this word carries a sense of enrichment or enhancement.

A cook might bespice a meat pie to make it worthy of a lord's table.

best verb

To get the better of someone; to outdo or defeat them. Also used as a noun phrase 'at best' meaning in the most favorable circumstances or interpretation.

I'll best you in this contest.

best-conditioned adjective

Having the finest temperament or disposition. You're describing someone whose character and mood are at their best—naturally calm, generous, or even-tempered.

best-moving adjective

Most persuasive or compelling. When something moves you, it stirs your feelings or changes your mind—the best-moving thing does this most powerfully.

A lawyer with the best-moving arguments wins the case.

best-tempered adjective

Made of the finest quality steel or metal—strong, reliable, and well-crafted. Used to praise a sword, a tool, or figuratively, a person's character.

A best-tempered blade won't break in battle.

beste'd verb

To place or put someone in a particular situation—usually a difficult or worse one. In Shakespeare, it almost always means you're in trouble.

If the ship goes down, we'll all be poorly beste'd.

bestill'd adjective

Made still or motionless; frozen or stiffened in place. The word is rare and its exact meaning uncertain, but it suggests something brought to a halt or hardened.

bestow verb

To give something as a gift or grant. In Shakespeare, it often means to give a daughter in marriage, or to spend time or money on something.

He bestows his daughter on a worthy suitor.

bestraught adjective

Scattered, confused, or unable to think straight. Your mind is all over the place.

She was bestraught with grief after hearing the news.

bestride verb

To stand over someone who has fallen, protecting them from harm. In Shakespeare, it means to defend or shield something precious from destruction.

A soldier bestrides his wounded friend to keep the enemy at bay.

beteem verb

To allow or grant something. Shakespeare uses it in formal or solemn moments where permission or blessing is being given.

bethink verb

To think of something; to remember or figure out. Often used reflexively—as in, to pause and collect your thoughts about what to do next.

She bethought herself of a plan to escape the city.

betide verb

To happen to someone; to become of them. You use this when asking what will come to pass for a person, usually with concern about the outcome.

What will become of me? What would betide on me?

betray verb

To hand someone over to harm, punishment, or an enemy. Also: to lead someone astray through deception, or to fail someone who trusted you.

The guard agreed to betray the prisoner to the executioner.

better adverb

Rather, or by preference. Used to say what would be a wiser or more desirable choice than what actually happened.

He would sooner have burned his tongue than speak those words.

between preposition

In the time or space that separates two moments or places. Shakespeare often uses it to mean "during the interval of" or "in the span of."

Between now and tomorrow, much may change.

bevel adjective

Slanted or at an angle, not straight. In Shakespeare, often used to describe something crooked or twisted—either physically or morally.

I may be honest even though others are crooked.

bevis noun

A reference to the legendary knight Bevis of Hampton, hero of a medieval romance famous for wild, exaggerated tales. Shakespeare's audience would recognize the name as shorthand for an impossible adventure or an unbelievable claim.

bevy noun

A group of women or girls. The word often carries a note of elegance or refinement—you wouldn't say it about a random crowd.

A bevy of ladies arrived at court in their finest gowns.

beware verb

Watch out for something; be on your guard. Keep your wits about you when facing a person or situation that might harm you.

Beware the ides of March — Caesar's enemies are plotting.

beweep verb

To cry over something or someone; to mourn or lament. The word feels old-fashioned now, which is partly why Shakespeare made it stick in our heads.

She would beweep the loss of her childhood home.

bewray verb

To reveal or expose something hidden. Often used when someone's secret, guilt, or true nature gets discovered against their will.

His nervous hands would bewray the lie he was trying to tell.

beyond adverb

Farther away than; on the other side of. Also used to mean surpassing or exceeding something.

His cruelty goes beyond what anyone could forgive.

bezonian noun

A poor beggar or petty criminal. Elizabethans used this word for anyone down on their luck or living by their wits.

bias noun

A pull or inclination toward one side—something that sways you in a particular direction. The word comes from bowls, the game, where a weighted ball curves as it rolls. Shakespeare uses it for any force that bends your nature or judgment.

A character might say their nature drew them to ambition, the way a weighted bowl rolls toward the edge.

biddy noun

A chicken or other barnyard fowl. Shakespeare uses it as a casual, affectionate term for the bird itself.

bide verb

To stay or remain in a place. Often used with 'upon' to mean to linger on a topic or keep your attention fixed on something.

Let's not bide upon this painful memory.

biding noun

A place where someone lives or stays. In Shakespeare's time, it meant your home or shelter.

He found a comfortable biding in the countryside.

bifold adjective

Double or twofold. Something made up of two parts or layers.

big adjective

Powerful or impressive in strength or stature. Can also mean swollen with pregnancy, or—when describing a person—arrogant and full of oneself.

A big heart swollen with pride; big wars that shake the kingdom.

bigamy noun

In Shakespeare's time, marrying a widow was considered a serious religious offence. The church saw it as a kind of double marriage, even though the woman's first husband was dead.

A man who wed a widow risked being accused of bigamy by strict clergy.

bilberry noun

A small dark berry that grows wild in England. It's sweet and edible, and was common enough in Shakespeare's time that people ate them fresh or in pies.

bilbo noun

A sword made in Bilbao, Spain, prized for its quality steel and flexibility. The blade was famous for being both strong and springy.

A warrior might boast of his bilbo the way we'd brag about a finely made tool.

bilboes noun

Heavy shackles that slide along a fixed iron bar bolted to the deck or floor. Ships used these to restrain troublemakers—especially sailors who mutinied or broke discipline.

A sailor caught stirring up rebellion faced the bilboes below deck.

bill noun

A written list, note, or account—such as a bill of charges, an inventory, or a public notice. Shakespeare also uses it for the old military weapon: a long pole with an axe or blade at the end, carried by soldiers and constables.

A shopkeeper's bill of what he sold; a soldier's bill propped against the wall.

billet noun

A thick stick or cudgel used as a weapon. Also: a soldier's assigned lodging or quarters.

He swung his billet at the guard.

bird noun

A young feathered creature, or sometimes a girl or young woman. Also used as a term of affection, like calling someone 'dear' or 'love'.

bird-bolt noun

A short arrow with a blunt head, designed to stun or kill birds without piercing them. Hunters used these instead of sharp points so the meat wouldn't be ruined.

A poacher caught with bird-bolts in his quiver was stealing the lord's game.

birding noun

Hunting small birds with a hawk, usually a sparrow-hawk. The birds were flushed into bushes and then shot with a light gun called a birding-piece.

birlady interjection

A mild oath swearing by the Virgin Mary. Common in older English as a casual exclamation, like saying "by God" or "honestly."

"Birlady, you speak the truth!" — a character emphasizing their point with a religious oath.

birth noun

Your family background and social rank—especially whether you come from a noble or respected line. It can also mean the act of being born, or your innate nature and character.

A peasant and a prince are unequal in birth.

birth-child noun

A child born in a specific place. The birthplace becomes part of how you understand who they are.

Marina, a birth-child of the sea, was born during a storm at sea.

bis coctus adjective

Cooked twice over, or cooked too much. Used as an insult to mean someone is overcooked, ruined, or turned stupid by excessive heat or effort.

bisson adjective

Blinding or obscuring vision. Shakespeare uses it to describe tears that blur the eyes, or anything that clouds sight or judgment.

Bisson rheum — tears so thick they blind you.

bite verb

To restrain yourself by biting your lip or tongue—holding back anger or keeping quiet. Also, to defy someone (by the crude gesture of biting your thumb at them), or to show contempt.

He bit his lip to keep from shouting back.

bitumed verb

Coated or sealed with bitumen, a sticky tar-like substance. Used to describe a ship's hull that has been waterproofed with this material.

black adjective

dark in color; of the darkest shade

Black beetles, don't come near;

black monday noun

Easter Monday. Why it was called "black" is unclear — Shakespeare's time didn't leave us a reliable explanation.

blackberry noun

Something worthless or cheap. In Shakespeare's time, blackberries grew wild everywhere—so plentiful and common that calling something "worth a blackberry" meant it had no value at all.

"Promises are as plenty as blackberries—worthless until they mean something."

blackness noun

Evil or wickedness. Shakespeare uses it as a moral darkness—the state of being deeply wicked or corrupt.

The villain's blackness was finally revealed to the court.

bladder noun

A swollen bump or blister on the skin, filled with pus or infected matter. Often used as an insult to describe something disgusting or worthless.

bladed adjective

Having blades or blade-like leaves. In Shakespeare's time, grass or grain that hadn't yet grown its seedhead was called bladed grass.

Young wheat in spring—still bladed grass, not yet ready to harvest.

blame adjective

Worthy of blame; culpable. To be blamed for something you did intentionally.

blank noun

The white circle at the center of a target — or anything you're aiming for. Also a lottery ticket that wins nothing, or a blank piece of paper ready to be filled in.

His anger made me feel like I stood within the blank of his displeasure — the direct target of it.

blast verb

To damage or destroy something, especially while it's still developing. Shakespeare uses it for sound that splits your ears, blight that kills plants before they mature, or an explosion that ruins something being tested.

A rose blasting in the bud never becomes a flower.

blastment noun

A withering or blight—something that damages and destroys, especially plants or hopes. Often used to describe a sudden, ruinous force.

The frost brought a blastment to the garden overnight.

blazon noun

A coat of arms or shield bearing a family's heraldic symbols. By extension, any public display or announcement of something—especially praise or accusation.

He wore his family's blazon with pride on his armor.

bleak adjective

Pale or colorless. In Shakespeare, often used to describe a ghostly or drained appearance—someone who looks ill or frightened.

A bleak face in the candlelight might signal a character's terror or sickness.

blear verb

To trick or deceive someone. The word originally meant to blur or cloud the eyes, so it carries a sense of obscuring the truth.

Don't let them blear you with smooth talk—look at what they actually do.

bleeding adjective

Soaked in blood, or figuratively, raw and unhealed. When Shakespeare uses it this way, he means a wound—literal or emotional—that won't stop hurting.

A bleeding heart can't be ignored; the pain is still fresh.

blench verb

To flinch or dodge away from something. To shy back when faced with difficulty or fear.

He won't blench from the challenge ahead.

blend verb

To mix things together so they become one. When liquids or colors blend, you can't tell them apart anymore.

Wine and water blended into a single pale drink.

blent verb

Mixed together. Often used for combining liquids, colours, or qualities into one seamless whole.

The two families' fortunes were blent in the marriage.

bless verb

To protect or safeguard someone. Also: to make happy or fortunate, often by granting something good. Shakespeare sometimes plays on the gesture of crossing oneself for protection.

She was blessed with beauty and wit.

blest adjective

Filled with healing power. In Shakespeare's time, certain plants were thought to have blessed or medicinal properties built right into them.

The blest infusions dwell in plants.

blind adjective

Without sight or awareness. In Shakespeare, often means heedless, reckless, or wrapped in darkness—acting without care or understanding of what you're doing.

Blind rage drove him to speak without thinking of the consequences.

blindfold adjective

Reckless and unthinking, like moving without sight. Shakespeare uses it to describe wild, uncontrolled rage or action.

blindfold fury

blindness noun

A deliberate act of covering something up or looking away. It means pretending not to see what's really going on.

Cover your dishonest feelings by acting like you don't notice the truth.

blister'd adjective

Swollen or raised up, like a blister on skin. Shakespeare uses it to describe anything puffed out or distended.

A blister'd hand from hard work.

bloat adjective

Swollen and puffy, as if filled with air. Shakespeare uses it to describe someone or something that looks soft and inflated.

A bloat face, red and round from too much wine.

block noun

A wooden form used to shape a hat while it's being made or finished. Sometimes used to mean the hat's style or cut.

A fashionable block for a velvet cap.

blood noun

Life itself — the vital fluid that keeps a person alive. Also the seat of passion, temper, and emotion: your blood is hot when you're angry or excited. Can mean family descent or noble ancestry.

He shed his blood for the cause — he gave his life.

blood-bolter'd adjective

Hair matted and stiff with blood. The word captures that wild, violent look—strands clumped and stuck together.

A warrior after battle, blood-bolter'd and exhausted, stumbling from the field.

blood-drinking noun

A poetic way to describe sighing. People believed that each sigh literally drained a drop of blood from the heart—so sighs were 'blood-drinking,' consuming your life force with each breath.

A lover sighs and thinks of their beloved—another drop lost to heartache.

blood-sucker noun

Someone who craves violence or war; a bloodthirsty person. Shakespeare uses it as an insult for aggressive fighters or cruel rulers.

That blood-sucker leads men into battle just to slake his thirst for killing.

bloody adjective

Soaked with blood, or the color of blood. Also used to mean fierce and passionate, especially in battle or youth.

blossom noun

Youth and beauty in their prime—the best, most promising time of someone's life. Also used ironically for someone doomed or wasting their potential.

He squandered his youth, dying in the blossom of his years.

blot verb

To damage someone's reputation or character; to stain their good name. Shakespeare often uses it for any kind of disgrace or moral harm.

A single lie can blot a person's honour forever.

blow noun, verb

As a noun: a hard strike or hit. As a verb: to inflate or swell something up; also, to blossom or bloom. In older usage, flies 'blow' by laying eggs on meat, which makes it rot.

blown adjective

Swollen or puffed up, either literally or as a sign of arrogance. Shakespeare sometimes uses it to mean something that has blossomed or come into flower.

A blown rose drops its petals fast.

blowse noun

A ruddy-faced woman, often used as an insult. The term carries a tone of contempt, suggesting coarseness or low status.

The drunk man called her a blowse, red-faced and loud.

blowt adjective

Swollen or puffed up, either from illness, excess, or decay. Shakespeare uses it to describe someone or something that's distended and unpleasant to look at.

A blowt face after too much drinking.

blue adjective

A bruised or discolored color—either the dark marks around the eyes from crying or sleeplessness, or the livid patches on skin from a beating. Also used for the bluish-grey tones of mountains and flame.

Her eyes were blue with weeping through the night.

blue-bottle noun

A beadle or constable, named mockingly for the blue coat he wore as part of his uniform. Shakespeare uses it as an insult.

You blue-bottle, thinking yourself mighty in your official coat!

blue-cap noun

A Scottish person. The name comes from the blue woolen caps that were common in Scotland—a distinctive hat that made Scots recognizable at a glance.

blue-ey'd adjective

Having blue eyes. Shakespeare uses this to describe someone's appearance, though the term can carry emotional weight depending on context.

blunt adjective

Slow to understand or lacking in sensitivity. Also used to describe someone rude or rough in manner—direct without grace or feeling.

A blunt man speaks what he thinks without care for how it lands.

blurt verb

To mock or scoff at someone or something. To dismiss it as worthless or ridiculous.

They blurted at our proposal, laughing it off.

boar-pig noun

A young male pig, especially one that hasn't yet reached full size or maturity. In Shakespeare's time, this was a common farm animal.

board verb

To approach or accost someone directly. In some contexts, to attack or make a forceful move—the image comes from sailors boarding an enemy ship.

He boards the messenger with urgent questions.

boast verb

To display something with pride. You boast when you show off a quality or possession—your own or someone else's—as if announcing it proudly.

The garden boasts the finest roses in the county.

bob noun

A mocking remark or taunt. A jab meant to wound someone's pride or self-respect.

bodement noun

A sign or hint of what's to come — usually something you dread or hope for. Shakespeare often uses it for ominous premonitions.

A dark cloud before the battle felt like a bodement of defeat.

bodge verb

To collapse or fail suddenly. When something bodges, it gives way under pressure or stops working.

The old bridge began to bodge under the weight of the army.

bodkin noun

A small, sharp-pointed weapon or tool — either a short dagger or a needle-like instrument for piercing fabric. In Shakespeare's time, also a decorative pin worn in the hair.

A bare bodkin — just a simple dagger — could end a life.

body verb

To give something a physical or concrete form—to make an idea tangible or real. Shakespeare uses it to mean expressing or embodying something abstract.

He bodied forth his fears in wild, angry speech.

boggler noun

Someone who hesitates and can't make up their mind. A person who wavers or goes back and forth on decisions.

Don't be such a boggler—pick a side and stick with it.

boil noun

A painful swollen pus-filled bump on the skin. Shakespeare's characters curse each other with boils as a sign of disease or divine punishment.

A character might wish boils on an enemy as the worst kind of affliction.

boiled adjective

Heated up, worked into a state. Used for people whose minds are churning with passion or madness—their thoughts bubbling over like something on the fire.

A lover's brain is boiled, restless, unable to settle.

bold adjective

Courageous, confident, or daring; also, audacious or presumptuous in manner or speech.

Please, sir, forgive me. I don't know what gives me the courage Or how it's proper for me to speak my mind In front of everyone like this, But I beg you to tell me What the worst punishment would be for me in this situation, If I refuse to marry Demetrius.

bold-beating adjective

Aggressive and intimidating, mixing the ideas of bold-faced shamelessness and browbeating pressure. It describes oaths or speech that batter you with brazen confidence.

boldness noun

Confidence or trust in something or someone. The kind of assurance that lets you believe in a person or idea.

She spoke with boldness of his loyalty despite what others whispered.

bolin noun

A rope on a ship that keeps the front edge of a sail steady and tight. Sailors would call out orders to loosen or tighten it depending on the wind and direction.

A sailor on deck shouting orders to adjust the ropes during a storm.

bollen adjective

Swollen or puffed up. Used to describe something bloated or distended.

A face all bollen and red from crying.

bolster verb

To rest or recline together, often on a shared pillow or cushion. In Shakespeare's time, it carries an implication of intimacy or closeness.

The lovers bolster through the night, sharing warmth and secrets.

bolt noun

A short, thick arrow with a blunt head, used in crossbows. Shakespeare uses it as a symbol of sudden force—Cupid's bolt, a lover's arrow, or a fool's quick and pointless shot.

"A fool's bolt is soon shot"—someone acts rashly without thinking ahead.

bolter noun

A sieve or container used to separate flour from bran. Shakespeare uses it as a figure of speech for something that sorts or divides things.

bombard noun

A large leather jug or flask for holding wine or other drink. The name came from the shape, which supposedly looked like the cannons called bombards.

bombast noun

Cotton padding used to stuff clothing or cushion armor. Shakespeare uses it as a figure for anything inflated or hollow — grandiose language that sounds impressive but lacks real substance.

A character full of bombast speaks in flowery, overblown language that masks an empty argument.

bona terra, mala gens noun phrase

A Latin phrase meaning good land but bad people—used to describe a place with fertile soil or natural beauty ruined by the wickedness of those who live there.

bona-roba noun

A woman of loose morals who dresses flashily to attract attention. The term is contemptuous, implying both sexual promiscuity and vulgar showiness.

He squandered his fortune on bona-robas and gambling.

bond noun

A tie that holds or restrains—physical chains, or the invisible ties of duty and love that bind people together. Also a legal document where someone promises to pay money or keep an agreement.

The bond between father and child runs deeper than any written contract.

bondage noun

The state of being under someone else's control—whether literally captive or bound by obligation. Shakespeare often uses it to mean constraint or unfreedom of any kind.

His arms weren't made to live in bondage.

bone noun

A bone can mean an unborn child, fingers, a simple musical instrument (like castanets), or bobbins used in lace-making. The exact sense depends on context.

bonnet verb

To remove your hat as a sign of respect or greeting. In Shakespeare's time, this was how men showed deference to someone of higher rank or to show courtesy.

A courtier bonnets before the king.

bonny adjective

Beautiful or attractive in a fresh, healthy way. Sometimes also means cheerful or lively.

the bonny beast he loved so well

bonos dies noun

A bumbled attempt at Latin for 'good day.' A character tries to sound learned but gets the words wrong—a common comic bit in Shakespeare.

A servant fumbles through a greeting, hoping to impress with fake Latin.

book noun

A written record or document — anything from a bound volume to a ledger, a contract, or a list kept in memory. Shakespeare uses it broadly: a physical book, a set of accounts, even a person's reputation or standing (as in 'in my book,' meaning in my favor).

"I'll note you in my book of memory" — I'll remember you.

book-man noun

A man devoted to study and learning—someone who lives in books rather than action. In Shakespeare's time, often used with a hint of mockery, as if he's too much in his head and not enough in the world.

A book-man might know Latin but fumble with a sword.

book-mate noun

A fellow student; someone you study with. In Shakespeare's time, boys who shared lessons together at school.

My book-mate and I spent the afternoon puzzling through Latin texts together.

bookful noun

The amount of material that fills an entire book. Shakespeare uses it to mean a complete, substantial quantity of written work.

He carried a bookful of sonnets to share with his friends.

boorish adjective

Rude and crude in manner or speech. Someone boorish has no manners and doesn't care what others think.

His boorish behavior at dinner—talking with his mouth full and belching—made everyone uncomfortable.

boot noun

Something extra given on top of a deal or exchange. Often used in the phrase "to boot," meaning "in addition" or "as well." Can also mean profit or advantage gained from something.

I'll give you three for one—and throw in a purse to boot.

boot-hose noun

A thick stocking that covers the leg, worn inside a boot or as everyday wear. Often made of coarse wool.

bootless adjective

Pointless or futile. You put in effort but get nothing back. It means without success or result.

He made a bootless attempt to win her forgiveness.

border verb

To keep something within limits or under control. To prevent from straying beyond a boundary.

The fence borders the wild forest, keeping the sheep safe on the farm.

bore noun

The opening or hole in something — like the barrel of a gun, or figuratively, the capacity or scale of a thing. Shakespeare uses it to mean the ear (the bore through which sound enters) or the weight a matter can bear.

bore-sprit noun

A spelling variant of bowsprit — the spar that sticks out from the front of a ship.

boreas noun

The north wind, personified as a wild, rough force. In Shakespeare's time, people often gave names and characters to natural forces like wind and weather.

The boreas whipped across the frozen plain, scattering snow.

born verb (past participle)

brought into existence; created or given life to

Why was I born to this cruel mockery?

borrow verb

To take on or assume something, as if wearing it. Shakespeare often uses this to mean adopting a quality, appearance, or manner that isn't naturally yours—which is why he frequently pairs it with words like 'false' or 'counterfeit.' You can also borrow from a source: to derive or receive something from it.

She borrowed her confidence from her mother's steady voice.

bosky adjective

Thick with bushes and small trees. A landscape that's leafy and overgrown rather than open or cleared.

A bosky wood where you'd lose the path in undergrowth.

bosom noun

The chest or breast, often as the seat of the heart and feelings. Also the fold or pocket in the front of a garment—a place to keep letters or treasures close. By extension, the innermost thoughts or deepest recesses of anything, from a city to the human soul.

She kept the letter in her bosom, close to her heart.

botch noun

A clumsy repair or shoddy piece of work. To botch something means to patch it together badly, usually in a way that's obvious and amateurish.

He botched up the plan with his careless scheming.

botchy noun

The hard, infected core of a boil or abscess. Shakespeare uses it as a medical term for the worst, most corrupted part of a wound.

both-sides adjective

Two-faced or deceitful—someone who plays both sides or lies to everyone. An insult suggesting dishonesty and lack of loyalty.

A both-sides rogue tells different stories to different people to get what he wants.

bots noun

A disease in horses caused by parasitic worms or maggots. Shakespeare uses it as a curse—'bots on you' means something like 'may you rot with disease.'

A character insulting a rival might shout 'Bots on thee!' as a wish for the worst affliction.

bottle noun

A bundle of hay tied up. Farmers would store these bottles in the barn for winter feed.

A bottle of hay costs less than fresh grass in January.

bottled adjective

Round and bulging in shape, like a bottle. Used to describe something bloated or swollen.

A bottled spider—fat and round, ready to pounce.

bottom noun

Low-lying land or valley. Also: the hull or keel of a ship—often used to mean a ship itself. In thread-work, a bobbin or spool wound with thread.

He sent his money out on three different bottoms so no single shipwreck would ruin him.

bottom-grass noun

Grass that grows in the low, flat parts of a valley where water collects and soil stays rich. The kind of lush green you find at the bottom of a hill.

bounce noun

A sudden loud bang or thud. Shakespeare uses it for the explosive sound of cannon fire or other violent impacts.

The cannon's bounce shook the walls.

bound noun

A limit or edge—something that marks where one thing ends and another begins. Shakespeare uses it for actual boundaries (like the edge of a territory) and for limits you can't cross (like the bounds of reason or decency).

The river's banks are the bounds that keep the water in its course.

bounden adjective

Required to do something by duty, law, or moral obligation. You're bound to it.

A bounden duty to your king means you have to serve him—no choice about it.

bounteous, bountifully, bounty adjective, adverb, noun

Generous and freely given. In Shakespeare's time, this word carried the sense of giving lavishly and without stinting—what we might call open-handed or openhearted.

A bounteous gift of gold.

bourn noun

A small stream or brook. In some contexts, it can mean a boundary or limit—like the edge of a territory.

Cross the bourn and you'll reach the other side of the valley.

bout noun

A turn or round of activity—originally a fencing move, but used for dancing or any brief exchange. When someone walks a bout with you, they're taking a turn with you in the dance.

The ladies with healthy feet will dance a bout with you.

bow verb

To bend or curve something. Can mean to physically shape (like bending a hand into position), to distort or warp (a coin bent out of true), or figuratively to change someone's nature or character.

She bowed her hand to show him the right fingering on the lute.

bow hand noun

In archery, the hand that holds the bow steady—the left hand for a right-handed archer. Shakespeare uses it as shorthand for the archer's strength and aim.

bow-back noun

A back that curves or humps forward. Often used to describe someone hunched or stooped with age or hardship.

bow-boy noun

Cupid, the god of love, imagined as a boy armed with a bow and arrows. When love strikes, Cupid's arrow has done the work.

The bow-boy's dart has pierced her heart.

bow-case noun

A container for holding a bow. In Shakespeare's time, people used it as a joking insult for someone scrawny or underfed—like the person was so thin they'd fit inside one.

bowels noun

Your children, or descendants. Elizabethans used this word for offspring the way we might say "blood" or "seed."

Your own children, who call you father.

bower verb

To enclose or shelter someone in a cozy, private space—like tucking them into a leafy bower in a garden.

The vines bower the lovers, hiding them from the world.

bowget noun

A flexible leather bag or pouch, usually carried by a foot soldier or servant to hold provisions and supplies. It's the kind of pack you'd strap to your back or belt for a journey.

bowl verb

To play the game of bowls, which is like lawn bowling — rolling a weighted ball toward a target. Can also mean to roll something, or to throw things at someone.

Challenge her to bowl against you if you want a real match.

bowsprit noun

A long pole that extends from the front of a ship, used to hold sails steady. The spelling 'bore-sprit' was common in Shakespeare's time.

boy noun

A young male actor, especially one who played female characters on Shakespeare's stage. The word carries a reminder that women's roles were performed by boys and young men in early modern theatre.

boy-queller noun

Someone or something that kills or destroys boys. In Shakespeare's time, this could mean a weapon, a disease, or a person—often used as a boastful or dark insult.

brabble verb

To squabble or bicker over small things. A petty, pointless quarrel—the kind that happens in private and leaves everyone frustrated.

They brabbled over who should pay for dinner.

brabbler noun

Someone who picks fights and argues loudly over nothing. The word comes from a dog famous for barking at everything—a fitting name for a person who can't stop quarreling.

A brabbler at court stirs up trouble before breakfast.

brace noun

A pair of things—usually animals like hunting dogs, but sometimes people. Also means a state of readiness or armor that protects the arms.

A brace of greyhounds; standing in war-like brace.

brach noun

A female hunting dog, usually one trained to track by scent. Often used as a term of endearment or, sometimes, an insult.

He calls his favorite hunting dog his brach.

brag verb

To boast about something—usually with some justification, but still annoyingly. To talk someone up with pride.

He brags of his son's virtue and good character.

bragless adjective

Not given to boasting. Honest and unpretentious about your own worth.

A bragless soldier lets his deeds speak instead of his mouth.

braid verb

To scold or rebuke someone sharply. Shakespeare uses it as a quick, forceful call-out—like telling someone off to their face.

brain noun

The mind or seat of thought and memory. Shakespeare uses it often in phrases about wit, understanding, or intelligence—"bear a brain" means to remember, while "beaten with brains" means mocked for one's intelligence.

brained adjective

Having a brain or intelligence. Used to describe someone as rational or thinking.

brainish adjective

Rash and headstrong, ruled by impulse rather than thought. Someone who acts on passion and won't listen to reason.

A brainish young man, he'd charge into battle without waiting for orders.

brake noun

A thick tangle of bushes, brambles, or overgrown vegetation—the kind of place where something small could hide or lose itself.

branch noun

An arm or hand. Shakespeare sometimes calls the human body's limbs 'branches' — thinking of them the way a tree spreads outward. Also means a division or section of something larger, like a branch of knowledge or learning.

branched adjective

Decorated with an embroidered or woven pattern that looks like branches or spreading trees. A fancy fabric technique from the Renaissance.

A branched velvet gown shows off wealth and fine craftsmanship.

branchless adjective

Stripped of everything. Homeless, penniless, cast out—without resources or family to fall back on.

brand noun

Cupid's flaming torch — the fire of love itself. Shakespeare uses it as a metaphor for desire and passion.

Love's brand burns bright in the heart of youth.

brass noun

Hardness, durability, or shameless boldness. Brass stands for something that won't wear down or bend—whether it's a message carved to last forever, a person's nerve, or their refusal to feel shame.

A face of brass—someone who won't blush or back down.

brass'd verb

To solder or fuse metal together with brass. The word is sometimes spelled this way, but 'brazed' is the standard form.

brassy adjective

Hard and unfeeling, like metal. When someone has a brassy heart, they don't show mercy or pity.

A brassy heart refuses to forgive even when it would cost nothing.

brave noun, adjective, verb

As a noun: a swagger, a taunt, or a bold threat. As an adjective: finely dressed, showy, or—more commonly in Shakespeare—excellent and admirable. As a verb: to defy or challenge someone, or to make something splendid.

A brave soldier faces the enemy without flinching.

bravely adverb

With courage and skill. In Shakespeare, it often means both standing firm in danger and doing something excellently—the two ideas blur together.

The soldiers marched bravely into battle.

bravery noun

A showy display of fine clothes, jewels, or finery — often meant to impress or intimidate. Can also mean ostentatious behaviour or defiant swagger.

She arrived in a riot of scarves, fans, and bravery to turn every head.

brawl verb

To quarrel loudly and messily. In Shakespeare, it can also mean to make a loud, harsh noise — like a stream rushing over rocks, or a voice full of complaint and anger.

He brawls about every small slight, his voice never quiet.

brawn noun

Muscle and flesh, especially on the arms or legs. Shakespeare uses it to mean the physical strength of the body, or sometimes to mock someone as being fleshy or fat.

brazed adjective

Hardened or toughened, made thick-skinned. Often used of someone who's grown callous to shame or hardship.

I am brazed to it — hardened by repeated blows.

brazen adjective

Bold, shameless, and unapologetic. The word comes from brass — just as brass is hard and won't bend, a brazen person refuses to be embarrassed or change their mind.

A brazen liar stands there and denies what everyone just saw.

brazier noun

A person who works with brass, making or repairing brass objects. Shakespeare uses it as a mild insult—implying someone's face is as red or inflamed as a brass worker's from the heat of the forge.

breach noun

A gap or opening made by force—in a wall under attack, in skin from a wound, or in a relationship when trust breaks. Shakespeare often uses it for the moment of assault, when soldiers pour through a broken fortification.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends—charging through the gap in the castle wall.

bread noun

The Eucharist, the sacred bread of communion—used in oaths and exclamations. Also: plain, everyday food (bread and cheese being the simplest meal).

By God's bread, you speak the truth.

bread-chipper noun

A person who cuts or chips bread into small pieces. Shakespeare uses it as an insult—someone low-status or contemptible.

breadth noun

The full span or reach of something — how far it stretches or extends. Shakespeare often uses it to mean the whole scope or extent of a feeling, quality, or idea.

break verb

To crack open or split—especially a head or a joke. Also to reveal something kept secret, or to interrupt what's happening. Can also mean to train someone to obedience, or (of a group) to disperse and scatter.

He broke the news to his father before anyone else could.

break the heart of, verb

To kill someone or crush them with overwhelming sorrow. The heart here is the seat of life and feeling — to break it is to destroy both.

His cruelty would break the heart of anyone who loved him.

break-neck adjective

Dangerously reckless or destructive. Used for a course of action, a person, or a promise that leads to harm or ruin.

His break-neck spending will destroy the estate.

breast noun

The lungs or chest, thought of as the seat of the voice. A person with a good breast could sing or speak powerfully.

The fool has an excellent breast—he sings beautifully.

breath noun

Life force or the ability to breathe. Also: a moment of pause or rest, or the words someone speaks.

He held his breath, waiting for her to speak.

breathe verb

To speak or utter words. Also used for exercise or exertion—the opposite of resting.

The youth you breathe of is brave and true.

breathed adjective

Trained and conditioned through practice or use. A breathed horse or fighter has been worked hard and knows the pace. Sometimes used to mean simply alive or living.

A breathed stag runs swift because it's been hunted and knows how to move.

breather noun

A living creature—anything that breathes. Shakespeare uses it to mean any living being, from humans to animals.

All the breathers of this world must eat and sleep.

breathing noun

A moment of pause or rest. Also: the act of speaking or uttering words, or a chance to exert yourself physically.

Give me breathing-time before we march again.

breathing-while noun

A brief pause or moment—just long enough to catch your breath. Shakespeare uses it for a short stretch of time.

Give me a breathing-while to think before I answer.

breech noun

Power and control, especially a husband's authority over his wife. In Shakespeare's time, breeches (trousers) were men's clothing, so 'wearing the breeches' meant holding the upper hand in a relationship.

A woman who dominated her husband was said to wear the breeches.

breech'd adjective

Covered or clothed in something, as if wearing breeches. Shakespeare uses it for things wrapped or coated in an unexpected or unseemly way.

Daggers covered in blood, dressed in gore like unwanted clothing.

breeching scholar noun

A young schoolboy still small enough to be beaten as punishment. The term refers to children who wear breeches (pants) and attend school, subject to corporal discipline from teachers.

A breeching scholar learns his Latin verbs or feels the rod.

breed noun

A kind or type of person or thing. In Shakespeare, it often means a family line, social class, or group marked by shared qualities. It can also mean children or offspring, especially in the sense of what something produces or generates.

"This happy breed of men" — the English people, as a distinct and valued group.

breed-bate noun

Someone who stirs up trouble and makes conflict between people. A troublemaker who creates quarrels.

A breed-bate at court spreads lies and watches friends turn against each other.

breeding noun

Your family background and who your parents are. In Shakespeare's time, breeding mattered hugely—it shaped what you could do and who you could marry.

A nobleman would never marry someone of low breeding.

breeze, breese noun

A gadfly or biting insect. In Shakespeare's time, these pests were especially annoying to cattle in summer.

A breeze landed on her skin, causing the same irritation a cow might feel in June.

brewage noun

A drink that's been brewed—usually something steeped or mixed with hot water. In Shakespeare's time, this often meant ale, beer, or a medicinal potion.

The witch's brewage bubbled in the cauldron all night.

briareus noun

A creature from Greek myths with a hundred arms. Shakespeare uses it to mock someone clumsy or ineffectual—lots of hands, but they can't do anything right.

A gouty Briareus: many limbs, no grace.

brib'd adjective

Stolen or poached. A brib'd buck is a deer that's been illegally hunted and killed.

The servants carve up the poached deer, each getting a choice piece.

briber noun

Something that wins favor or forgiveness. A gift or gesture that smooths things over.

A fine dinner might be a briber for forgetting a broken promise.

bride noun

A woman on her wedding day, or about to be married. Shakespeare sometimes uses it more loosely to mean a young woman in a romantic or courtship context.

She dressed as a bride, though the wedding was still weeks away.

brief noun

A short written message, letter, or summary. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean a dispatch or official note, or a condensed account of something.

A sealed brief arrived from the king with urgent instructions.

briefly adverb

In a short time; soon or quickly. Shakespeare often uses it to mean something will happen fast, or to ask someone to hurry up and get to the point.

A messenger arrives: "The enemy is near." "How far?" "A mile." "Briefly, we heard their drums."

bright adjective

Full of life and cheer. Shakespeare loved this word for people who sparkle with energy and good spirits.

A bright young woman danced into the room.

brim fulness noun

The state of being filled to the very top, completely full. In Shakespeare's time, writers used this word to describe something overflowing or at its absolute capacity.

brinded adjective

Streaked or striped with a different color. The word describes an animal or object marked with lines or bands that contrast with its main color.

A brinded cat, patched with brown and black stripes.

brine noun

Salty water — either the sea itself or tears. Shakespeare often uses it poetically for tears, since they're salty like ocean water.

Grief so deep it made their cheeks into a brine-pit.

bring verb

To take or lead someone somewhere. Also means to report news, or to cause something to happen or change state—like putting something out of tune or making a situation reach a particular point.

I'll bring you to the river at dawn.

bring about, verb

To cause something to happen or come to completion. In Shakespeare, often used for producing or revealing something—like staging a scene, expressing an idea, or making someone confess.

How many hours bring about the day—meaning, what span of time creates a complete rotation back to daylight.

bringings-forth noun

Things that have been accomplished or created. The results of effort or creative work.

The king displayed all his bringings-forth—new laws, new buildings, new alliances.

brisk adjective

Quick and lively in movement or manner. Can also mean smartly dressed, or sharp and tangy in taste.

A brisk wind carried the messenger quickly down the road.

brisky adverb

In a lively, energetic way. Moving or speaking with quick, sharp vigor.

He answered brisky, not wanting to waste a moment of the king's time.

broach verb

To bring up a topic or idea for the first time, usually to start a conversation or discussion about it. The word originally meant to pierce or open something, like tapping a cask.

He broached the subject of marriage carefully, unsure how she would respond.

broad adjective

Unrestrained or coarse in speech and manner. Also: wide-ranging, spread out, or taking up a lot of space.

His broad jests offended the ladies at court.

broad-fronted adjective

Having a wide forehead. In Shakespeare's time, a broad forehead was often read as a sign of nobility or handsomeness.

brock noun

A badger. Used as an insult—calling someone a brock meant they were filthy or contemptible, playing on the badger's reputation for stinking.

brogue noun

A heavy, rough shoe made from raw leather, worn in rural Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. By Shakespeare's time, the word could also mean a thick, rough accent from those regions.

A peasant from the Irish hills might wear brogues patched with cloth and mud.

broil verb

To be in intense heat or turmoil, either literally from fire or metaphorically from passion and excitement. The word captures both physical discomfort and emotional fervor.

A crowd broiling in the summer sun, or a heart broiling with anger.

broke verb

To buy and sell; to do business or make a deal. Often implies haggling or negotiating terms.

The merchant broke with foreign traders at the dock.

broken adjective

Incomplete or fragmented — like leftover food, interrupted speech, or a heart that's been hurt. Can also mean financially ruined or bankrupt.

An eater of broken meats — someone poor enough to eat the scraps others left behind.

broker noun

Someone who arranges deals or negotiations between people, often in love affairs—and usually with the implication they're being sneaky or corrupt about it. The word carries a whiff of disgust.

A broker might promise you the world on behalf of someone else, then pocket the profit themselves.

broking pawn noun

Something held as security for a loan—like pawning a piece of jewelry to a pawnbroker. Here it means a crown (the throne, the kingdom's authority) that's been pledged and is at risk of being lost.

The king must redeem his crown from broking pawn before his enemies claim it.

brooch noun

A piece of jewelry or ornament, often worn at the neck or chest. Shakespeare uses it figuratively to mean something precious or prized—a jewel in the truest sense.

brooch'd verb

To decorate or ornament something, as you would pin a jewel to cloth. Shakespeare uses it to mean adorned or displayed like a precious brooch.

Even Caesar's great power will never be as grand as what I carry.

brood verb

To sit quietly, often with worry or deep thought on your mind. In Shakespeare's time, it kept the image of a hen settling on her eggs—something slow, patient, and heavy.

She broods alone in the tower, turning the problem over in her mind.

brooded adjective

Wide-eyed or watchful, as if keeping careful watch. In Shakespeare, it often suggests vigilant attention or a gaze that takes in the whole scene.

A brooded watchful day — one where eyes stay open and alert.

brook noun

A small stream or river. In Shakespeare's time, brooks were also prime hunting grounds—nobles would fly their hawks there to catch waterfowl, a sport called hawking.

The king hunted waterfowl at the brook with his goshawk.

broom-grove noun

A thicket of broom bushes—a shrubby plant with yellow flowers. A shady spot where someone might rest or hide away.

The lonely man sought refuge in the broom-grove's shadow.

broomstaff noun

The handle of a broom. Used in Shakespeare's time as a casual weapon or stick in a fight.

brother noun

A male sibling. In Shakespeare's time, the word stretches to include half-brothers and brothers-in-law—the family tie matters more than the exact relation.

He calls his wife's brother 'brother,' though no blood runs between them.

brother-love noun

Deep affection and loyalty between brothers, or between men who feel like brothers. The kind of bond that makes you protect each other without question.

The soldiers fought with brother-love, each willing to die for the other.

brow noun

The eyebrow, or more broadly, the forehead. Shakespeare often uses it to mean a person's face or expression—the way their whole mood or character shows in their brow.

A furrowed brow showed his anger without a word spoken.

brownist noun

A follower of Robert Brown, an English Protestant reformer from Elizabeth's time who believed the church should be independent from the crown and its laws. The Brownists were seen as radical dissenters.

bruit verb

To spread news or gossip about someone or something. To make something widely known through talk and report.

Fame has bruited your name across the kingdom.

brush noun

A sudden, forceful clash or encounter—often violent. Shakespeare uses it for actual combat, but also for any sharp collision of events or misfortunes.

He survived the brushes of winter and came out stronger.

brutus noun

Brutus—specifically Marcus Junius Brutus, the Roman senator and conspirator who helped assassinate Julius Caesar in 44 BCE, and later died at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BCE. In Shakespeare's plays, 'Brutus' typically refers to this historical figure, though *Julius Caesar* features a protagonist of the same name.

Who, at Philippi, killed the ghost of Brutus, Saw you fighting for him.

bubble noun

Something that looks impressive but is actually worthless or won't last. A hollow promise or fleeting thing you chase for no real reason.

A soldier chasing bubble reputation dies for empty glory.

bubukle noun

A made-up word for a nasty infected swelling. Fluellen invents it in Henry V by jumbling together two real medical terms—a bubo (a swollen lymph node) and a carbuncle (a cluster of boils). It's his flustered way of describing something genuinely gross.

buck noun

A batch of laundry being washed, or the basket holding dirty clothes waiting to be washed. The word comes from an old washing process that used lye to clean fabric.

A servant carries the buck to the washhouse each morning.

buck-washing noun

The act of washing or cleaning buckets. Shakespeare uses this as part of a household work routine, though the term appears rarely in the plays.

bucket noun

A container, likely wooden and used in brewing or hauling. The exact reference here is obscure—Shakespeare may be playing on the word's sound or shape, or alluding to a drinking custom of his time that we've now lost.

buckingham noun (proper noun)

A powerful English nobleman and duke during the Wars of the Roses; a historical title and character in several Shakespeare plays.

Sound of trumpets, then hautboys. Enter KING HENRY VI, GLOUCESTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and CARDINAL, on one side; QUEEN MARGARET, SUFFOLK, YORK, SOMERSET, and BUCKINGHAM, on the other.

buckle verb

To fasten or bind together, often under pressure or strain. Can mean to join in combat, or to bend and give way under weight or stress.

His weakened joints buckled under the strain of walking.

buckler noun

A small round shield held in the hand. To "give up the bucklers" means to admit defeat or surrender. To "carry away the bucklers" means to win.

He yielded the bucklers, conceding the fight was lost.

bucklersbury noun

A street in London famous for its herb sellers and apothecaries. To "smell like Bucklersbury" meant you reeked of dried herbs and potions—a joke about being overly perfumed or medicinal.

"You reek like Bucklersbury"—mocking someone who'd overdone the cologne or smelled too much like a pharmacy.

buckram noun

A stiff, coarse fabric made from linen and stiffened with gum. Shakespeare often uses it to mean something artificial or pompous—a person trying too hard to look grand.

Two rogues dressed in buckram suits—all starch and pretence.

bud noun

A young person or child, especially one who shows promise. Shakespeare often uses it tenderly or with affection, as when he compares a vulnerable young person to a delicate flower bud that might be damaged.

Sorrow will destroy my bud—meaning my young child, my precious one.

budge verb

To flinch or show fear in the face of something. A budger is someone who backs down first.

He won't budge—he's no coward.

budget noun

A small pouch or wallet for carrying money or valuables. Shakespeare's time spelled it various ways—you might see 'budget' or 'bowget'—but it's just a practical leather bag.

buff noun

A thick, sturdy leather made from oxhide. Soldiers and law officers wore buff jerkins—sleeveless jackets—because the material was tough enough to offer real protection.

A sergeant in his buff jerkin looked every inch the lawman.

bug noun

A creature of folklore—a goblin or phantom meant to scare people. Shakespeare uses it to mean any imaginary terror that haunts the mind.

Parents frighten children with tales of bugs lurking in the dark.

bugle noun

A small, tube-shaped black bead sewn onto clothes or jewellery for decoration. Shakespeare's characters wore these beads in bracelets, on sleeves, or as part of their finery.

A bugle-bracelet glittered on her wrist.

building noun

A structure or edifice, used both literally (a house or ship's construction) and figuratively (something built up over time, like reputation or affection). Can also mean the act or process of constructing.

Shall love, in building, grow so ruinous? — will the thing we're constructing together fall apart?

bulk noun

The main body or mass of something — a person's torso, a large frame, or the hull of a ship. Also the wooden framework that juts out from the front of a shop.

The great bulk of the ship cut through the water.

bull noun

The zodiac sign Taurus, represented by the bull. Used in astrology to describe someone's birth sign or astrological nature.

He was born under the bull, stubborn as they come.

bull-bearing adjective

Showing superhuman strength, like the legendary athlete Milo who supposedly carried a full-grown bull on his shoulders. Used to describe someone performing an impossible feat of power.

His bull-bearing strength amazed the crowd as he lifted the massive stone.

bull-beef noun

A muscular, loud-mouthed man—someone who throws his weight around. The term comes from the meat of a bull, but it's used as an insult for a brawny, aggressive fellow.

A big blustering soldier swaggering through the tavern might be called a bull-beef.

bully noun

A term of friendly praise for someone you like or admire—a good fellow, a brave soul. Shakespeare uses it much like we'd say "mate" or "buddy," often paired with a name or title.

"O sweet bully Bottom!" — affectionate address to a friend or admired companion.

bum-baily noun

A low-ranking officer who worked for the sheriff, usually tasked with arresting debtors or serving warrants. Not a job that came with much respect.

The bum-baily came to the door with a summons for unpaid rent.

bunch-back'd adjective

Having a humped or deformed back. Shakespeare uses it as a cruel insult, calling someone physically twisted or misshapen.

A villain with a bunch-back'd spine—twisted in body and soul.

bung noun

A thief, especially a pickpocket. A low-life criminal who steals from people in crowds.

buoy verb

To lift up or raise something higher. In Shakespeare's time, this word was new and poetic—it suggests something or someone being elevated or held aloft.

Hope buoys the prisoners' spirits as they wait for news of the king.

burden-wise adverb

As a repeated musical line or refrain that sits underneath the main melody — like a bass line or chorus that keeps coming back.

burden, burthen noun

A load or weight—either physical cargo a ship can carry, or something abstract that weighs on you. Shakespeare also uses it for a bass line or refrain in music, and sometimes plays with the double meaning of 'something carried' and 'something borne' (like children).

A vessel of too great a burden will sink under its own weight.

burden'd adjective

Weighed down or made heavy by something—grief, responsibility, age. The word carries both the physical and the emotional weight.

A burden'd heart makes even the simplest task feel impossible.

burdenous adjective

Heavy with weight or trouble. Something that presses down on you, whether physically or emotionally.

The king found the crown's duties burdenous after years of war.

burgher noun

A citizen of a town or borough, especially one with property or standing. A townsperson, as distinct from a courtier or peasant.

The burghers of London held real power in their city's affairs.

burgomaster noun

A senior official or magistrate in a Dutch or German city—someone like a mayor or chief alderman who handles local government.

burgonet noun

A light steel helmet, open-faced or with a face guard. Soldiers wore it for protection without the weight of a full suit of armor.

burgundy noun

A rich wine from the Burgundy region of France, known for its deep colour and full flavour. Shakespeare's time saw it imported and prized in England.

burial noun

A grave or burying place. Shakespeare sometimes uses it figuratively—like calling a sinking ship a burial, since it's going down into the water like a body into the ground.

The ship became a watery burial for the crew.

burly-boned adjective

Heavily built; having thick, strong bones and a robust frame. Shakespeare's age used this to describe someone powerfully muscled.

burn verb

To be on fire or glow with heat. Often used of fierce emotion—love, shame, or anger—that consumes someone from within.

He burns with bashful shame.

burnish'd adjective

Polished until shiny. It suggests something has been rubbed or worked until it gleams like metal.

The burnish'd armor caught the light as the knight rode past.

burr noun

A prickly seed pod that sticks to clothes and fur. Used as a metaphor for someone annoying and hard to shake off.

I am a kind of burr; I shall stick.

burthen, noun

A load or weight someone carries. Can be literal—cargo on a ship—or figurative, like a worry or responsibility that wears on you.

The burthen of the crown fell heavy on the new king.

burton-heath noun

A place in Warwickshire, England. Shakespeare's aunt lived there. The name appears in the play as a reference to a real location he knew.

bury verb

To hide something away or make it disappear—not always in the ground, but out of sight and mind. Often used figuratively to mean you're putting an end to something or covering it up.

In this bowl of wine I bury all unkindness—meaning, let's forget our quarrels.

bush noun

A leafy branch or clump of ivy hung outside a tavern or shop to advertise wine for sale. The phrase "good wine needs no bush" means quality sells itself without advertisement.

A vintner hung a fresh bush above his door to draw in customers.

business noun

a matter of importance or concern; an errand, task, or affair to be attended to

I have some things to tell you, Things that concern you both personally.

buskin'd adjective

Wearing buskins—sturdy, calf-high boots. A marker of formal dress or authority, often in tragic theatre.

busky adjective

Thick with bushes and trees. A hillside or piece of land covered in woody growth.

The busky hill rose up beyond the meadow.

buss verb

To kiss. Shakespeare often uses it playfully or with physical imagery—towers kissing clouds, a knee kissing stones.

The tower's top bussed the clouds high above.

busyless adjective

Not busy; idle or unoccupied. This word appears in early printed texts where the exact wording is uncertain—editors have debated whether Shakespeare wrote 'busyless,' 'busiest,' or something else entirely.

but conjunction

In older Shakespeare, used in ways modern English has mostly abandoned. Often means 'except' or 'unless' — "It cannot be but thou hast murder'd him" = "It cannot be except that you murdered him." Sometimes means 'only' or 'merely' — "he stays but for it" = "he waits only for it." In phrases like "but now" it means "just now, a moment ago."

butcher noun

A brutal killer or cruel person. Shakespeare uses it as a scornful name for tyrants and murderers who shed blood without mercy.

A tyrant is called a butcher when he slaughters his own people.

butcher-sire noun

A father who kills or murders. Shakespeare uses it as an insult, calling someone's father a brutal killer.

A man might hurl this at an enemy whose father he thought was ruthless or treacherous.

butcherly adjective

Savage and brutal. Violent in a way that shows no restraint or mercy.

The butcherly assault left everyone shaken.

butt noun

A target for archery practice—originally a mound with a mark pinned to it. In Shakespeare, it often means the goal or end point of something, or figuratively, the object of ridicule or scorn.

"I am your butt, and I abide your shot"—meaning I'm the one you're aiming your mockery at.

butt-end noun

The last bit of something—the tail end or remainder. Often used dismissively, like the dregs or scraps left over.

The butt-end of a mother's blessing—the leftover crumbs of her love.

butt-shaft noun

A blunt-tipped arrow used in target practice. Shakespeare uses it as a playful insult—comparing someone to Cupid's harmless dart.

Cupid's butt-shaft—meant to wound the heart, not pierce the body.

butterfly noun

A showy, vain person who dresses in flashy clothes and flits around looking for attention—especially in a royal court. Shakespeare uses it as an insult.

A man all silk and jewels, preening at every mirror—a butterfly among serious people.

buttery noun

A room in a house or college where food and drink were stored and kept. In Shakespeare's time, it was often where servants managed supplies and handed things out through a half-door.

A servant might pop into the buttery to fetch ale or bread for the household.

button noun

The highest point or peak of something—especially Fortune's crown, where only the most favored sit. Also a small knob or bud, like on a plant before it opens or on top of a cap.

On Fortune's cap we are not the very button—we're somewhere lower, less secure.

button-hole verb

To humiliate someone or cut them down to size. The image is of grabbing someone by their buttonhole and forcing them lower—a physical way of saying you've made them feel small.

buxom adjective

Lively and full of energy. Shakespeare uses it to describe someone who's vigorous and spirited.

buy verb

To purchase or obtain something in exchange for money. In Shakespeare's time, "bought and sold" means betrayed or traded away—as if you were goods on the market.

"He's been bought and sold by his own men."

buzz noun

Gossip or rumor that spreads by whispered talk. A buzzer is someone who spreads these tales, whispering poison in people's ears.

Court buzzer spreading lies about the general's loyalty.

buzzard noun

A clumsy, worthless hawk—the kind that ruins a falconer's sport. Shakespeare uses it to mean a stupid or incompetent person.

You're no better than a buzzard if you can't see what's right in front of you.

by- prefix

A prefix meaning secondary, side, or incidental. It attaches to nouns or verbs to describe something that happens on the margins—a side room, a side effect, a thing done in passing rather than as the main business.

A by-room would be a private chamber off the main hall, not the great hall itself.

by'r lady interjection

A mild oath swearing by the Virgin Mary. Common in Shakespeare's time as a casual exclamation, like saying "by God" or "honestly."

By'r lady, you've told that story a hundred times!