893 words starting with C.
A shout of joy or delight. Shakespeare uses it to express sudden happiness or amusement.
Ca ha! I've won the bet and kept my honor too.
A small, simple shelter made of light materials. Also used for an animal's den or lair, and sometimes for a hollow space like an eye socket.
A willow cabin—a hut woven from branches.
A small enclosed space—often a tent or a sheltered spot. Shakespeare uses it for intimate places where things gather or rest, like the heart as a private chamber or a bird's nest.
Freedom to act or move; room to do as someone wants. When you give someone cable, you let them operate without tight control.
Give the young man cable to make his own mistakes.
An evil spirit or demon. The opposite of a benevolent one—a malicious supernatural force that brings harm or temptation.
The cacodemon whispered wicked thoughts into the nobleman's ear all night.
A strip of woven tape or ribbon, usually wool, used to tie up stockings or garters. Common in Shakespeare's time as everyday legwear.
A man might hold up his stockings with a caddis garter knotted below the knee.
A barrel that holds about 500 herrings. Used in trade and commerce, especially for preserved fish.
The merchant sold three cades of herrings at the market.
Falling or drooping. Shakespeare uses it for tears streaming down a face, or anything that moves downward.
Tears stream down her cheeks in grief.
In Greek myth, the man who founded the city of Thebes. Shakespeare and his audience would have known him as a figure from ancient legend—useful shorthand when the play needs to reference something grand or ancient.
A reference to Cadmus signals classical learning and the weight of mythic history.
The staff of Mercury, the messenger god, shown with two snakes wrapped around it. Shakespeare uses it as a symbol of cunning or magical power.
The sky or heavens. A Latin word Shakespeare uses in stage directions and learned speech to mean the space above the earth.
The actor exits toward caelo—toward the heavens above the stage.
An all-powerful ruler or emperor. Shakespeare uses it as a title for supreme authority—someone who commands absolute obedience and has no equal.
A fallen tyrant, no longer addressed as Caesar by those who once bowed to him.
A jail or lockup for minor offenders. A holding cell rather than a proper prison.
The drunk was thrown into the cage overnight.
Shut up or trapped, the way something locked in a cage would be. Used for people or feelings hemmed in and unable to escape.
A caged bird still sings, but not freely.
Red-haired. Medieval tradition held that Cain (Adam's murderous son) had red hair, and Shakespeare's time kept that association alive.
A man with a cain-coloured beard stood accused in the market square.
A wretch or despicable person. Shakespeare uses it both ways—to pity someone wretched and to scorn a coward or villain. Usually an insult.
A caitiff who betrays his own friends deserves no mercy.
Your plan or project has fallen apart. When someone says your cake is dough, they mean you've failed—your work hasn't risen or come together.
If the scheme collapses, you could say your cake is dough.
This phrase does not appear in standard Shakespeare texts or historical records. It may be a transcription error, a variant spelling from a specific source, or a word from a non-English context. Check your source text for accuracy.
A guide or model—someone or something that shows you how things should be done. In Shakespeare's time, calling a person a "calendar" meant they were an example to follow, a living record of how to behave.
He is the calendar of gentry—meaning he's the perfect model of how a gentleman should act.
A stupid or foolish person. Also used as a term of endearment, though usually with a teasing edge.
Art thou my calf? — a playful jab at someone's foolishness.
A light musket used in the 1500s and 1600s. Unlike heavier firearms, you could aim and fire it while holding it—no wooden support needed.
The soldiers marched with their calivers ready for battle.
A bird used to lure other birds into a trap or net. In Shakespeare, used metaphorically for anything that draws people in or recruits them to a cause.
Named; referred to as; summoned or addressed by a particular name or title.
Either I'm completely mistaken about who you are, Or you're that tricky, mischievous sprite Called Robin Goodfellow: aren't you the one Who scares the girls in the village; Churns milk, and sometimes works the mill And makes the housewife churn for no reason? And sometimes makes the beer not foam? Mischief-making night-wanderers, laughing at their misfortune? Those who call you Hobgoblin and sweet Puck, You do their bidding, and they'll have good luck: Are you not the one?
A woman seen as sexually loose or promiscuous. Sometimes used to mean a woman who scolds or nags.
A woman with a sharp tongue, endlessly complaining.
A name or title. What someone is called, especially a title that matters to them.
I am more proud to be Sir Rowland's son than to have any other calling.
To make a ship still by removing the wind from its sails. Shakespeare uses this in a nautical sense, describing a vessel made motionless on the water.
The becalmed ship sat helpless on the glassy sea.
Meleager, a prince from the ancient Greek city of Calydon. According to legend, his mother kept a magical log that controlled his life—the moment it burned completely, he would die.
A reference to an over-the-top, bombastic style of acting and speaking. It comes from a popular old play about a Persian king, famous for its wild ranting and ham-fisted drama.
He delivered his lines in King Cambyses' vein — all shouting and theatrical gestures.
A clumsy, awkward person. Shakespeare uses it as a taunt for someone who's rough or rude.
A place name that appears in Shakespeare but whose exact meaning or reference remains uncertain. Scholars have debated what Shakespeare intended here, and no single explanation has won out.
A woven fabric, often made from goat hair. The exact material varied depending on where and when it was made, but it was generally a sturdy, somewhat luxurious cloth.
A fine camlet cloak would have marked someone as well-dressed and prosperous.
To lodge or house people, usually in large numbers. A palace or building that can 'camp' a host has room enough to shelter them all.
If only the palace were big enough to camp all these soldiers.
To know how to do something; to be skilled at it. In Shakespeare's time, this word also sometimes stands in for the simple past tense 'did'—a quirk of older grammar that can make a line feel strange to modern ears.
"The priest in surplice white / That defunctive music can" — the priest knows how to play solemn music.
A small cup or mug, usually for drinking. The word carries a sense of something modest and unpretentious—a drinking vessel you'd clink together with friends.
Let's raise our canakins and toast to the night ahead.
A lively Spanish dance, or the sweet wine from the Canary Islands. Both were fashionable in Shakespeare's time.
A courtier might invite someone to dance a canary, or pour a glass of canary wine.
To cross something out or strike it from a record. To wipe away or nullify something that was previously valid or binding.
Cross out the old agreement and write the new one in its place.
The fourth sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters around the summer solstice in late June. In Shakespeare's time, people believed the sun's position in Cancer made the world hotter.
A candidate for public office in ancient Rome. The word comes from the white toga candidates wore as a sign of their bid for power.
Be candidatus then, and put it on — wear the white robe of office.
Covered with frost or ice, frozen solid. In Shakespeare, also used to mean sweet-talking or flattering—words that sound sugary but aren't necessarily honest.
A candied tongue says whatever you want to hear.
A light or flame, often used to represent life itself or the brightness of the stars. Shakespeare compares both the heavens and human existence to candles burning.
When Juliet says "Night's candles are burnt out," she means the stars have faded as dawn breaks.
A container or box designed to hold and protect candles. Shakespeare's time had no electric light, so candles were precious and needed safe storage.
Someone who stands by and watches while others do the real work. It means a bystander or spectator—not a player in the action.
I don't want to just watch from the sidelines; I want to actually help.
A storage place for tallow—the fat used to make candles. In Shakespeare's time, tallow was a cheap but smoky fuel for light in ordinary homes.
Someone who burns the midnight oil reading and studying—a bookworm. The image is of candlelight burned away in pursuit of learning.
The scholar stayed up all night with her books, a true candle-waster.
Sugared or candied. Used to describe something sweet, either literally or as a term for exaggerated politeness.
A reddish or tawny brown colour, like dried cane or straw. The exact shade is uncertain, but it suggests something weathered and golden-brown.
A dog. Shakespeare sometimes uses the Latin word, especially when calling someone dog-like as an insult.
A spreading disease or decay, usually in a metaphorical sense. It can mean an actual sore that eats away at flesh, a worm that destroys plant buds, or anything that corrupts from within—ambition, envy, the human heart itself.
Ambition is a canker that destroys even the best of us.
A contemptuous term for someone who spoils or corrupts what should be beautiful or innocent—like a worm eating through a flower. Shakespeare uses it as an insult.
You canker-blossom, always ruining the good moments for everyone else.
Eaten away by rust or rot; corrupted and poisoned from within. Used for metal that's tarnished, feelings that have turned toxic, or anything decent that's been destroyed by malice.
A cankered heart full of hate.
A mishearing or misspelling of 'Hannibal,' the famous Carthaginian general. Shakespeare and his contemporaries sometimes confused the name with the word 'cannibal.'
Buried with proper religious ceremony—the way the Church prescribed. A soul at rest, honored, laid to ground according to holy rites.
To declare someone holy or worthy of lasting fame. Shakespeare uses it to mean earning a place among the remembered and celebrated.
Fame will one day canonize us — make us legendary.
A rule or law, especially a Church law. In Shakespeare's time, canons governed what was forbidden or permitted—think of them as the rulebook everyone was supposed to follow.
Suicide broke the canon against self-harm.
The sky, especially when thought of as a covering overhead. Shakespeare was the first to use the word this way in English.
The stars in the canopy above seemed endless that night.
Can you; are you able to (second person singular present tense of 'can').
How can you shame me like this, Titania, Glancing at my reputation with Hippolyta, Knowing I know about your love for Theseus? Didn't you lead him through the dark night From Perigenia, whom he ravished? And make him break his faith with fair AEgle, With Ariadne and Antiopa?
A stand or holder for a candle. Usually made of metal like brass or iron.
She set the canstick on the table to light the room.
To burn or sear tissue with a hot iron or caustic substance, usually to stop bleeding or destroy infected flesh. A medical practice in Shakespeare's time.
The surgeon used a hot blade to cauterize the wound and prevent infection.
A curved section or segment of something round—like a slice of the globe, or the raised back part of a saddle.
A song or a portion of a song. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant a verse or stanza meant to be sung.
Write loyal cantons to praise the king.
A sailor who climbs the rigging and masts to handle and adjust the sails. The term is mildly contemptuous.
To shake someone roughly in a sheet—sometimes as rough play, sometimes as punishment. By extension, to treat someone harshly or give them a hard time.
A short, light song—usually about love. The word comes from Italian and was fashionable in Shakespeare's time.
He wooed her with a canzonet, hoping a sweet tune would win her heart.
A cap is a hat, but Shakespeare uses it in a lot of figurative ways. Throwing your cap in the air shows joy or celebration. Wearing something in your cap means treasuring it or showing it off. Doffing your cap—taking it off—is a gesture of respect or submission. The cap can also mean the very top or head of something.
If you wear courage in your cap, everyone sees it.
From head to toe; completely dressed or armed. Used to describe someone fully outfitted, especially in armor or formal dress.
He came into the hall cap-a-pe in shining armor, ready for battle.
Open or receptive to something—able to be affected by it or take it in. Shakespeare often uses it to mean susceptible or vulnerable to an influence, emotion, or action.
A heart capable of love is also capable of great sorrow.
The ability to hold, receive, or understand something. Often used to mean 'as much as I'm able to do' or 'within my limits.'
I'll help you to my capacity — meaning, as much as I'm able.
Hugh Capet, the founder of the Capetian dynasty and first king of France in that line. He ruled from 987 to 996. Shakespeare uses the name to reference French royalty or the French crown itself.
Punishable by death. Shakespeare uses it most often for crimes serious enough to get you executed. It can also mean chief or principal—the most important thing.
A capital offense meant losing your head, not just your freedom.
The great temple in Rome dedicated to Jupiter, built on a hill that became sacred to Roman power and history. Shakespeare uses it as a symbol of Rome itself and its grandeur.
The senators met at the Capitol to decide the fate of the city.
To propose or agree on terms—usually the conditions of a surrender or settlement. In Shakespeare's time, this meant actively drawing up the agreement itself, not just giving in.
The general moved to capitulate with the enemy before more blood was spilled.
A foolish or stupid person. Shakespeare uses this Italian insult to mock someone as a dunderhead.
You're talking nonsense like a capocchia.
A castrated rooster, fattened for meat. In Shakespeare's time, capons were a luxury dish, so they also became a symbol of bribery—magistrates were supposedly bought off with gifts of capons.
A justice with a belly lined with capon suggests a corrupt official fattened by gifts.
A sudden whim or change of mood. Something you do on impulse, without planning or reason.
He quit his job on a capriccio and never looked back.
Playful and full of wild, fanciful ideas — the kind of person or thing that leaps around unpredictably between whims. It comes from the Latin word for goat, which fits: like a goat jumping from stone to stone.
A capricious poet writes whatever strikes his fancy, not what you'd expect.
A leader or chief—someone in command. Shakespeare uses it both literally for military officers and figuratively for anyone heading something, from emotions to divine attributes. It's also a friendly way to address someone.
Love is the captain of my heart.
The highest military leader—the one who commands all the troops and forces. In Shakespeare's time, this was the supreme rank, answering directly to the ruler.
The captain-general rallied his soldiers before the battle began.
Large in space or capacity; roomy. Shakespeare uses it to mean something that can hold or contain a lot.
A captious mind can take in many ideas without strain.
Taken prisoner or held under someone else's control. In Shakespeare, often used for someone defeated in battle or emotionally overpowered.
His heart lay captiv'd by her beauty.
To take someone prisoner or under your control. Also used more loosely to mean capturing someone's attention or winning their affection so completely they can't resist you.
Her wit captivated the whole room.
Someone who has been defeated or conquered. In Shakespeare, it often means a prisoner of war or someone who has lost a battle and is now under the victor's power.
A captive soldier stripped of his armor and pride.
A chariot, especially the mythical one driven by the sun-god across the sky each day. In Shakespeare's time, the word could mean any wheeled vehicle drawn by horses.
The sun's car moves across the heavens.
A large merchant ship, especially one used by Portuguese traders sailing to Asia. Heavy and slow, built to carry cargo across long ocean voyages.
A large merchant ship, usually Portuguese or Spanish, used for long ocean voyages. (You might also see this spelled carrack or charact.)
The carack laden with spices arrived after months at sea.
A unit of weight and purity for gold. One carat is 1/24th of the total weight, so 24-carat gold is pure, while lower numbers show how much gold is mixed with other metals.
A sweet candy or confection made with caraway seeds. These were popular treats in Shakespeare's time, often served at the end of meals.
The host offered a dish of caraways after dinner.
Meat that's been slashed across and then grilled. Shakespeare uses it to describe a body covered in cuts and wounds—as if hacked and scarred like butchered meat.
A face marked with deep gashes, crisscrossed like meat ready for the fire.
Studded or decorated with carbuncles—deep red gemstones that glow like fire. The word suggests richness and brilliance, as if adorned with jewels that shine like the sun god's chariot.
A crown carbuncled with rubies caught the candlelight.
A fancy necklace or collar, usually made of gold or decorated with jewels. A piece of jewelry worn around the neck as a sign of wealth or status.
She wore a jeweled carcanet that caught the light as she moved through the hall.
A playing card, or a compass card marked with directional points. Used figuratively to mean a guide or something that steadies your course. Also appears in phrases like "cooling card" (something that dampens your hopes) or "speak by the card" (be precise and exact).
Someone who makes cards—the metal-toothed tools used to comb and prepare wool fibers for spinning. A craft worker in the textile industry.
A small French silver coin worth about eighteen pence. You'd encounter this mainly in historical contexts or when Shakespeare's characters are haggling over foreign money.
A person who combs wool to clean it and prepare it for spinning. The process separates the fibers and removes dirt and tangles.
The carder's work came before the spinner's — raw wool had to be made ready first.
One of the highest virtues in Christian teaching—usually justice, prudence, temperance, or fortitude. Shakespeare puns on this meaning when he calls someone a 'cardinal' (a church official of that rank).
A joking, garbled version of 'carnally'—used to mean lustfully or with sexual desire, but mangled in a funny way. Shakespeare and his contemporaries loved this kind of wordplay.
A woman cardinally given—a bawdy joke on desire and mixed-up speech.
A thistle plant used in Shakespeare's time as a herbal remedy. People believed it could cure fevers, wounds, and digestive troubles.
A poultice of carduus benedictus was thought to draw out poison from a wound.
Attention or worry. When someone says "have a care," they mean pay attention or watch out. You can also "care for" something—look after it, tend to it.
Have a care—that path is steep and slippery.
Attuned to sorrow; speaking in a tone shaped by worry or grief. The tongue itself is imagined as an instrument tuned to sadness.
A voice that has learned to speak only in the register of sadness.
A burst of speed or rapid motion—either a horse galloping at full pace, or figuratively, the uncontrolled rush of someone following their impulse or mood. The word carries a sense of something swift and hard to stop once it's begun.
"Stopping the career of his humour" — holding back the wild momentum of his mood.
Weighed down by worry or responsibility. Full of cares—anxious, troubled, or worn by the weight of what you're managing.
A careful man, worn thin by worry and duty.
Free from worry or concern. Also means neglected or abandoned, left without care or attention.
A baby sleeps as peacefully as someone without a care in the world.
Something is missing or absent. Used as a proofreader's mark to show where text should be inserted.
A man from the countryside, or a rude, coarse fellow. Shakespeare uses it as an insult—someone common or ill-mannered.
The lord dismissed him as a mere carl, unfit for court.
A pale pink or flesh-coloured shade, named after the flower. Shakespeare's contemporaries loved carnation ribbons and garments for their delicate hue.
He wore a carnation doublet that made him look sickly to his rivals' eyes.
A song, usually one full of joy or praise. In Shakespeare's time, carols were often religious—songs that celebrated Christmas or other holy moments.
A chorus of carols rang out from the chapel at Christmas.
A full glass of drink meant to be finished in one go, often as a toast. The verb means to drink heavily and celebrate, usually with others.
He raised his carouse and called everyone to join him in drinking to the king's health.
A person more at home in fancy drawing rooms than doing real work—someone all talk and no action, more comfortable flattering ladies than proving themselves in serious business.
He's just a carpet knight, all courtly manners and no actual courage.
The way someone holds or moves their body—their bearing, posture, manner. Also: a wheeled vehicle, or the act of carrying something from one place to another.
He walked with the carriage of a soldier, straight-backed and proud.
Someone who carries a message or letter from one place to another. A messenger.
Send this letter by carrier to the castle before nightfall.
Dead, rotting flesh. Shakespeare uses it as an insult for a living person—calling someone carrion means they're worthless, or just remarking on the body as meat and decay. He also personifies Death itself as carrion.
A character might call an old, weak enemy 'carrion' to say they're as good as dead already.
To win or achieve something through effort or action. Shakespeare uses it broadly: to win a contest or prize, to conquer by force, to manage or conduct yourself in a certain way, or to endure hardship.
He hopes to carry the election by winning over the voters.
Someone who spreads gossip or reports private talk to others. A tattletale or busybody who can't keep secrets.
The cook is a carry-tale who tells the household staff everything he overhears in the great hall.
A cart used to parade criminals through the streets on their way to execution or public punishment. It's a vehicle of shame — everyone watches as you're hauled through town in it.
Being carted to the gallows was the final humiliation before the end.
To shape or create something with skill and care. Also used to mean showing off or behaving with exaggerated politeness and charm.
He was carving the fashion of a new doublet—showing off his skill with needle and cloth.
Having a face that looks carved or sculpted—thin, angular, with sharp, prominent features. Like a face chiseled from bone.
His carved-bone face showed every year of hardship.
A person who serves food at the table, cutting and distributing meat to the diners. More broadly, someone who takes or chooses what they want for themselves.
He decided to be his own carver—taking what he pleased without asking permission.
A situation or set of circumstances. In legal language, it means a dispute or claim being heard in court. Shakespeare often uses it simply to mean 'the way things stand' or 'the matter at hand.'
When Hamlet says he needs to be his own lawyer 'in this case,' he means he must defend himself in this particular situation.
A small decorative box, usually made of wood or metal, for holding jewels, letters, or other valuables. Often a keepsake or gift.
She kept her love letters in a wooden cask beneath her bed.
A helmet worn by soldiers and warriors. In Shakespeare, it often stands for military life itself—the opposite of peace and comfort.
A soldier moves from the casque to the cushion: from war to rest.
A king of ancient Britain who fought against Julius Caesar's invasion. Shakespeare knew him as a legendary British hero, though the historical figure was called Cassivelaunus.
Michael Cassio, a Florentine officer and lieutenant to Othello in the play *Othello*; a character name, not a word with a separate meaning.
Believe it or not, a man who is a mathematician - some Micheal Cassio from Florence.
A long cloak or coat worn by soldiers. It hung loose enough to move in during battle or on the march.
A soldier's cassock swung around his legs as he strode through the camp.
As a noun: a throw of the dice, or a tint or shade of color. As a verb: to throw, hurl, or fling; also to discard, shed, or get rid of something; or to reckon up and calculate.
He threw his fortune on a single cast of the dice.
Thrown away or left behind. In Shakespeare, often used to describe something discarded or shed, like a snake shedding its skin.
A cast-off lover, abandoned on the shore.
To punish or scold someone sharply, usually to correct their behavior or attitude. Shakespeare uses it to mean a kind of harsh discipline—either physical punishment or a stinging rebuke.
A father might castigate his son for arrogance.
A nonsense phrase shouted during drinking games, possibly meant to sound like Spanish. Scholars puzzle over what it actually means—one guess is that it's slang for "put on a serious face" or "act dignified."
A fortress or walled stronghold — a place of safety and power. Shakespeare uses it both literally for actual castles and figuratively for anything that shields or protects you.
A man's home is his castle—his refuge from the world.
Happening by chance or accident, not planned or deliberate. In Shakespeare's time, it also meant uncertain or vulnerable to fate.
The soldiers suffered casual losses in the night attack.
By chance or accident, not on purpose. Something that happens without planning or intention.
He casually bumped into his old friend at the market.
A domestic cat, or sometimes a civet cat (valued for its musk). Also used as an insult for a person you despise.
A leopard or panther. The word refers to the wild spotted cat of Africa and Asia, not a domestic animal.
The hunter tracked the cat-o'-mountain through the African plains.
A person from Cathay (China). The term often carried a slur — it was used to mean a con artist or cheat, suggesting dishonesty.
A Cataian trader who'll trick you out of your purse.
A medicinal paste or cloth you spread on the skin to soothe pain or draw out infection. Think of it as an early kind of healing bandage.
He applied a cataplasm to the wound to reduce the fever.
The final event or resolution of a story—how everything wraps up. Shakespeare sometimes used it as a joking way to refer to someone's backside.
The catastrophe of the play leaves the hero dead and the kingdom in chaos.
Something worth having or keeping hold of. Also a short song for multiple voices, where singers start at different moments so their lines overlap and weave together.
A quiet catch—someone or something desirable.
Close friends who eat and spend time together. The word suggests a friendship built on sharing meals and company.
They're barely cater-cousins — they hardly see each other anymore.
Fine food, expensive treats, or delicacies. The kind of dish you serve at a feast, not everyday fare.
The royal table groaned with rich cates and wine.
A string made from animal gut, used for musical instruments like violins and lutes. Shakespeare plays on the word when he jokes that Apollo (god of music) might use sinews to make these strings.
A lute's catlings need to be replaced when they fray or snap.
Showy or flashy in a way that seems insincere. The exact origin is uncertain, but it appears in contexts of exaggerated politeness or false charm.
A warm drink made from thin porridge mixed with wine or ale, sweetened and spiced. People gave it to the sick to comfort them. The phrase "hempen caudle" was a dark joke meaning a noose — the hangman's drink.
She brought him caudle to ease his fever.
A sneaky trick or bit of deception. Something designed to trap or fool someone.
Sly and deceptive. Someone who is cautelous uses tricks and careful planning to trap or mislead you.
He used cautelous words to win her trust before revealing his true scheme.
To burn or sear tissue, usually with a hot iron or caustic substance, to stop bleeding or destroy infected flesh. Shakespeare uses it metaphorically for anything that sears or deadens feeling.
Grief had cauterized his heart so thoroughly he could no longer weep.
Care taken to avoid danger or harm; a warning or piece of advice meant to protect someone. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant counsel or guidance.
His friends offered caution against trusting the stranger.
A nobleman or gentleman, especially one trained in combat and known for his charm and high spirits. Often used as a title of respect.
A cavaleiro dressed in fine silks, quick with a sword and quicker with a compliment.
A mounted soldier or knight. In Shakespeare's time, a man of rank who fought on horseback, often with a swaggering or reckless style.
A cavalier in full armour rode across the battlefield.
Someone who guards secrets and keeps things hidden—used figuratively to mean evils that fester in the dark, away from light and scrutiny.
To be careful or on guard against something. A Latin phrase meaning "beware" or "watch out."
Fish eggs salted and pressed into a delicacy. The taste is an acquired one—most people find it off-putting at first. Shakespeare uses it as a figure for anything too refined or strange for ordinary people to enjoy.
The avant-garde film was caviare to the general audience.
An end or stopping. Shakespeare uses it most often to mean the end of something grand or powerful—like a reign or a life.
The cease of majesty — the end of a king's rule.
The underground part of a building, or the space beneath the stage. In Shakespeare's theatre, the cellarage was where trap doors led—a perfect hiding place for ghosts and supernatural effects.
The ghost's voice seemed to come from the cellarage, making it feel like it rose from the earth itself.
A binding powder mixed with water to create a hard paste—used in building and for patching. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean to bind or join things together, literal or figurative.
The mortar cements the bricks into place.
A metal container used to burn perfume or incense, often decorated with ornamental designs on the lid. Shakespeare compares rapid snipping motions to the intricate patterns on a censer's surface.
An official in ancient Rome who counted the citizens and enforced public morality. Shakespeare uses the title to evoke Roman authority and judgment.
A censor would decide who deserved to be a citizen and who didn't.
A formal judgment or verdict, especially one that condemns. In Shakespeare, it often means blame or a critical opinion. No amount of power or status can escape being judged by others.
The censure of this hellish villain rang through the courtroom.
A belt or girdle worn around the waist. In some texts, editors have modernized the spelling to 'cincture' or 'ceinture,' though the meaning stays the same.
The middle of something, or the core of a person's being—their heart or soul. Shakespeare often uses it to mean the earth itself, imagined as the center of the universe, or the deepest part of a person where truth and intention live.
If you want to wound someone deeply, you strike at their centre—their very soul.
A group of about a hundred soldiers in the Roman army, or more broadly, any collection of a hundred of something. In Shakespeare's time, the word meant 'a hundred' rather than a period of years.
A century of prayers before battle.
In ancient myth, the three-headed dog that guards the entrance to the underworld. Shakespeare and his contemporaries used the name to mean any fierce guard or watchdog.
A Cerberus of a man stood at the gate, letting no one pass.
A cloth stiffened with wax, used to wrap a dead body for burial. It keeps the body preserved and protected.
The corpse was bound in cerecloth before being placed in the tomb.
Cloth soaked in wax and wrapped around a dead body before burial. Shakespeare uses it to mean graveclothes in general.
The body lay in cerements, ready for the tomb.
A sign of rank or power—the visible trappings that mark someone as important. A crown, robes, or any ornament that shows you're in command. Sometimes Shakespeare uses it to mean an omen or warning sign.
The king stripped away his ceremonies and stood alone, just a man.
The Roman goddess of grain and harvests. Shakespeare uses her name to mean the crops themselves, or the whole idea of fertility and farming.
The fields brought forth Ceres' bounty after the long drought.
sure, definite, or established as fact; guaranteed or inevitable.
Please, sweet Hermia, give in: Lysander, Give up your claim to her, since I have the right.
With steady resolve or fixed determination. Shakespeare uses it rarely to mean holding firm to a course of action.
Certainly, without doubt. A formal way to swear something is true.
Certes, I saw him with my own eyes.
To tell someone something as a fact; to assure them of it with certainty. In Shakespeare's time, it often means to formally inform or make known.
I certify you that the messenger has arrived.
A reckoning or measure. Often used in the phrase "out of all cess" to mean beyond all bounds or calculation—something too extreme to assess.
The king's spending was out of all cess.
To stop or come to an end. This is an older spelling of 'cease' that Shakespeare used, especially when he needed the word to rhyme.
When the music cesse, the dancers bow.
To punish or rebuke someone, often sharply. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean physical punishment, but also stern correction through words.
The king will chastise his son for such reckless behaviour.
In tennis, the second bounce of a ball that your opponent couldn't or wouldn't hit back. Shakespeare uses it loosely to mean the game of tennis itself.
All the courts of France will be disturbed with chaces—meaning the whole kingdom will be caught up in tennis matches.
To rage or fret, like water churning against its banks. Often describes fury or restless agitation—whether of a person or the natural world.
The river chafes against the shore, wild and angry.
To rub or scrape against something, causing soreness or irritation. Often used of skin worn raw by friction, or of the mind worn raw by worry or anger.
The armor chafed his shoulders until they bled.
To wrap around or hold close, as if binding with a chain. To embrace or clasp someone tightly.
She chained his armed neck—held him close in her embrace.
A seat that holds power or authority—a throne, judge's bench, or any official position. Also used for a sedan chair, a portable seat carried by servants.
He claimed the chair of state after the king's death.
The later years of life, when you're past hard work and can rest. A gentle way of saying old age.
She looked forward to her chair-days, sitting by the fire with her grandchildren.
Shaped like a cup or chalice. Shakespeare invented this word to describe flowers whose petals form a hollow bowl.
A claim or demand for something you believe is rightfully yours. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean a formal accusation against someone, or a summons to fight.
He made a challenge that the king's promise belonged to him by right.
Someone who disputes or questions something, or calls it out as false. In Shakespeare, often someone who objects to a claim or challenges another person to prove themselves.
A ruler of the Tartars or Mongols, especially the emperor of China. Shakespeare's audience used this word for the most powerful Oriental monarch they'd heard of.
the Great Cham's beard
A room, often a bedroom or private space. In royal contexts, it can mean the seat of power or capital city—the center of a kingdom's authority. It can also refer to a small cannon.
Welcome, sweet prince, to London, to your chamber—meaning the seat of English royal power.
Private matters or secrets—the kind of things discussed behind closed doors. Personal business that isn't for public knowledge.
She wouldn't share her chamber-counsels with anyone but her closest friend.
Enclosed or contained within a space, as if in a room. Shakespeare uses it to describe something held inside the body or heart.
The noblest blood held within his chest.
A man who spends his time courting women and hanging around their private rooms. The kind of smooth talker obsessed with seduction and flattery.
He's such a chamberer—always finding excuses to visit the ladies' quarters.
A senior servant who looked after a king's or nobleman's private rooms and personal needs. In an inn, the chamberlain managed the bedrooms and looked after guests staying overnight.
The chamberlain showed the visitor to his sleeping quarters and saw to his comfort.
A maid who works in a lady's private rooms, attending to her clothes, hair, and personal needs.
The chambermaid helped dress her mistress for the court ball.
A type of fabric, usually a mix of silk and wool or cotton. The weave was popular for fine clothing in Shakespeare's time.
A creature that old stories said could survive on air alone. Shakespeare uses it as a metaphor for Love—something that can thrive on nothing but hope and attention.
Open, flat countryside with few trees or obstacles. The word often appears in descriptions of wide, sweeping landscapes.
A stretch of champaign plain where armies could maneuver freely.
A warrior or fighter of great skill and courage. Also someone who stands up for a person or cause — who fights their corner, so to speak.
Rome's best champion — the one who wins every battle.
Luck or fortune — whether good or bad. Also: an accident or mishap, or an opportunity that comes your way. Shakespeare uses it broadly: sometimes for pure accident ("by chance"), sometimes for opportunity ("take your chance"), and sometimes for whatever fortune deals you.
The highest legal officer in England, who keeps the Great Seal and handles the kingdom's most important judicial business. A position of immense power, usually serving the monarch directly.
Warwick is chancellor — he holds the Great Seal and answers only to the king.
A swap or exchange of one thing for another. Also means a shift in mood or behavior — the kind of unpredictability you see in someone moody or fickle.
Shifting in color depending on the light or angle you see it from. The word usually describes fabric—like silk or taffeta—that shimmers between different hues.
A cloak of changeable silk that gleams purple in shadow and gold in sunlight.
Unreliable; prone to shifting moods, loyalties, or opinions. A person or feeling you can't count on to stay the same.
His changeful heart swore love one day and doubt the next.
A person who shifts loyalties or moods without warning—unreliable and hard to trust. Shakespeare also uses it for a fairy-tale creature: a sickly child left behind by fairies in place of a healthy human baby they'd stolen.
He's a changeling—promise him anything today, and tomorrow he'll deny he ever said it.
To cut grooves or furrows into something. Shakespeare uses it to describe how warfare tears up the earth.
War channeling the fields means ploughing them with destruction.
A song, especially a formal or pious one. The word comes from French and appears in Shakespeare mainly in textual variants where editors have debated the exact phrase.
A private chapel, usually funded by a wealthy person, where priests sang daily mass—often to pray for the souls of the dead. These were common in medieval churches and cathedrals.
A dark, formless void—or confusion so complete that everything loses shape and order. Shakespeare uses it for both the literal darkness of night and the collapse of civilization into meaninglessness.
When love dies, chaos returns—all structure dissolves into shadow.
The metal tip or mounting at the bottom of a scabbard—the part that protects the point of the blade. A dagger or sword without one is called chapeless.
A dagger with a broken chape couldn't hold the blade safely.
Missing the lower jaw or chin. In Shakespeare's time, this was used to describe a skull or a grotesque, death-like face.
A chapless skull grinned from the tomb.
A merchant or trader—someone who buys and sells goods. Shakespeare sometimes uses it to mean a buyer or customer.
A chapman might talk down the price of something he wanted to purchase.
The jaws or cheeks. Sometimes used for cracks or splits in the skin, especially around the mouth.
Leaving no trace or mark behind. Applied to something so utterly destroyed or forgotten that it vanishes without leaving any sign it ever existed.
A kingdom left characterless—erased so completely that no one remembers it ever stood.
A mark, letter, or symbol written down. Can mean handwriting itself, or anything that stands for something else—like a visible sign that carries meaning.
The letter bore the king's own charactery, unmistakable to all who knew his hand.
A distinctive mark or sign that identifies something or someone. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean a letter or symbol, or a visible trait that sets a person apart.
His scar was the character by which all knew him.
A mark, letter, or symbol written or engraved onto a surface. Shakespeare uses it for handwriting, a secret code, or the visible signs of someone's nature written in their face or body.
Know you the hand? — 'Tis Hamlet's character. (Can you recognize his handwriting?)
A task or job, especially a household chore. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant menial or unpleasant work.
Even the lowliest chares fell to her shoulders.
A load or burden — literally cargo, or figuratively a responsibility laid on you. Also means cost or expense, or a command given to you.
The king left his son in my charge — meaning I'm responsible for him now.
A boarding school where young people live and are educated under supervision. The institution takes responsibility for their care and upbringing.
Expensive. Something that costs a lot of money.
A chargeful feast meant the host spent heavily on wine and meat.
Careful attention to doing the right thing. A scrupulous honesty and caution about one's conduct.
He handled the money with chariness, counting every coin twice.
An oath or plea—a way of calling on the virtue of charity itself to emphasize sincerity. Used in urgent requests: "for charity's sake, listen to me."
"For charity, tell me true—did you see him leave?"
A spell or magic incantation. By extension, anything that captivates or enchants—a person's beauty, a voice, an allure that seems almost supernatural in its power to hold you.
Those charms, thine eyes — meaning your eyes bewitch me like magic.
Protected or blessed by magic, so that harm can't touch it. A charmed life is one guarded by spell or fate.
He lived a charmed life, escaping every danger that should have killed him.
A sweet wine from Spain or the Canary Islands, popular in Shakespeare's time. Dark and fortified, it was a luxury import.
He ordered a glass of charneco, the finest wine the tavern had to offer.
In Greek myth, the boatman who ferries the dead across the river Styx. Shakespeare uses it as a poetic way to ask someone to help carry you across water—or metaphorically, to help you die.
Be thou my Charon—help me cross this dark water.
A right or freedom that's officially granted or recognized. In Shakespeare's time, a charter was often a written document that set out what you were allowed to do.
As large a charter as the wind — meaning freedom to go wherever you wish.
Licensed or given official permission to do something. The word suggests freedom granted by authority—a privilege, not a natural right.
The air blows where it wishes, as if it had a license to roam freely.
The Charterhouse, a Carthusian monastery in Smithfield, London. Shakespeare uses it to refer to the monks who lived there.
Cautious and careful about something. Reluctant to take risks or act rashly.
A chary lover hesitates before declaring his feelings.
The act of hunting or pursuing someone or something. It can mean the hunt itself, the pursuit of a particular goal, or even the hunting ground where the chase takes place.
I am out of breath in this fond chase.
Pure and untouched. In Shakespeare, often describes someone who hasn't had sex, or something (like the stars) that's spotless and free from corruption.
you chaste stars — the stars as pure, eternal, and unmarred
Light, friendly talk. In Shakespeare's time it could mean gossip or idle chatter, but mostly it's just casual conversation between people who know each other.
They sat by the fire, having a chat about the day's events.
Movable property or possessions — things you own that aren't land or buildings. In Shakespeare's time, this included everything from livestock to household goods.
A man might lose his chattels in a lawsuit but keep his house.
The internal organs or guts of an animal. Shakespeare uses it mostly to mean the entrails used in witchcraft or dark ritual.
The witches threw chaudrons into their bubbling cauldron.
A southwestern English dialect word for 'I'. It appears before consonants in speech.
Worth little effort or regard. To hold something cheap means to think little of it, to dismiss it.
He holds his promises cheap—breaking them without a second thought.
To haggle over the price of something, or to try to strike a deal. In Shakespeare's time, it meant to make an offer or bid for what you wanted to buy.
He cheapened the horse, hoping to pay less at market.
A trick or swindle meant to defraud someone. Originally rooted in the legal term for property seized as a penalty, the word came to mean anything gained dishonestly or any underhanded scheme.
The card player was caught running a cheat at the tavern.
A royal officer in charge of seized estates—a job that gave plenty of chances to swindle people out of their property. Shakespeare plays on this meaning to suggest someone who tricks or defrauds others.
A cheater working the escheats could line his own pockets while the crown looked away.
As a noun: a rebuke or criticism. As a verb: to stop, hold back, or rebuke someone. The verb sense often means to interrupt or restrain—whether reining in a horse, calling out bad behavior, or abandoning one course of action for another.
A hawk that checks at every bird in flight will never catch its prey.
The side of the face. Shakespeare often uses "cheek by jowl" to mean side by side, close together, or as equals.
The king and the beggar stood cheek by jowl in the marketplace.
A poetic way to describe rosy, healthy-looking cheeks — the kind that show good blood flow and youth. Shakespeare's world loved the metaphor of roses for beauty.
Her cheek-roses bloomed so fresh that suitors lined up at her door.
Your face, mood, or disposition—how you look and feel. 'Good cheer' means courage or comfort. Often used as a greeting: 'What cheer?' is how you'd ask someone how they're doing.
She showed a merry cheer despite the bad news.
In a way that gives hope or confidence. Speaking or acting to lift someone's spirits or make them feel braver.
The general spoke cheerfully to the troops before battle, steadying their nerves.
With brightness and good cheer. Sailors used it as a call to lift spirits and rally the crew—something like "Come on, lads!" or "Chin up!"
A captain shouts "Cheerly, cheerly!" to his crew as the ship sets sail.
A gold coin from Italy or Turkey, highly valued in trade. Shakespeare's era knew it as exotic currency worth serious money.
A merchant counting chequins from the East, weighing each one.
To nurture and help something grow—plants, feelings, relationships, whatever you're tending to. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant literally encouraging growth (like air nurturing weeds) or treating someone with warmth and care.
He cherished his friendship with her despite the years apart.
A children's game where you flick cherry stones into a hole. Shakespeare's characters sometimes mention it as a silly pastime.
Something tiny and worthless. Cherry stones were so small and hard they were good for nothing—perfect for describing anything trivial.
He wouldn't waste a cherry-stone on such a foolish plan.
A beautiful, innocent-looking woman or girl — often one who looks angelic or pure. Shakespeare uses it as a term of admiration for someone with delicate, youthful beauty.
A young woman with a rosy mouth might be called a cherubin for her ethereal grace.
The front of the body from neck to belly, or the breast. Shakespeare uses it to mean the heart or seat of emotion and courage.
A pure chest — an honest, brave heart.
Soft leather made from a young goat's skin. Shakespeare uses it metaphorically to suggest something supple, flexible, or easily bent—often to describe a person's character or wit as pliable or adaptable.
To think over something repeatedly, turning it around in your mind. Shakespeare uses it for dwelling on a thought or name, the way you'd chew food without swallowing.
He kept chewing on the memory of her words.
A chatterer or someone who won't stop talking. The word comes from a type of noisy bird, so Shakespeare uses it as a playful insult for someone who talks too much.
"Peace, chewet, peace!" — telling a blabbermouth to shut up.
A term of affection, like calling someone 'dear' or 'darling.' Shakespeare uses it warmly, without the modern slang edge.
Prospero calling his spirit servant Ariel 'chick' shows tenderness beneath their master-servant bond.
A coward or someone timid and defenseless. Shakespeare uses it to mock people who lack courage, treating them as helpless as an actual chicken.
A warrior who runs from battle might be called a chicken by his comrades.
To scold or rebuke someone sharply. Can also describe harsh or turbulent sounds—like waves lashing against rocks—that suggest angry force.
She chides him for his carelessness.
A loud, angry sound—the noise of quarreling or scolding. Often used for natural forces like wind or water that seem to rage and complain.
The chiding of the winter's wind filled the empty hall.
Mainly; above all else. When something is "in chief," it's the principal reason or quality.
They are generous, chief in their willingness to help others.
A young person, especially a daughter. Shakespeare often uses it to mean a girl or young woman of any age. In ballads and old stories, it's also a title given to a young nobleman or knight—like 'Sir' or 'Lord.'
Child Rowland to the dark tower came.
Transformed or altered by what your children have done—or transformed into a child yourself. The word catches that moment when parenthood rewires you completely.
A father made gentle and uncertain by his children's betrayal.
Having children. Shakespeare uses it rarely, almost as a verb turned into an adjective—to describe someone who has become a parent.
The state of being someone's child. A family bond of descent — what makes you a son or daughter.
Capable of producing children or offspring. Used to describe something fertile or prolific.
A childing womb shall bear us heirs to the throne.
A return to childlike behavior and dependence in old age. Shakespeare uses it to describe the final stage of life, when someone loses the mental and physical powers they once had.
In old age, people sometimes enter their second childishness, needing care much like infants do.
Behavior or humor that's silly and immature—the kind of thing you'd expect from a child, not a grown person.
Young human beings; offspring or sons and daughters of parents.
Will appear on their children. With this holy dew from the fields
A regional dialect word (Somerset) meaning 'I will'. You won't see it in most Shakespeare plays, but it shows up in rustic or comic speech meant to sound like West Country English.
The fireplace itself, or the opening where a fire burns. In Shakespeare's time, this word could mean the whole structure where you'd light a fire to warm a room.
Money, especially coins. The word comes from the sound of metal clinking together.
He pulled out his chinks to pay for the ale.
To cut or pare away the outer layer of something, especially bread crust. More broadly, to hack or chop at something with short, sharp blows.
He chipped away the burnt crust from the loaf.
The keys of a harpsichord or spinet—the small pieces you press to make the instrument sound. Shakespeare uses the word playfully, as if the keys were dancing under someone's fingers.
With the skill and precision of a surgeon. When something is done this way, it's done carefully and exactly, cutting away what's unwanted and leaving the rest intact.
He chirurgeonly removed the bad parts, leaving the good untouched.
The ideals and code of honor that knights live by—bravery, loyalty, and noble conduct in war and peace. Also used to mean knights as a group, or the rank of knighthood itself.
He proved his chivalry through brave deeds and unwavering loyalty to the crown.
A person or thing that has been selected. Also: a group of picked or excellent people, or the act of choosing itself. In Shakespeare, it can mean something worthy of special regard.
She was his father's choice for a bride.
Picked out with real thought and care. Something chosen because it's worth choosing, not by accident or default.
A choice-drawn gift shows the giver knows you well.
To block or stifle something—stop it from working freely. Can mean to silence someone, smother growth, or jam up a passage so nothing moves through.
Two exhausted swimmers clinging together choke their swimming strokes.
Anger or irritability. The word comes from the old medical idea that anger was caused by excess bile in the body—one of the four 'humours' that were thought to control mood and health.
Let's purge this choler before we say something we'll regret.
Quick to anger; prone to rage or irritability. In Shakespeare's time, people believed excess bile in the body made you hot-tempered and volatile.
A choleric man flares up at small slights.
To do as you wish or take your own course. Often used in the phrase "cannot choose but," meaning you have no choice—you must do something whether you like it or not.
If you won't marry me, then choose—do what you want.
To thrust or shove suddenly. A rough, forceful push rather than a gentle placement.
We'll chop him into the wine barrel.
Someone who argues in a tricky, pedantic way—splitting hairs and using clever wordplay to win a point rather than find truth. A person who chops logic is more interested in winning the debate than being fair.
Stop being such a chop-logic and just tell me what you actually mean.
A tall platform shoe with a thick cork or wooden sole, popular in Venice and Italy. Women wore them to add height and show off fine stockings.
Changeable or inconsistent in speech and meaning. The word suggests someone who shifts their words around so much that you can't pin down what they really mean.
The French are described as chopping—always shifting their words and promises.
Cracked and raw, especially from cold or wind. Your skin gets choppy when it's chafed and painful.
His choppy hands showed he'd worked all winter without gloves.
The jaws or cheeks—especially if they're full or fleshy. Shakespeare's time spelled it this way; we'd now say "chaps."
A single character who steps outside the action to speak directly to the audience—often at the play's beginning or end. They explain what's happening, comment on events, or fill in time between scenes. Shakespeare borrowed this from ancient Greek drama but streamlined it to one person instead of a full group.
In Henry V, Time enters as chorus to guide us through the story.
A small, noisy bird in the crow family—often a jackdaw, though Shakespeare may have meant the red-legged Cornish chough. Used as a type for any chattering, gabbling creature.
The russet-pated choughs wouldn't stop their noise.
To name someone, especially at birth or baptism. Shakespeare uses it to mean 'Christian' or 'belonging to Christian lands'—the idea of naming as part of Christian practice.
A king without equal in all Christendom.
The Christian world—all Christians and Christian nations taken together. In Shakespeare, sometimes used to mean Christianity itself, or a person's Christian name (the name given at baptism).
A newborn baby, especially one who has just been christened. The word comes from the white cloth put on a baby during the christening ceremony—it evokes innocence and new life.
A christom child knows nothing of the world's cruelty.
A yellowish-green or green precious stone. In Shakespeare's time, the name covered several different gems—zircon, tourmaline, topaz—because people weren't sure exactly which stone was which. The name comes from the Greek for 'gold stone.'
A ring set with chrysolite would have gleamed like spring leaves catching sunlight.
A chick—a young chicken. Shakespeare sometimes uses it as a term of endearment, like calling someone "love" or "dear."
"My chuck, come sit beside me."
To chew or bite. A regional dialect word from Somerset that appears in Shakespeare's text.
A stingy person who hoards money and won't spend it, especially on things that matter. Someone tight with their wealth.
He's such a chuff—rich but too mean to help anyone around him.
The clergy or the religious profession. To "go to church" or "be of the church" means to become a clergyman or take religious vows. It can also mean to get married, since weddings happen in church.
"When mean you to go to church?" — asking when someone plans to marry.
Fitting for a church or a priest. Serious, reverent, or formal in the way religious settings are.
A priest or clergy member—someone ordained in the Church.
The churchman blessed the bride before the wedding feast.
A rude, stingy person—someone crude and mean with money. Originally meant a peasant or farmhand, but came to mean anyone crude or miserly.
A churl won't spend a penny, even on a friend.
Rude, rough, or unkind. Can describe a person's behavior or manner, or the harsh, unyielding quality of something physical—like soil or weather. Also means stingy or grudging, especially with praise.
A churlish reply shuts down conversation before it starts.
A scar left by a wound. Shakespeare sometimes stretches the meaning to include any mark or lasting impression — physical or emotional.
The old wound had left a cicatrice on his arm that would never fade.
Dark, gloomy, or shadowy—often used to describe someone or something associated with darkness or evil. In Shakespeare's time, it evoked the mythical Cimmerians, a people said to live in perpetual darkness.
Aaron's cimmerian nature matched the dark deeds he committed.
A belt or girdle worn around the waist. In Shakespeare's time, a common piece of clothing that cinched the middle of a garment.
He pulled tight his cincture before stepping into battle.
Ashes left behind after something burns, or glowing pieces of coal still hot enough to burn. Shakespeare sometimes uses it to mean stars, as if they were embers scattered across the sky.
Burn the heart to cinders — reduce it to ash.
A group of fortified ports on England's southeast coast that once supplied most of the royal navy. In return, they gained special legal rights and trading privileges. Shakespeare uses the term for the important nobles who represented these ports.
The barons of the Cinque-ports held great sway in matters of trade and war.
Marked with five spots or dots. Shakespeare uses it to describe things with five distinct marks.
A lively dance popular in Shakespeare's time, named for its five-step pattern. It was considered showy and energetic.
A vain courtier prances through a cinquepace to impress the ladies.
A zero, or anyone worthless—a nobody. The word plays on how the numeral 0 adds value to other numbers (like 10) while being nothing itself.
We are ciphers in this great story, adding value only if you imagine us there.
A sorceress who uses magic to bewitch and transform people, especially into animals. In Shakespeare's time, the name came from Homer's Circe, a goddess who turned men into pigs.
A woman accused of witchcraft might be called a Circe by her enemies.
A ring drawn or marked out, often for magical purposes. Also means a crown, or the boundary or extent of a territory or space.
A Greek invocation to call fools into a circle.
Round or circular in shape. Shakespeare uses it for things like the moon's orbit or the curve of someone's eyes.
The moon in its circled path across the sky.
A circlet or crown worn on the head. In Shakespeare's time, a band of metal or precious material that went around the head as a symbol of rank or power.
the golden circuit on my head
Around; in a circle. Used in stage directions and scene headings to mean 'roughly' or 'approximately' (as in 'circa 1600').
Surrounded by walls or a fence. The prefix circum- means "around," and mur'd comes from murus, the Latin word for wall.
A garden circummur'd with brick stands shut off from the world beyond.
Controlled or limited by circumstances; forced into a situation you didn't choose. You're at the mercy of what's happening around you.
A man circumstanc'd by poverty has few options.
A fact or detail that surrounds an event — like the time, place, or manner in which something happens. Also used for the evidence or signs that point to the truth of something, or for the formal ceremony and fuss that attends an occasion.
The circumstances of his arrival—late at night, alone, disheveled—raised suspicion.
Detailed and roundabout rather than direct. It describes something that takes the long way around—full of details and conditions rather than getting straight to the point.
A circumstantial excuse means you're explaining all the reasons why, not just saying 'I'm sorry.'
A way to get around something—to dodge it, outwit it, or slip past it. The trick or method you use to avoid a rule, obstacle, or enemy.
By a clever circumvention of the law, he kept his wealth hidden.
A bringing up or mentioning of something, often in a way that embarrasses or accuses. When you cite someone's actions or words against them.
He made a blushing cital of himself—everyone heard what he'd said.
To quote someone's words or bring up a fact as proof or example. Shakespeare also uses it to mean summon to court, or to call something to mind.
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
Raised or living in a city rather than the countryside. In Shakespeare's time, this could suggest someone is refined, sophisticated, or conversely, soft and unused to outdoor hardship.
A citizen youth, more at home in London's streets than riding through the forest.
A grotesquely carved wooden head on a cittern—a stringed instrument like a guitar. Used as an insult for someone with an ugly or foolish face.
Usually means London, the capital. Can also mean any independent town or state that governs itself. Sometimes used metaphorically to mean virginity or innocence—the idea of a walled, protected place.
"The City" in a Shakespeare play almost always refers to London.
A merchant's or tradesman's wife; a woman of the town rather than the country or court. Often used with a hint of mockery about her social pretensions or loud fashion sense.
A strong-smelling perfume made from the scent glands of the civet cat. Shakespeare's characters found it pungent and overpowering—so intense it masked rather than enhanced.
A lady dabs civet on her wrist, hoping to smell like the court. Instead she reeks.
Relating to citizens and city life, or to the proper order and laws that govern a community. Shakespeare often uses it in the phrase "civil war" to mean conflict among citizens of the same place.
"Civil blood makes civil hands unclean" — citizens' blood shed by citizens' hands.
The state of being civilized—the customs, laws, and orderly ways that hold a society together. It's what separates organized community from chaos.
The ambassador spoke of bringing civility to the remote lands.
A wooden dish with a hinged lid that beggars would snap open and shut to make noise and draw people's attention for alms. The clacking sound was how they announced themselves.
A beggar on the street corner rattled his clack-dish, hoping passersby would drop a coin.
To insist that someone keep a promise or fulfill an obligation they made. You're pressing them to do what they said they would.
She claims his sworn word—he promised to return before nightfall.
A loud noise or uproar. In Shakespeare's time, the word often meant the sound of weapons or commotion in battle—guns firing, people shouting, the chaos of war.
The cannon fire made a terrible clamour that echoed through the stone chamber.
A loud, harsh ringing or clanging sound. The kind of noise that fills a space and won't be ignored.
The clangor of bells rang through the castle at dawn.
To put or set something down firmly and quickly. Also: to shut or close abruptly, or to strike hands together to seal a deal.
He clapped his sword upon the table.
To beat or thrash someone. In Shakespeare's time, it can also mean to criticize or attack someone harshly with words—like the crowd clapping and striking approval or disapproval.
The two men were clapper-clawing each other in the street.
A nun of the order founded by Saint Clare in the 13th century. They were known for strict poverty and lived cloistered lives. Shakespeare's audience would have recognized them as a Catholic religious order.
a title of nobility; specifically, the Duke of Clarence, a royal prince and member of the English court
Enter KING HENRY IV, the Princes Thomas of CLARENCE and Humphrey of GLOUCESTER, WARWICK, and others
A light red wine, originally from France. In Shakespeare's time it was a popular drink at English tables, distinct from both white wines and the darker reds.
He ordered claret wine to go with his supper.
A male character's name; in Shakespeare's plays, refers to different men named Claudio—a young gentleman in *Much Ado About Nothing*, a condemned prisoner in *Measure for Measure*, and a courier in *Hamlet*.
Sailors, my lord, that's what they say; I didn't see them. They were given to me by Claudio. He received them From the one who brought them.
To seize or grip something tightly. Also used to mean flattering or coaxing someone, especially by appeasing their moods or temper.
Age hath claw'd me in his clutch — time has seized me in its grip.
The physical substance of a human body—what we're made of, what we return to when we die. Shakespeare uses it to remind us that for all our pride, we're just earth and dust.
We're all clay—kings and beggars alike, turning back to dirt.
Stupid or dull-witted. The image is of a head made of heavy, unthinking clay rather than quick living flesh.
That clay-brained fellow couldn't follow a simple instruction.
Well-shaped and lean in body or limb. The word suggests grace and fitness, without excess bulk or awkwardness.
A clean-timbered warrior stood ready for battle.
Completely or thoroughly. Sometimes also means skillfully or cleverly — done with a neat, deft touch.
He struck the deer and carried it cleanly away, right past the keeper.
As an adjective: bright, shining, or (of a person's look or manner) calm and serene. As a verb: to remove someone from a place, or to settle and finish up a matter—often used of clearing debts or disputes.
The dawn broke clear and bright; he promised to clear the debtors from the city.
Completely, entirely, without doubt or reservation. Shakespeare uses it to mean something is done fully or manifestly achieved.
He has clearly won the day—no part of victory remains uncertain.
Being free from doubt or blame. When someone has clearness, they're above suspicion—people trust them because there's nothing hidden or wrong about them.
A judge must act with clearness so no one questions whether she's fair.
An alternative spelling of clerestory — the upper windows in a church or great hall that let light flood down into the main space below.
To split or cut something in two. You'll see the past tense as "cleft" or "clove," and the past participle as "cleft" or "cloven" (usually describing a noun, like a cloven hoof).
The lightning left a cloven oak in its wake.
A musical key or mode — a framework that tells you which notes belong together. In old printed texts, "clef" and "cliff" were sometimes confused, but Shakespeare is talking about music.
Split into two parts or divided. The word comes from an old verb meaning to cleave or cut, and keeps that sense of something forced apart.
A cleft chin has a small dip down the middle.
To call someone by a name; to name or address.
They clepe him coward behind his back.
The upper windows in a large church that let light into the main body of the building. The word comes from the idea of clear openings high up in the walls.
The clerestory windows cast brightness down into the shadowy nave below.
A learned man or scholar. In Shakespeare's time, clerks were often the educated people who could read and write—a rare skill then.
A clerk would know Latin and keep records that ordinary people couldn't read.
In the manner of a scholar or learned person. Done with bookish care and precision, the way a clerk trained in writing and letters would approach something.
He spoke in a clerk-like way, citing authorities and weighing each word.
Learned from books; scholarly. It usually carries a slight edge—suggesting someone is bookish or pedantic rather than wise from experience.
A ball of thread or yarn. Shakespeare uses it as a metaphor for something you've built up or created—like winding thread, you've made something from nothing.
A musical clef — the symbol at the start of a staff that tells you which notes you're reading. Shakespeare's time had treble and bass clefs, just like today.
A region or country. In Shakespeare's time, the word didn't refer to weather patterns the way we use it now—it just meant a place or land.
"In a Christian climate" = in a Christian land.
A region or area of the world, especially one defined by its climate or geographical position. Shakespeare uses it to mean a distinct place or zone.
The ship sailed to a distant climature where the air grew warm and strange.
To reach something through effort or ambition. Shakespeare often uses it figuratively—getting somewhere high or prestigious by working your way up.
He climbed to the throne through cunning and force.
To suffer from hunger or pinch with want. Often describes someone wasted away or shriveled by lack of food.
The beggar's face was clinged by months without a meal.
Shiny and glittery, often in a cheap or showy way. Something that catches the light but feels thin or fake.
The villain wore clinquant armor that sparkled beautifully but wouldn't stop a sword.
To cut short or trim. Also used to mean embrace or enfold—as if wrapping your arms around something.
The playwright clipped the story down to fit the stage time.
Having wings that have been cut short. Prevents flight or reduces a creature's ability to fly.
A griffin with clipped wings can no longer soar.
Someone who illegally shaves or cuts the edges off coins to steal the precious metal while passing them off as full-value money. A type of currency fraudster.
The clipper was caught reducing gold coins to worthless discs.
A large bag or sack, often made from a cloak or similar fabric, used to carry clothes and belongings on a journey. Shakespeare uses it figuratively to mock someone's bloated body.
A traveling merchant might stuff everything into a cloak-bag before setting off.
A device that marks the hours by striking a bell. In Shakespeare's time, people measured time by listening for these chimes—"between clock and clock" means from one hour's bell to the next.
The lovers met between clock and clock, stealing an hour before dawn.
Someone who tends to clocks and keeps them running on time. Shakespeare uses it as a poetic way to refer to Time itself—the force that winds up and moves the world forward.
A stupid or slow-witted person. Think of someone too dense to understand what's happening around them.
You clodpole—I've told you three times already.
A woman living in a religious community, bound by vows of chastity and obedience. She lives cloistered—set apart from the secular world—and devotes herself to prayer and spiritual life.
Isabella becomes a cloistress, trading the chaos of court for the quiet of the convent.
An enclosed piece of land, like a field or courtyard attached to a house or estate. In Shakespeare's time, it was a common word for the private grounds around a property.
Someone who keeps their mouth shut and doesn't share what they know. The opposite of chatty or open.
A close-tongu'd servant won't betray his master's secrets.
In secret, away from others' sight. Shakespeare uses it to mean either locked away in confinement or kept hidden and private.
Keep her closely at my cell — away from prying eyes.
Privacy or isolation—a retreat away from the world. Someone in closeness has withdrawn to be alone, whether in a physical space or by temperament.
The queen chose closeness in her chamber rather than appear at court.
A private room where someone keeps personal papers, valuables, or secrets. Often a small chamber where a ruler or powerful person conducts private business or stores important documents.
She locked her letters in the closet so no one would find them.
An enclosed space or boundary—the walls or limits of something. Also used to mean the end or conclusion of something.
Within the guilty closure of thy walls — inside the bounded space of the castle.
A piece of fabric used for practical purposes: a handkerchief, a napkin, or a servant's uniform. Also meant a decorative hanging—painted or embroidered with images and words—that you'd drape on a wall.
A king from France's earliest medieval dynasty, the Merovingians. Used by Shakespeare to invoke ancient or legendary French royalty.
A thick-headed fool or blockhead. The word imagines someone whose head is made of earth or clay — solid, unthinking, dense.
As a noun: a dark mark on a horse's coat. As a verb: to darken someone's mood or reputation—to cast gloom over something or tarnish a person's name.
A cloud on the horse's flank; worry clouded his face.
Gloomy or moody. Someone who is cloudy seems dark and withdrawn, like the weather inside their head.
His cloudy mood made him snap at everyone around him.
A piece of cloth or rag. In archery, a white square canvas target that archers aimed at.
Patched or reinforced, often with metal nails or studs. You'd see this on sturdy work boots or shoes made to last rough use.
A beggar in clouted shoes, worn through at the heel.
To scratch or claw at something. In Shakespeare's time, this word could also mean to stick or adhere, like something gumming up a surface.
The bird cloys its beak on the branch.
Never gets boring or too much. The kind of thing you can enjoy again and again without it losing its appeal.
Her wit was cloyless — no matter how often he heard her jokes, he laughed just as hard.
The feeling of having had too much of something—so much that you're tired of it or even disgusted. A kind of overstuffing of the senses or appetite.
Too much of the same food leads to cloyment.
A summons for help or armed support. In Shakespeare's time, apprentices would cry "clubs!" in the street to call their friends to join a brawl or defend each other.
I'll call for clubs — summoning my allies to back me up.
To make the sound a hen makes—a sharp clicking or clucking noise. In Shakespeare's texts, this word sometimes appears where modern editors have substituted 'clock' (the verb meaning to strike or sound like a clock).
A ball of thread or yarn. In Shakespeare's day, people used the word for anything wound in a coil or roll.
A crowd or throng of people gathered together. In battle scenes, it means troops packed densely together.
The clusters of soldiers pressed forward into the fight.
To squeeze or grip something tightly with your hand. Shakespeare uses it for the physical act of clenching.
A fist clutched in anger or desperation.
To act together with someone else. In Shakespeare's time, it meant performing in the same play or working as a team.
Working together with someone else toward the same goal. When two people or forces act in concert, they're co-active.
A merchant or trading partner. In Shakespeare's time, it referred to someone you did business with—a fellow trader or co-dealer.
To mix or blend together. One thing becomes inseparable from another.
Smoke and perfume co-mingled in the air.
To compete with someone as an equal. To be rivals together.
The two generals co-rivaled for the king's favour.
Equal in power or rank; sharing the highest authority with someone else.
The two queens ruled as co-supreme partners over the kingdom.
Worth praising; deserving commendation. Something that earns approval or recognition.
Married in secret, without witnesses or public ceremony. Often used to describe a union kept hidden from family or society.
A concealed marriage—one done quietly, away from prying eyes—was treated as legally binding even if nobody knew about it.
A magician or sorcerer—someone who performs tricks that seem to defy nature, or who practices magic. In Shakespeare's time, conjurers were entertainers, but the word could also suggest darker dealings with supernatural forces.
The conjurer pulled a coin from thin air and the crowd gasped.
To confirm or seal something by adding your signature or approval. A formal way of saying yes and making it official.
The opposite side or position. Often used in the phrase "to the contrary" to mean against what someone just said or assumed.
Something that eats away or wears down—whether literally (a harsh medical treatment) or figuratively (worry that gnaws at you). Sharp and burning in effect.
Worry won't fix the problem; it only wears you down.
A companion or partner—someone you're paired with, like horses yoked together in the same carriage. The word carries a sense of shared work or journey.
A burnt-out piece of fuel; ash or cinder. In Shakespeare, often used as a figure for something dead or exhausted—the remnants of what once burned hot.
The dead coal of wars—meaning the cold ashes left behind after fighting ends.
Of poor quality or low rank. Cheap and common, not fine or refined.
A coarse wool cloak would keep you warm but mark you as someone without means.
In a rude or dismissive way. Speaking without respect or care for someone's worth.
He speaks of her coarsely—as if she were beneath his notice.
To move along an indirect or winding path, often with difficulty or against obstacles. Can also mean to edge toward something or assail it.
Coasting homeward, she took the long way round to avoid the flood.
A hesitant or indirect way of approaching someone, especially as a suitor. The word plays on the idea of circling around before making a direct move.
A shy lover's coasting approach—lingering nearby before finally speaking.
A garment worn over other clothes. Also used to mean a coat of arms (a heraldic emblem), or a coat of mail (armor made of interlocking metal rings).
A small round loaf of bread with a rounded top. The name comes from its shape—it looks like it has a little head on it.
A rooster. Also: the tap or valve on a barrel or pipe. In firearms, the hinged part that strikes the flint to fire the gun. In oaths and exclamations, a disguised form of 'God'—as in 'Cock's passion' or 'By Cock.'
Wild, out of control, throwing caution aside. The phrase comes from the old idea of letting loose completely—drinking hard, causing chaos, acting recklessly without care for consequences.
After the king died, the court went cock-a-hoop with celebration and disorder.
The time of day just after sunset, when it gets dark enough that birds roost for the night. Named for the moment when poultry are locked up for safety.
We'll meet at cock-shut, when the light fades from the sky.
Completely safe or protected. The word comes from the image of a rooster secure in his barnyard—nothing can touch him there.
We steal as in a castle, cock-sure—nobody can catch us here.
A mythical creature, half-rooster and half-serpent, whose stare was said to kill instantly. Shakespeare uses it as a metaphor for a deadly glance or lethal beauty.
Her gaze struck like a cockatrice—one look and he was done for.
Spoiled and fussed over. Someone who's been given everything they want, with no discipline or pushback.
A cocker'd child who never heard the word 'no' grows up expecting the world to bend for them.
A shell, usually a scallop shell, worn by pilgrims as a badge of their journey to holy shrines. Also used figuratively to mean a weed or something undesirable mixed in with the good.
A cockle hat marked you as someone who'd made the pilgrimage to Spain.
Covered with or having a shell, especially a ribbed or ridged one like a cockle's. Shakespeare uses it to describe the hard, protective casing of sea creatures.
A man thought to be soft, vain, or womanish—someone more concerned with fancy clothes and appearance than manly pursuits. The word carries real scorn.
He worried the rough world would make him into a cockney.
A small, enclosed space — originally where roosters fought each other for sport. Shakespeare used it to describe a theater, especially one that's cramped or humble.
The wooden O of a cockpit stage, where crowds pressed close to the action.
In classical myth, one of the rivers of the underworld—the one where the worst sinners are frozen in ice. Shakespeare uses it as shorthand for Hell itself, or the deepest pit of damnation.
A pouch attached to the front of men's breeches, often padded or exaggerated in size. Shakespeare's audiences saw it as both practical and showy—sometimes comically so.
A peacock in his codpiece, preening before the mirror.
Lustful or sexually eager. Used as a mild insult or tease.
A young, small apple that's not yet ripe. Shakespeare uses it as a term of endearment for someone delicate or pampered.
A pastry shell or crust, usually for a pie or tart. In Shakespeare's time, these crispy containers held meat, custard, or other fillings.
The baker shaped the coffin and filled it with spiced apples.
To trick or manipulate someone, usually through flattery or smooth talk. It's dishonest persuasion—getting what you want by deceiving rather than asking straight.
He cogged his way into the lady's confidence with false compliments.
Awareness of something; the act of knowing or perceiving it. In Shakespeare's time, it meant a conscious recognition of a fact or feeling.
She had full cognition of his betrayal.
A badge, emblem, or distinctive mark that identifies someone—especially a symbol worn by a lord's followers. By extension, any sign or token that makes something recognizable.
A knight wore his master's cognizance on his sleeve so all would know whom he served.
To agree or be in accord with someone or something. When things cohere, they align and make sense together.
A unit of soldiers. In Shakespeare's time, a cohort was a tactical group within an army — not necessarily the exact size of a Roman cohort, but the word carried that military weight.
The general marched his cohorts across the field.
A close-fitting cap that covers the head and neck. In Shakespeare's time, men and women of all classes wore coifs under hats or alone.
She tucked her hair beneath her coif before the feast.
A corner or angle, especially one that juts out. Used for a strong position—literal or figurative—where you can see clearly and act decisively.
A sniper finds the coign of vantage on the rooftop.
Turmoil or commotion—the fuss and struggle of everyday life. Shakespeare uses it most famously to mean the chaos and trouble we endure while alive.
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil—meaning, when we die and leave behind life's chaos.
A low, worthless person. An insult meaning someone dishonest or dishonorable.
You're nothing but a coistrel—I won't trust a word you say.
A legendary Danish giant from old stories. Shakespeare mentions him as a figure of immense size and strength.
Lacking warmth or passion. Can mean deliberate and controlled, or emotionally distant and unmoved. Also used for something that's failing or losing force—a plan that's cold is one nobody's interested in anymore.
A cold heart refuses to listen to pleas for mercy.
Distant and emotionally shut off. Someone who shows little warmth or feeling toward others.
A cold-moving heart won't be swayed by pleas for mercy.
In a calm, detached way—without heat or urgency. Often means treating something as unimportant or brushing it aside.
We pause coldly for you—as if your arrival barely matters to us.
Indirect or on the side. Not the main point or direct path.
A collateral reason for the journey—not the real one.
United with others; joined together as partners or allies. Someone or something that has formed a bond or partnership.
To gather facts or pieces of information together, then work out what they mean. To piece together a conclusion from scattered details.
He collected the clues from her letters and figured out she'd left town.
A conclusion you draw from what you observe or know. In Shakespeare's time, it meant the act of reasoning something out.
I can make no collection from what he said—it makes no sense to me.
Darkened or made black. Often used to describe how something (eyes, judgment, the sky) has been clouded or obscured.
Passion collied his best judgment.
A slice or piece of meat. Shakespeare and his contemporaries also used it affectionately for a child or offspring — your own flesh, in other words.
A parent might call their child 'my little collop' the way we'd say 'my little one.'
A small Scottish island in the Inner Hebrides, off the coast of Mull. In Shakespeare's time, it was known as a site of pilgrimage and monastic life.
A bitter plant whose fruit was used to make a strong laxative medicine. Shakespeare's characters invoke it as an image of something foul and poisonous.
Like taking coloquintida — harsh, unpleasant, but meant to cleanse you from the inside.
A giant statue—something so enormous it dominates the landscape. Shakespeare borrowed this from the famous statue of Apollo at Rhodes, using it as shorthand for anything so vast and powerful it towers over everything around it.
He stands over the city like a colossus, casting his shadow on everyone below.
A flag or banner, especially a military one. Also: the outward look or tone of something, or a false excuse offered to hide the real reason for doing something.
He hid his ambition under the colour of loyalty.
Painted or drawn with color. In Shakespeare's time, artists would sketch a picture in outline and then fill it in with pigment—so "colour'd" meant fully realized, richly rendered.
A portrait that was merely sketched became truly colour'd once the painter added hues.
Seeming reasonable or believable on the surface, but actually false or misleading. Something that sounds convincing but isn't.
He offered a colourable excuse for missing the meeting, though everyone knew the real reason.
A young man who is inexperienced or foolish. The word plays on the idea of a young horse—untrained and unpredictable.
That colt has no sense; he'll believe anything you tell him.
A fight between two people, usually one-on-one. Often used in the phrase "single combat" to mean a formal duel rather than a general battle.
The two warriors met in single combat while their armies watched from the hillside.
Formally promised in marriage; betrothed. A legal or solemn commitment made before the actual wedding.
He called her his combinate wife, though the ceremony was still months away.
An agreement or alliance between people or groups. Often refers to the formal terms or articles that seal the deal.
The treaty laid out the terms of the combination between the two kingdoms.
Tied or bound together, usually by something sacred or solemn. When people or promises are combined, they're locked in a bond.
Quick to catch fire or burst into flames. Used metaphorically for a person who's easily angered or prone to violent outbursts.
A combustious temperament made him quick to draw his sword over any slight.
To become or grow into a state or condition. Shakespeare uses it for shifts in how someone feels or acts—growing mad, beginning to soften, waking up after fainting, or reaching maturity.
How came he mad? (How did he become mad?)
To shift direction or change course. In sailing, the wind causes a ship to come about by turning. More broadly, it means to happen or turn out in a certain way.
The ship will come about when the wind shifts.
To blend things together; to mix one thing into another. In Shakespeare's time, the word could also mean to tangle or jumble.
Attractive or pleasant to look at. Shakespeare uses it to mean beautiful in a way that fits or suits someone.
A comely maiden caught his eye across the hall.
As an interjection: cheer up, don't lose heart. As a verb: to ease someone's pain or worry, or to find relief yourself.
Giving comfort, support, or relief. Also: cheerful and at ease.
A comfortable word from a friend when you're in trouble.
Without comfort or solace. Either someone who can't be consoled, or something that offers no relief.
A comfortless room in winter—cold walls, no warmth, nothing to ease the misery.
Willing to please; eager to cooperate or oblige. Someone who's easy to get along with and quick to say yes.
Money or goods that flow into your household or business—your income or revenue. Shakespeare often asks this about a character's wealth and financial standing.
What rents do you collect? What's your annual income?
A break or pause in something continuous—like a gap between two things that were joined. Shakespeare uses it both literally (a punctuation mark that divides a sentence) and figuratively, for any kind of interruption or separation.
A comma between their friendship—some small distance had crept in.
As a noun: an order or instruction given with authority. As a verb: to give an order or direct someone to do something. 'At your command' means whenever you want or wish it.
The king's command sent soldiers marching to war.
Given control or leadership of something. To be put in charge.
A title or personification for Death, treating it as a powerful force that orders or controls all living things. Shakespeare uses this to give Death a rank or authority.
An order or instruction given by someone in authority. Also used as a playful term for the fingers—as in "the ten commandments" (a pun on the Biblical Ten Commandments).
To meddle together with someone else; to interfere or get involved in something as a group or in tandem.
To begin or set in motion. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean to take a university degree—a ceremony that formally qualified you to teach.
Knowledge locked away does nothing until you commence using it.
To entrust someone or something to another's care. Also: to mention someone fondly to another person, or to present yourself respectfully to someone.
He commends his daughter to your protection.
A greeting or good wishes sent to someone, often through a third party. When you ask someone to give your commendations to a friend, you're asking them to pass along your warm regards.
Send my commendations to your sister when you write home.
A thought or observation running through your mind. The intense focus of your attention or reflection on something.
The very comment of thy soul — your deepest inner thoughts.
A written account or record of someone's own experiences and deeds. In Shakespeare's time, this often meant the famous memoirs of Julius Caesar, which were read as models of clear, direct prose.
Caesar's commentaries on his military campaigns were studied in every grammar school.
Conversation, interaction, or social dealings between people. Shakespeare uses it for any kind of back-and-forth exchange—talk, business, or intimate company.
"I wish to have some commerce with you about this matter."
An official order or warrant that gives someone the right to do a job. In Shakespeare's time, a commission might authorize you to serve as a justice, command soldiers, or act on someone else's behalf. When you're "in commission," you hold the office and its authority.
To do something wrong or sinful. In Shakespeare, often means to commit adultery—to cheat on your spouse.
She committed adultery and destroyed her marriage.
A blend or mixture of things combined together. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean a person's physical constitution or temperament—what made up their body and nature.
A warrior's tough commixture—strength and grit mixed into one.
Spacious and comfortable; roomy enough to fit people or things without cramping. When something is commodious, it makes room for what you need.
A commodious hall where the whole court could gather.
Profit or advantage gained from something. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean a parcel of goods—especially one a moneylender would sell to someone desperate for quick cash, who'd then resell it at a loss just to get the money.
I will turn diseases to commodity — turn even sickness into profit.
As a noun: ordinary people, or land shared by a community. As an adjective: belonging to everyone equally, public, or simply ordinary and unremarkable. As a verb (archaic): to share in something, or to talk together.
The common soldiers stood apart from the officers; they grazed their sheep on the commons.
Made cheap and worthless by overuse. When something's been used by everyone for everything, it loses all value and dignity.
A love poem becomes common-hackney'd once every writer has borrowed the same tired phrases.
The kind of kissing that's casual and indiscriminate—you do it with everyone, not reserved for anyone special. Shakespeare uses it to mock promiscuous or overly familiar behavior.
She greeted every courtier with common-kissing familiarity, showing no particular favor to anyone.
A woman who sells sex. In Shakespeare's time, this was how people talked about prostitutes—as women of the street or common trade.
A mixed-up word for 'comedy'—a mistake someone makes when they're trying to sound fancy or learned but get it wrong. You see it when a character confuses 'commonty' with 'comedy' in their speech.
A disturbance or uproar—either actual chaos and rioting, or inner turmoil and agitation. Shakespeare uses it for both physical disorder and emotional distress.
The news caused such commotion in the city that the streets filled with angry crowds.
To talk or have a conversation with someone. In Shakespeare, it often means to discuss something together or share thoughts.
The two friends commune by the riverside, sharing their worries.
Something shared or held in common. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant the quality of being ordinary or widespread — the opposite of rare or unique.
Made up of something; composed or formed from parts held tightly together. Shakespeare uses it to describe something dense, solid, or concentrated—like a spirit made entirely of fire, or a thought entirely of imagination.
A being all compact of rage.
A fellow or associate—often used as an insult. When Shakespeare calls someone a "scurvy companion," he means a worthless or contemptible person.
"You scurvy companion!" = You worthless wretch.
A group or body of people bound together — all the members collectively. In Shakespeare, often means the entire retinue or company of servants and attendants belonging to one person.
A group of people together, or the state of being with others. Shakespeare often uses it to mean companionship or fellowship—the comfort of not being alone.
He sought out new friends and stranger companies to ease his solitude.
Full of comparisons and contrasts. Shakespeare uses it to describe someone who measures themselves against others, or speaks in comparisons. It can also mean suitable for making a comparison.
A boastful person who's always measuring themselves against rivals might be called a comparative.
To match yourself against someone else; to rival or compete with them. Shakespeare uses it to mean standing up to someone in a contest of skill or excellence.
lest I should compare with him in excellence
A cutting remark that puts someone down by likening them to something lesser or ridiculous. Shakespeare uses it for stinging insults dressed up as similes.
His speech was full of comparisons—mean little jabs hidden inside jokes about what she looked like.
The range or limit of something—how far it reaches or what it covers. In Shakespeare, often used for the span of a voice, the circuit of a path, or the boundaries of what's possible.
"Beyond thought's compass" means beyond what the mind can grasp or imagine.
Curved or arched in shape. Something rounded, like a bay window that bows outward.
To feel pity for someone; to sympathize with their suffering. In Shakespeare's time, this is an active emotion—you don't just observe someone's pain, you're moved by it.
The king's compassion for his suffering people moved him to forgive their rebellion.
Full of pity and sorrow. In Shakespeare, it often means feeling sorry for oneself or expressing deep sadness about suffering.
A compassionate cry from the broken lover moved the whole court.
To match or equal someone in skill or standing. When you compeer someone, you're as good as they are.
He compeers the best soldiers in the kingdom.
To force someone to give you something. To take or extract by pressure or coercion.
I'd compel it of you — I'd take it from you by force if I had to.
Forced on you against your will. Something compelled happens because you're made to do it, not because you chose it.
A compelled confession isn't worth much—everyone knows it came under pressure.
Enough of something—money, food, resources—to get by. A comfortable sufficiency rather than abundance.
He had competence enough to live decently, though he'd never be wealthy.
Enough for what's needed. Not excessive, but adequate to the task.
A competent fortune means having what you need, not great wealth.
A partner or ally—someone who joins you in a cause or enterprise. Shakespeare uses it this way far more often than the modern sense of rival.
The rebels gained more companions as word spread.
To write or create something original, especially a poem or piece of writing. Shakespeare uses it for composing sonnets and verses.
He never wrote a single sonnet for her.
To lament or grieve over something. To speak sorrowfully about a wrong or loss.
She complained of the injustices done to her.
The qualities or accomplishments that make a gentleman look and act the part—his bearing, dress, manner. What completes his outward show of gentility.
A captain of complements: a man whose fine appearance and courtly ways mark him as a gentleman.
Perfect, entire, or fully equipped. In Shakespeare, often means dressed in full armor, or filled to the brim with something.
He stood in complete steel, ready for battle.
Your overall constitution or nature—originally thought to be shaped by the balance of bodily humours, later just meaning your temperament or disposition. Also: the natural colour and appearance of your skin, especially your face.
A hot day might be uncomfortable for someone of a cool complexion.
A partner or ally—someone who shares your cause or works alongside you. Shakespeare uses it much like we'd say 'accomplice,' though not always with criminal intent.
His complice in the plot knew every move before it happened.
A polite gesture or formal courtesy—the kind of respectful behavior expected in good society. It's about following the social rules that show respect to others.
He offered a compliment—a respectful bow—before leaving the room.
Polite and thoughtful in manner. You treat someone this way when you want to show respect or win their favor.
He gave a complimental bow and sweet words to impress the lady.
A secret plot or conspiracy. To plot together with others. Shakespeare uses it as both a noun and a verb, often to describe plans made in secret by a group.
The generals complot to overthrow the king.
To go along with someone's wishes or demands. To be cooperative or agreeable, especially in matters of courtesy or custom.
To make or construct something. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean to settle or reach agreement on something.
A helmet composed by Vulcan's own craftsmanship.
Carefully made or arranged with skill and thought. Something that shows planning and artistry rather than happening by chance.
A composed piece of music, not a rough sketch.
The way something is put together or made up—its nature or structure. Also used for an agreement or settlement between people.
The large composition of this man means his whole build and character.
Rotted plant matter or manure spread on fields to make the soil richer. Shakespeare uses it as a metaphor for decay and renewal.
The garden's composture will feed next year's flowers.
Your nature or temperament — the kind of person you are. Someone of sweet composure is naturally calm and even-tempered.
A mixture or combination of things blended together. Shakespeare often uses it to mean a substance made from multiple ingredients, or more broadly, anything formed by joining separate parts.
To seize or arrest someone. Shakespeare sometimes uses this word when he means to grab or capture, mixing it up with words that sound similar.
The guards will comprehend the thief before he reaches the gate.
To reach an agreement or settlement with someone. Both sides give up something to make a deal.
An agreement where both sides give up something to reach a deal. Each party makes concessions so neither gets everything they want.
The two families reached a compromise and agreed to share the contested land.
A reckoning or account—a tally of what's owed or due. Often used for the final judgment, when all debts (literal or moral) come due.
On the day of compt, all sins are settled.
A table or bench where a merchant does business or counts money. Shakespeare uses it for the place where you'd haggle over goods or settle accounts.
The jeweler sat behind his compter, weighing gold coins.
Quick to respond to something; easily affected or moved by it. Someone comptible to flattery, for instance, falls for praise readily.
A comptible heart yields easily to love's first whisper.
A senior officer in a nobleman's household who oversees spending and keeps the household running smoothly. Think of him as the money manager and general administrator rolled into one.
The comptroller kept close watch on the servants' expenses and answered only to the lord himself.
Forced or done under compulsion—not voluntary. Something that happens because you have no real choice.
A force or circumstance that pushes you to do something against your will. You can't help it—you're driven by something stronger than choice.
Forced to confess under compulsion, she had no real choice in the matter.
Forcing or driving something forward with irresistible power. In Shakespeare, it often describes natural forces—like a current or tide—that push or propel something onward.
A compulsive tide that sweeps all boats toward the rocks.
Feeling genuine regret or shame about something you've done. It's an old word, but Shakespeare uses it to show someone truly sorry—not just apologizing to get out of trouble.
A compunctious heart finally admits the wrong it caused.
A friend or companion, especially someone you fight or work alongside. A mate or fellow soldier.
We were comrades in arms, bound by years of battle together.
To learn or memorize something by heart, often through repetition. In older usage, it can also mean to be grateful or acknowledge thanks.
He conn'd his lines by rote until he could speak them in his sleep.
An Italian greeting meaning "with all my heart" or "welcome, friend." Shakespeare uses it to express warm, heartfelt welcome.
Hollow or curved inward like the inside of a bowl. Shakespeare uses it mostly in medical or anatomical contexts to describe body parts.
A secret or something hidden. In Shakespeare, often something that matters—a truth kept under wraps, an identity disguised, a fact someone doesn't want known.
Hamlet fears his uncle's concealment of a darker truth about his father's death.
An idea or thought, especially one that's imaginative, witty, or a bit fanciful. It can also mean your personal opinion or understanding of something—your grasp of it.
A horrible conceit crossed her mind.
Clever and imaginative; full of wit and inventive ideas. In Shakespeare's time, this was a compliment—it meant you had a sharp, creative mind.
A conceited poet crafts a sonnet with unexpected turns of phrase.
Lacking wit or intelligence. Dull and unimaginative.
A conceitless fool could never understand the plot.
To understand what someone means or to form an opinion about something. In Shakespeare's time, it meant grasping a person's meaning or getting a sense of how they're perceived.
When someone speaks plainly, you conceive their meaning right away.
Agreement or harmony among separate parts. When different elements work together in accord, they create a unified sound or effect.
A government divided into branches that all work together maintains one concent.
An idea or plan forming in your mind. Shakespeare often plays on the double meaning: a conception can be a mental notion, or it can mean getting pregnant—so when a character talks about a 'young conception,' the wit turns on both senses at once.
A scheme hatched in the brain; a plan not yet ready to execute.
Able to conceive; fertile or productive. Shakespeare uses it to mean something that yields or brings forth results.
To affect or matter to someone. When something concerns you, it's relevant to you or touches your life in some way.
What doth concern your coming? — meaning: Why does your arrival matter to this situation?
The importance or significance of something. What it really matters.
The letter's concernancy lay in its secret news of war.
A matter that involves you or affects you. Your business, your affairs, the things you care about.
"As time and our concerns demand, we'll act."
Agreement or harmony between people. Often used to mean a secret understanding or arrangement made together.
They acted in concert to keep the plan hidden from the king.
A closed meeting of high officials or clergy, especially the gathering where cardinals choose a new pope. More broadly, any private assembly of important people making a decision together.
The cardinals met in conclave to elect their new leader.
To settle a matter or reach a final decision. Shakespeare uses it when characters agree on something, make up their minds, or when something definitively ends a question.
When the king says 'It is concluded,' no further argument will change it.
An experiment or test—something you try out to see what happens. Also: the end or outcome of something, or a decision you reach after thinking it through.
She tried many conclusions about how to end her life.
Full of sexual desire or lust. A word for appetites that are driven by the body rather than the mind.
He gazed at her with concupiscible intent.
To declare something guilty or faulty. To say someone has done wrong or fallen short. Shakespeare often uses it to accuse or blame, even poetically—as when he blames a flower for not being as white as his beloved's hand.
The lily was condemned for not matching her skin's perfection.
Fully deserved and fitting. Shakespeare uses it mainly for punishment—the kind that exactly matches the crime. It's formal and a bit archaic now.
The traitor received condign punishment for his betrayal.
A requirement or rule that must be met—often introduced by "on condition that." Also means the state or quality of something: its health, rank, or character.
"On condition I had gone barefoot to India" — meaning, only if I had.
With strings attached. Something happens only if something else happens first.
He'll help you conditionally—but only if you agree to repay him.
In a particular state or circumstance. Used to describe how someone or something stands at a given moment—shaped by whatever situation they're in.
A man conditioned by poverty sees the world differently than one born to wealth.
To grieve with someone; to share in their sorrow. Shakespeare uses it to mean both feeling grief yourself and expressing sympathy to someone who's suffering.
The friends gathered to condole with her after the loss.
An expression of sympathy or comfort offered to someone in grief. In Shakespeare's time, this could mean either the feeling of sorrow itself or a concrete gift or gesture meant to ease pain.
She offered condolements to the grieving family.
To move forward or proceed. In Shakespeare, it often means something is unfolding or taking shape, as when a fight or action is underway.
A battle conduces on the field.
A guide or escort who leads you somewhere. Can also mean the act of guiding itself, or a person in charge of a group.
The soldier served as conduct to the castle.
A pipe or channel that carries water. Shakespeare also uses it as a figure of speech for something that flows through the body—especially tears, which pour out like water from a fountain.
A woman weeping heavily might be called 'a conduit' because tears stream from her like water from a decorative waterspout.
A mixture or potion made by blending ingredients—often drugs or poisons. In Shakespeare, usually something sinister.
He slipped a deadly confection into her drink.
A shop or workshop where sweets and candies are made or sold. Can also mean the person who makes them.
The confectionary on the corner sold the finest sugared plums in town.
An alliance or partnership between people or groups. It can be honest teamwork or a secret plot — Shakespeare uses it both ways.
The three generals formed a confederacy to defeat their common enemy.
Joined together in conspiracy or wrongdoing. Shakespeare uses it to describe a time or circumstance that favors secret plotting.
A confederate season—one where murder could happen in the shadows.
To admit or acknowledge something, often reluctantly. In Shakespeare's time, this word carried weight—confessing meant you were telling the truth about something you'd done or knew, sometimes under pressure.
The thief confessed to stealing the jewels.
A priest who hears confessions and gives absolution. In Shakespeare's time, a trusted spiritual advisor—often to royalty or the powerful.
The king's confessor knew his darkest secrets.
A private conversation or meeting. Shakespeare sometimes uses this word where we might say 'conference' — the two words were close in meaning and easily confused in his time.
Sure of yourself; certain and unafraid. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant you were bold enough to act on what you believed.
A boundary or border of a place. Also: the region or territory itself, or a prison or place where someone is locked away.
When he enters the confines of a tavern, trouble follows.
Without limits or edges. Stretching on endlessly, with no boundary to contain it.
A person who lives in a place. Someone bound to or at home in a particular region or country.
Firmly established or settled. When applied to a person, it means mature and steadfast—someone whose character or abilities have been tested and proven solid.
A confirmed warrior has seen battle and earned respect through deeds.
Seized by the state or a ruler as punishment. When someone was confiscate, their property belonged to the crown or the person in power.
The traitor's lands were confiscate to the king.
Firmly attached or fastened in place. Something that won't come loose or shift.
A sword confixed in stone—impossible to pull free.
A place or moment where two things meet and blend—like rivers running together. Shakespeare uses it for the joining of forces, people, or circumstances.
The conflux of their ambitions led them to the same battlefield.
Willing to obey and adapt. Someone conformable goes along with what others want.
A conformable wife was expected to follow her husband's wishes without question.
To ruin or destroy something. In Shakespeare's time it also meant to mix things together so thoroughly they become impossible to separate.
The storm will confound the ship and scatter the crew.
Destructive or overwhelming. Something that ruins or defeats you.
The confounding odds were against them from the start.
Without order or discrimination; all mixed together. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant things were jumbled or indiscriminate—people, voices, or actions thrown together without distinction.
The crowd ran confusedly through the streets, rich and poor side by side.
Ruin or destruction—often called down as a curse. Shakespeare also uses it for mental turmoil: the state of being so rattled or upset that your thoughts scatter.
"Vengeance! plague! death! confusion!" — a desperate curse wishing total ruin on an enemy.
Said goodbye or took formal leave. In Shakespeare's time, this meant a proper, often elaborate farewell—not just slipping out the door.
He conge'd from the court with all the ceremony the queen demanded.
An insult thrown at a man—sometimes spelled "cunger." The exact meaning is unclear, but it's meant as a contemptuous jab, often paired with other abuse.
To gather or pile up in one place. In Shakespeare, often used for crowds of people or things accumulating together.
The soldiers congest at the gate before battle.
To greet someone, often with ceremony or formality. In Shakespeare's time, this could mean a simple hello or a more elaborate welcoming gesture.
The general congratulates the returning soldiers with honour and respect.
To agree or come into harmony with someone or something. Two things congree when they align naturally and fit together.
The lovers' hearts congree in perfect understanding.
To greet each other. Two people who meet and acknowledge one another at the same time.
The old friends congreet warmly after years apart.
To agree or match up. When things congrue, they align or fit together without contradiction.
The witness's story congrued with the evidence presented in court.
To guess or suppose something without real evidence. You're making an educated guess, not stating fact.
I conject from his silence that he knows more than he's saying.
A guess or supposition based on incomplete information. In Shakespeare's time, it can also mean suspicion or a fear about someone's motives—often an unfounded one.
"Dangerous conjectures" — worrying guesses that might poison a friendship.
Joined together closely; connected or combined as one unit. In Shakespeare's time, things that were conjunct moved or acted in harmony.
The two armies marched in conjunct formation toward the castle.
When two planets line up so they appear in the same spot in the sky as seen from Earth. More broadly, any joining together of forces or things.
Saturn and Venus appearing side by side in the night sky.
Closely joined or united with someone else. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean talkative or communicative.
A solemn, urgent plea or demand—the kind of request you can't refuse. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean a magical spell or incantation.
She made a conjuration to the heavens, begging them to hear her prayer.
To summon or command something with urgent, solemn force—as if by magic. Often used for calling up spirits, memories, or images in the mind.
Your power has conjured all these spirits to attend you.
Related by blood; sharing the same ancestors. In Shakespeare's time, this word carries legal and inheritance weight—it matters who your blood relatives are.
A consanguineous heir has a stronger claim to the throne than a distant cousin by marriage.
Your inner sense of right and wrong—what tells you when something is fair or foul. It's also the honesty and care you bring to your choices, or simply what you know in your heart to be true.
I cannot in conscience lie to you.
Acting with a clear conscience; doing what you believe is right and fair. Someone who is conscientious about their duties and their effect on others.
A conscionable merchant would not cheat his customers, even if no one was watching.
Agreement to do something together. When people consent, they've decided on the same plan of action. It can also mean shared opinion or understanding between people.
The conspirators gave their consent to destroy the ship.
After that; as a result of what came before. Things happen in order, one after the other.
He lost his fortune; consequently, he had to leave the city.
To preserve something, especially by treating it with care or turning it into a preparation that lasts. Shakespeare uses it rarely, mostly in the sense of making something into a preserved form.
The mixture was dyed in mummy that skilled hands had preserved from maidens' hearts.
To seal or approve something—to give your agreement or blessing to it. It's like putting your stamp on a decision.
God consigning to my good intents—God approving my honest plans.
To repay or reward someone for a service or kindness. In Shakespeare's time, this meant giving someone what they were owed or deserved.
If I have not properly rewarded your loyalty, I ask your forgiveness.
Worthy of careful thought. Something deliberate and measured, not rushed.
We'll talk about this at a time when we can really think it through.
Thought or reflection. The act of thinking something through carefully.
Thoughtful and reflective. Someone who takes time to think things through, weighing the impact of their actions.
A considerate prince asks counsel before waging war.
To rest or depend on something. In Shakespeare, it often means to insist on or require something, or to have something as its essential nature.
Welcome is peace if he on peace consist — if peace is what he demands or embodies.
A formal assembly or council, often used figuratively for any serious group meeting. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean the Pope's council of cardinals, but he uses it more broadly for any dignified gathering where important matters are decided.
The lords gathered in the consistory to debate the kingdom's fate.
Agreement or harmony between things. When two ideas or people are in consonancy, they align—they fit together without friction.
The lovers' consonancy of mind made them perfect companions.
As a noun: a group of musicians or singers performing together, or the music they make. As a verb: to accompany or keep company with someone.
A consort of lute players performed at court.
Joined forces or allied with someone. To be in partnership or on the same side.
The rebels consorted with the French king to overthrow the throne.
Sight or the act of seeing. Shakespeare coins this word playfully—it's not a real word, just a grand-sounding way to say "eyes" or "vision."
Your blinded sight—your bisson conspectuities.
To plot or scheme against someone or something, even alone. You're working in secret toward a goal that might harm or thwart another person.
I would conspire against my fate.
A high-ranking officer in the royal court, especially one who oversees military matters and knights. In Shakespeare's time, constables held real power and authority.
The constable of the castle controlled who entered and which soldiers were deployed.
Staying true to something or someone over time. In Shakespeare's day, it meant both the act of holding fast and the quality of being reliable or certain.
Her constancy through hardship proved her love was genuine.
Settled, steady, not changing. When Shakespeare uses it this way, he's talking about something reliable and fixed—like a stomach that stays calm, or a resolve that doesn't waver.
Steadfast and reliable; having the quality of staying true and faithful. Someone you can count on not to waver or abandon you.
A constant-qualified friend stands by you even when things get hard.
With firm resolve and unwavering loyalty. In Shakespeare, it often means staying true to something or someone with steadfast commitment.
I do constantly believe you — I trust you completely and won't change my mind.
The arrangement of stars and planets at the moment of your birth, believed to shape your character and fortune. Shakespeare's people thought the heavens literally ruled their lives.
A man born under a lucky constellation might expect favor, while an unlucky one courts disaster.
To interpret or explain the meaning of something. A variant spelling of 'construe'—what you do when you try to figure out what words or actions actually mean.
The physical or mental make-up of a person. How someone is built, temperament and all.
A man of steady constitution can handle hardship without breaking.
To force yourself into something that doesn't fit your nature—to wear an outfit (literal or figurative) that feels wrong. Shakespeare also uses it to mean violate or go against someone.
He constrains himself into formal dress when all he wants is comfort.
Done under pressure or against one's will. Not freely given, but forced.
A constrained smile from someone who'd rather be anywhere else.
To squeeze or compress something into a tighter, denser form. The word suggests force applied from outside, drawing things together.
The heat constrings the water into ice.
To interpret or make sense of something. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean to translate words aloud, turning one language into another on the spot.
How do you construe his silence—is he angry or just thinking?
A high-ranking official or senator in ancient Rome. Shakespeare uses it to mean any senior statesman or adviser.
Many of the consuls are already at the duke's house.
The end of life; death. Often imagined as a state of peace or rest.
Hamlet considers death a consummation devoutly to be wished.
A poisonous or corrupting influence that spreads from person to person, like an infection. Shakespeare uses it for both literal poison and moral or emotional corruption that taints everything it touches.
The king's cruelty is a contagion that poisons the whole court.
Poisonous or deadly, spreading harm like a plague. Shakespeare uses it for anything that corrupts or destroys through contact.
A contagious lie spreads faster than truth can catch it.
To hold something in or keep it from escaping. In Shakespeare, often used for holding back feelings or secrets.
She contained her anger and spoke politely.
What something holds or includes — its substance or meaning. The gist of what's inside.
To reject something with scorn or disgust. You turn it down not just because you don't want it, but because you think it's beneath you.
He contemned the offer of help, sneering that he needed no assistance.
Worthy of scorn or disgust. Something so low or base that it deserves to be looked down on.
A beggar's rags and empty purse—truly contemptible in the eyes of the proud.
Worthy of scorn or disgust. Shakespeare uses it rarely, sometimes meaning something that deserves contempt, and sometimes meaning something that shows contempt toward others.
To struggle or push hard toward something, whether a goal in your mind or a physical place. It carries the sense of effort—you're not just moving, you're striving.
He contended to understand his own nature.
Fighting or at war. Describes armies, forces, or people locked in combat.
The contending forces clashed at dawn.
As a noun: what satisfies or fulfills a desire. As an adjective: calm, untroubled—used as a command ("be content") or agreement. As a verb: to satisfy or please someone; to calm or pacify; sometimes to pay or compensate.
"To whose high will we bow our calm contents" — we surrender our wishes to a higher purpose.
Satisfied and at peace with how things are. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean willing or ready to do something.
A poor man who is contented sleeps better than a restless king.
Unhappy or dissatisfied. Someone who is restless and wants things to be different.
A contentless lord complains about his fortune and wealth.
A container or enclosure—something that holds things in. Shakespeare uses it for the body as a vessel for the heart, or for land masses that bound the sea. The word carries the idea of something that restrains or keeps things contained.
The body is the heart's continent.
How long something lasts or endures. The state of staying in existence or remaining the same.
The king worried about the continuance of his dynasty after his death.
In a way that goes on without stopping or interruption. Shakespeare uses it playfully, stretching the word to sound grander than it needs to be.
He talked continuantly, never once pausing for breath or thought.
Steady and unbroken. Something that goes on without stopping or faltering.
The king showed continuate goodness to his people year after year.
To keep someone alive or let them live. In Shakespeare's time, this sense was already fading from use.
To become engaged or betrothed. Shakespeare uses this mostly for formal promises of marriage, though he also plays with it metaphorically—saying someone is "contracted" to their own vanity, for instance.
She contracted herself to him in front of the whole court.
A formal agreement to marry someone. It's a binding promise, not just a casual understanding—a real legal step toward marriage.
The young couple's contracting was announced before the whole town.
Working against you; opposing or blocking the way forward. Can also mean contradictory or inconsistent—pulling in opposite directions at once.
Winds that push your ship backward instead of forward.
To plan or scheme something—often something sneaky or dangerous. Sometimes it means simply to get through or manage time.
The conspirators contrived a plot to seize the throne.
To overpower or master something completely. To gain dominion over a person or force.
The plague controls the city, and no one dares venture out.
Someone who finds fault and criticizes harshly. Often arrogant or rude about it.
A check or restraint. The power to hold someone back or keep them under limits. You'll often see it in the phrase "without controlment," meaning free to do as you please.
He acted without controlment, answering to no one.
A struggle or contest between opposing forces. In Shakespeare, often means a physical fight or clash — like two currents battling each other.
The soldiers showed courage in the controversy against the enemy tide.
What's fitting or proper for the moment. In Shakespeare's time, it meant suitability or appropriateness—whether something matched the needs or dignity of a person or occasion.
All the honour that fits a good person.
Fitness or suitability for a purpose. Something that works well for what you need right now.
The duke chose this room for its conveniency to the hall.
Fitting or suitable for the occasion. The right thing at the right moment.
A convenient time to announce the news—when everyone could hear it.
To call together or summon. In Shakespeare, it can also mean 'to be convenient' or 'to suit the time'—the idea that circumstances gather in your favor.
When golden time convents, the moment is right.
A small, private gathering—especially a religious meeting held in secret. In Shakespeare's time, conventicles were often illegal assemblies of people with forbidden beliefs.
The rebels held a conventicle in the cellar to plan their uprising.
The way someone lives or behaves — their conduct, manners, and how they treat others. In Shakespeare's time, this word meant much more than just talking; it was about your whole way of being in the world.
A man of upright conversation was someone known for honest and decent behavior.
To spend time with someone, keep company with them. Shakespeare doesn't use this word to mean 'chat' the way we do — for him it's about association and interaction more broadly.
He converses with the king's advisors, gaining their trust.
A change in rank, status, or condition—especially an improvement or rise to something higher. In Shakespeare, it often means a person's changed circumstances or newfound position.
To turn away or change direction, either physically or in purpose. Often used when someone abandons one path or belief for another.
He converted from his enterprise when the king forbade it.
A person who has converted to a new faith or belief. In Shakespeare's time, often used for someone who had turned to Christianity.
To move or transport something from one place to another, often with a sense of secrecy or stealth. In Shakespeare, it can mean to steal, smuggle, or slip away unnoticed.
He conveyed himself out of the house before dawn.
A vehicle or means of transport. Also: a legal document that transfers property from one person to another. In a darker sense, it can mean sneaky maneuvering or trickery.
The carriage served as their conveyance to the castle.
A thief. Someone who steals or smuggles things away, often used as a cutting insult.
You accused him of being a conveyer of the crown's jewels.
To prove someone guilty of a crime. Once you convict someone, they've been found guilty in court.
The evidence will convict him of murder.
To prove someone wrong or catch them out. To defeat in argument or expose their fault.
His own words convicted him of the lie.
To overcome or overpower someone. In Shakespeare, it can also mean to prove someone guilty or provide evidence against them.
I'll convince his guards with wine and make them helpless.
To feast or dine together with others. A social meal shared with companions.
The lords convived late into the night, raising toasts and sharing stories.
A formal gathering or assembly, especially of clergy or church officials meeting to discuss matters of faith and practice.
The bishop called a convocation to settle disputes over doctrine.
A way or means of getting somewhere—transport. In Shakespeare's time, it could be a ship, a vehicle, or anything that carries you from one place to another.
The ship became his only convoy across the sea.
A sudden, violent tightening of the muscles—what we'd call a cramp or spasm. Your body seizes up without your control.
The poison brought on a convulsion that twisted his limbs.
A rabbit. In Shakespeare's time, conies were hunted for food and fur, so the word shows up in jokes about poaching and in descriptions of soft, furry things.
A poacher caught with a cony in his sack faced serious trouble.
To trick someone out of money or goods through deceit. A con artist was called a cony-catcher, and their victim was the cony.
To shut in or confine, usually for safety or protection. Think of it like keeping chickens in a coop to shield them from danger.
The walls coop the islanders safely away from foreign threats.
A tall, steeply pointed hat shaped like a cone or sugar loaf. Men wore these fashionable hats in Shakespeare's time.
He tipped his copatain as he entered the hall.
The sky or vault of heaven. Shakespeare uses it to mean the arch of the heavens that covers the earth.
The stars jewel the cope above us.
A companion or close partner. Someone who shares your life or goes alongside you.
Time and Night as copesmates—always together in darkness.
Having a pointed or peaked top. Shaped like a cone or crown.
The copp'd hills rose sharp against the sky.
An original thing or person worth imitating—a pattern or example. Shakespeare uses it to mean the model itself, not a duplicate of it. It can also mean the subject or theme being discussed.
In the play, a character is called "a copy to these younger times"—meaning he's an example for the young to follow.
An Italian word for courage or bravery. Shakespeare uses it to add Italian flavor or intensity to a moment.
A garbled form of 'quorum'—the legal minimum number of justices needed to hold court. Shakespeare's characters sometimes get the title wrong, mixing it with 'coram' (a Latin legal term) in a way that shows confusion or mockery of legal language.
A fast, lively dance popular in Shakespeare's time. Dancers moved in running steps, often in pairs or groups.
The musicians struck up a coranto, and the guests leapt to their feet.
Warming and comforting, especially to the heart or spirits. Shakespeare often pairs it with words like 'comfort' to describe something that soothes or revives you.
A cordial drink after a cold journey—something to restore warmth and ease.
The rotten center of something, especially an ulcer or wound. Shakespeare uses it as an insult — calling someone a 'core of envy' means their malice goes bone-deep.
A brothel. The word plays on Corinth's reputation in ancient times as a place of loose morals.
He's spent so much time at the Corinth, his purse is empty.
A man who's witty, charming, and always up for a good time. Think of someone who knows how to enjoy life and isn't afraid to show it.
Shriveled and dry, like old cork. Used to describe something that has lost its youth and vigor.
His corky arms showed the wear of age and hard labor.
A greedy person; someone who devours or consumes without limit. Shakespeare uses it as a harsh insult for excessive appetite—literal or moral.
A cormorant war devours whole kingdoms the way hunger devours bread.
Grain stalks, especially oat straw. In Shakespeare's time, these hollow stems were used to make simple pipes or tubes.
The shepherd carved a tune from corn stalks by the field.
A hidden or secret place. In Shakespeare, often used for places where people lurk out of sight, or where secrets are kept.
He crept into the corner to spy on them.
A three-cornered hat or cap, likely a fashionable style of Shakespeare's era. The kind of hat that comes to points at three different places.
A unit of cavalry soldiers, named after the horn-shaped flag that led them into battle. You'd recognize the troop by that distinctive standard flying above.
The cornet rode hard across the field, their pennon bright against the sky.
A man whose wife is unfaithful. The word plays on 'horn'—a humiliating symbol of cuckoldry in Shakespeare's time.
He fears becoming a cornuto if his wife keeps meeting that gentleman in secret.
Something extra or left over. In Shakespeare, it often means a surplus person or thing — someone or something added on top of what's needed.
Rather than fall short, bring an extra hand.
A wreath or garland worn on the head, often as a mark of honor or celebration. Smaller and less formal than a crown.
She wore a coronet of flowers in her hair at the feast.
A military officer who ranked below a sergeant-major and handled day-to-day duties in the field. Think of them as the sergeant-major's right hand.
Shared by a group acting as one. When people speak or act together with a single purpose, their voice or decision is corporate.
The players gave a corporate shout of approval.
Someone who punishes or disciplines others. In Shakespeare's time, often a jailer or officer who handed out beatings.
Ready to obey; willing to do what you're told. Someone correspondent listens and acts on what others ask of them.
I will do whatever you command.
Capable of being corrected or improved. In Shakespeare, often used to describe someone who is willing to obey or can be made to submit.
His corrigible neck — meaning he'll bend to authority.
A rival or competitor. Sometimes used for a partner or ally, but the core meaning is someone you're up against.
To strengthen or confirm something with evidence or testimony. In Shakespeare's time, the word often shows up in legal or formal contexts where someone is backing up a claim.
His witness will corroborate your story in court.
In a way that shows dishonesty, decay, or moral rot. Acting from greed or self-interest rather than principle.
A judge who rules corruptibly for a bribe has betrayed everyone in the courtroom.
A dead body. An old word for what we'd call a corpse today.
The battlefield was strewn with corses of the fallen soldiers.
The price of something, or the expense involved in getting it. In Shakespeare's time, people sometimes used "cost" to mean an expensive item itself.
Everyone tries to avoid spending money on fancy things.
A large apple, used as a joking term for someone's head. Shakespeare's comedians loved this pun—it's absurd and physical, which made audiences laugh.
A blow to the costard would leave anyone seeing stars.
A street seller of fruit or vegetables — originally apples. Shakespeare uses it as an insult for someone crass or money-grubbing, especially in commerce.
He called the merchant a costermonger for his shabby dealing.
Expensive and luxurious. Something made or done at great cost, often suggesting wealth and beauty.
She wore a costly gown embroidered with gold thread.
A man who meddles in housework or household matters — traditionally considered women's work. It's meant as an insult: he's neglecting his proper duties.
A man fussing over cooking and laundry instead of managing his estate might be called a cot-quean.
A small cottage or shelter—the kind of humble dwelling you'd find at the edge of a village or farm. Shakespeare uses it mostly for animal sheds, like a dove cote.
A strong, athletic man from the Cotswold Hills in England, a region known for its wrestlers and sportsmen. Shakespeare uses it as a type—a sturdy, muscular fellow.
A Cotswold built to win wrestling matches and impress at country fairs.
To lower or bend down, especially into a position of attack or hiding. Often used of a knight lowering his lance to charge, or a predator crouching before it strikes.
A falcon towering in the skies couches the fowl below—ready to dive.
Hidden or lying beneath the surface. Often used to describe feelings, ideas, or meanings that are buried under something else—like sorrow hiding under brave words, or virtue wrapped up in courage.
His anger was couched in polite language.
To bow low, almost crouching. In heraldry, describes an animal lying down with its head raised.
A group of advisors who serve the king or queen in secret. They meet privately to discuss matters of state and give counsel on important decisions.
The council meets behind closed doors to decide the kingdom's fate.
Private thoughts or secret plans. Also: advice, or a person who advises (a counselor). When Shakespeare says something happens "in counsel," he means in private, away from others' ears.
"Keep your fellows' counsel and your own" — don't share secrets.
A senior government advisor or minister—someone the ruler trusts with secrets and power. In law, a counsellor is an advocate who argues cases in court.
A skilled counsellor never lacks for clients seeking their expertise.
A reckoning or account—how things add up. Also a formal charge or indictment brought against someone in court. Something 'out of all count' means too numerous or vast to tally.
A made-up title mixing "count" (a noble rank) with "comfit" (a sugared candy). It's a joke — the speaker is mocking someone by giving them a ridiculous, candy-coated title instead of real respect.
To regard or value someone as something. To think of someone in a particular way.
He was counted a coward by the court.
Your face, or the expression and bearing it shows. Also: a person's favour or support—to be in someone's countenance means they back you.
His angry countenance told us we'd made a mistake.
A worthless coin or token used in games and accounting. Shakespeare often plays on its double meaning—a counter in the sense of a prison for debtors.
He gambled away his fortune on pieces worth nothing but the counter they were stamped on.
An insult for someone who counts or does sums. It treats arithmetic as a contemptible, low trade—mere bean-counting.
A debtors' prison in London or Southwark. The Counter was a real jail where people who owed money were locked up.
To swap or trade places with someone. One person takes what the other has, and vice versa.
The twins counterchanged clothes to trick their father.
A sharp rebuke or criticism thrown back at someone who's just criticized you. A way of standing up for yourself by talking back.
When she insults him, he fires back with his own countercheck.
A copy or likeness of someone or something—especially a portrait or image. Shakespeare often uses it to mean a representation that captures the look of a person or thing.
Sleep is death's counterfeit—a temporary copy of the real thing.
To cancel or forbid something that was previously ordered. To block or prevent.
The king countermands the general's orders to advance.
An exact copy or duplicate of something. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant a piece that matched another piece—like two halves of a whole.
The lovers exchanged counterparts of their portraits to remember each other.
A bedcover or quilt. In Shakespeare's time, a decorative cloth laid over a bed, often stitched or embroidered.
He smoothed the counterpoint across the mattress before the guest arrived.
Something that balances or evens out something else. A weight or force that matches and offsets another.
Her wit served as a counterpoise to his melancholy temperament.
To add another seal to a document to confirm or validate what's already been sealed. It's a second official stamp of approval.
The king's clerk counterseals the letter to prove it has the monarch's full authority.
To match or balance something equally, to be worth as much. To set one force or weight against another so neither wins.
Too many to count; innumerable. Shakespeare uses this to describe things in such vast quantity that numbering them is impossible.
The stars are countless in the night sky.
A person who travels from place to place, or someone experienced in different lands. Someone at home anywhere but truly at home nowhere.
A country learns the ways of many kingdoms.
A nobleman with the rank of count. In Shakespeare's time, a county was a European title of nobility, roughly equal to an English earl.
The county arrives with his retinue and demands audience with the king.
A French phrase meaning to cut someone's throat. Shakespeare uses it as a brutal insult or threat, sometimes to describe a ruthless or desperate person.
A villain willing to coupe la gorge for a few coins.
A joining or pairing of two things. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean the act of coupling itself, or the couple that results—two people or things bound together.
Two things that go together as a pair. In poetry, it's two lines of verse that rhyme with each other.
The play ends with a rhyming couplet that wraps up the whole scene.
Heart or temperament — the spirit someone shows. Shakespeare sometimes uses it to mean desire or appetite, especially sexual desire.
Brave and willing to face danger or difficulty. Shakespeare uses it to mean having heart and spirit in the face of fear.
To bend or bow low, usually as a sign of respect or submission. Often written as 'curb' in modern editions.
He courbs before the king, head bent in deference.
The way something naturally flows or progresses—a river's current, the passage of time, the normal order of events. Also means a person's habitual behavior or chosen line of action.
"In the course of a year" means as time naturally passes. "Hold my course" means keep doing what I'm doing.
To raid or plunder. Moving through a place quickly, taking what you want and leaving destruction behind.
The soldiers went coursing through the village at night.
the royal household and residence of a monarch; the place where a king or queen conducts official business and lives with their advisors and attendants.
Little Helen, goodbye; if I remember you, I'll think of you at court.
A guard room or barracks where soldiers stay when they're on duty. It's where the watch gathers and keeps watch.
The captain called all soldiers back to the court of guard before dawn.
A piece of furniture—usually a sideboard or cabinet on legs—where wealthy households displayed their fancy dishes, goblets, and other valuable plate. A sign of status and wealth.
The servants were told to clear the court-cupboard before the guests arrived.
A dense, hard-to-read style of handwriting used by English lawyers and court officials from Shakespeare's time through the 1700s. It was the official script of the law courts.
The contract was written in court-hand, so nobody but the clerk could decipher it.
Polite and respectful, especially toward someone of higher rank or status. In Shakespeare's time, courtesy was a mark of good breeding and social grace.
He spoke in courteous tones to the king, bowing low.
Good manners and respect shown to others, often through a formal gesture like a bow or curtsy. The word can also mean the customs and polite behavior expected among civilized people.
She made a deep courtesy to the queen, showing both respect and proper breeding.
Someone who courts or pursues someone romantically. In Shakespeare, often used to describe a suitor or admirer.
A courtier of love, he wrote sonnets to win her heart.
Elegant and refined in manner, like what you'd expect at a royal court. Can also mean polished but insincere—the kind of flattery courtiers use to get ahead.
A courtly bow, all smooth words and shallow promises.
The graceful manners and behavior you show at court, or in high society. It can also mean the act of paying attention to someone important—winning their favor through politeness and respect.
He won her over through courtship and flattering words.
A relative who is not your parent or sibling—like the child of your aunt or uncle. Shakespeare also uses it more loosely for any distant family member, even nephews or nieces. When royalty speak, they use 'cousin' as a formal address for other rulers or nobles.
A king might call another king 'cousin' in a peace negotiation, though they're not actually related.
The specific terms or conditions written into a contract or agreement. Think of them as the individual promises or rules that bind the deal together.
The covenants of the peace treaty spelled out exactly what each kingdom had to do.
An archaic spelling of 'convent'—a community of monks or nuns living under religious vows. You'll recognize it in the place name Covent Garden in London, which grew up around a convent garden.
To put on your hat, or to be allowed to keep it on in someone's presence. In Shakespeare's time, removing your hat was a sign of respect, so 'cover' means the opposite—a gesture of permission or familiarity.
A host might tell a guest, 'Pray be covered'—inviting him to sit and relax without the formality of bare-headed deference.
You hide or conceal something most carefully. This is the superlative form—the deepest secrecy.
You covert'st your true feelings beneath a mask of courtesy.
A covering or something that covers. In Shakespeare's time, the word could also mean the legal status of a married woman, who was considered under her husband's protection and authority.
To want something intensely, often something that belongs to someone else or that you shouldn't have. It's desire tipped over into obsession.
She covets her sister's jewels more than anything in the world.
A hungry, desperate wanting of things that aren't yours. It's the itch to have more than you should, to grab what belongs to someone else.
His covetousness for the throne made him willing to betray his own brother.
To make someone afraid or less brave. To scare someone into hesitation or retreat.
The act or quality of being a coward — lacking courage when you should have it. Shameful fear that makes someone run from danger or duty.
His cowardship in battle cost his army dearly.
Cowardly or timid. Acting with fear rather than courage.
He felt a cowish dread creeping over him as danger approached.
A pole that two people carry together, with a basket or container hung from the middle. It's the kind of thing you'd use to transport water or goods without tying up both hands.
They balanced the cowl-staff across their shoulders, one at each end.
A mild oath. Short for "God's" — as in "God's passion!" Shakespeare's characters swear by it casually, the way we might say "for heaven's sake."
A fool or a silly person. The word originally comes from the cap a professional jester wore—shaped like a rooster's comb—but by Shakespeare's time it was just an insult for anyone acting foolish or vain.
That coxcomb thinks himself a wit when he's just a bore.
Aloof and dismissive. Someone who is coy puts up a cold distance, refusing warmth or engagement. It's a kind of proud disdain.
She turned from him with a coy look, unwilling to be moved by his pleas.
A contemptible, cowardly man. A low-ranking soldier or servant, often used as an insult.
You coystril! You'd never stand and fight like a true soldier.
A familiar way of saying cousin—or any close relative, including uncle, nephew, or brother-in-law. Shakespeare uses it loosely for kinfolk in general, not always with strict accuracy.
"Good morrow, coz"—a friendly way to greet a relative.
To trick or deceive someone. You cozen a person by lying to them or making them believe something false.
A cozening slave tricks his master into thinking he's loyal.
A shoemaker or cobbler. The word shows up mostly in old songs and catch-phrases about craftspeople.
A break or flaw in something. In the phrase 'crack of doom,' it means the thunderous sound of the world's end — either the blast of God's trumpet or the final shattering on Judgment Day.
The crack in the foundation grew wider each season.
A person destined for the gallows; a criminal or rogue. A rougher way of saying someone will end up hanged.
Someone who boasts or talks big about themselves. A braggart who makes a lot of noise but may not have much substance.
He's all noise—a cracker who claims victories he never won.
A place where something rests or is held safely, the way a baby sleeps in a cradle. Shakespeare uses it for anything nestled or cradled — like seeds held in their husks.
The acorn cradled in its husk.
To do something skillfully or well. In Shakespeare's day, it often meant pulling off a tricky task with cunning or care.
You've done that beautifully.
Made or done with skill and cunning. Can mean skillfully built or designed, or can describe something false and deliberately deceptive.
A crafty plan—one that's both clever and dishonest.
To stuff or pack something tightly. Often used figuratively for filling the mind with information—shoving ideas in without care for proper understanding.
His head was cramm'd with half-learned facts.
A winding or twisted path. Something that turns back on itself in a zigzag way.
Full of small cracks or crevices. Something crannied is worn or broken into lots of tiny spaces.
The crannied wall held moss and ivy in every corner.
A wreath or garland, often placed on a young woman as a sign of honor or innocence. It was a burial custom in Shakespeare's time to lay flowers on a maiden's grave.
She was buried with crants of flowers, as a sign she died unmarried.
A small trading ship, often used for cargo along the coast. The word shows up in old texts spelled different ways — 'crare', 'crayer', even 'care'.
To ask for or request something earnestly. In Shakespeare, often means to beg for something with real need or urgency.
I'll ask for the day when I can announce our marriage.
A coward, or someone who shows cowardice. In Shakespeare's time, it also meant a fighting cock bred without the spirit to stand its ground.
A craven soldier runs when the enemy charges.
Someone who begs for money or food. A person reduced to asking others for what they need to survive.
The craver at the gate held out an empty bowl.
To damage or weaken something, usually through strain or wear. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant to crack or strain a physical thing—like a voice worn out from shouting.
All that yelling has crazed her voice.
Damaged or weakened, no longer sound or whole. Often used of the mind or judgment, but can apply to anything cracked or broken.
To crack or shatter into a fine network of lines, like glass when it breaks under stress. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean a sudden fracture or the fine cracks that spider across a surface.
Heat crazing the mirror into a web of tiny fractures.
Damaged or worn out. Something that's cracked, crumbling, or falling apart.
A crazy ship, leaking and splintered, limped into harbor.
To form a layer of scum or film on the surface, like stagnant water does. Shakespeare uses it to describe something becoming foul and stale.
A pond left untended will cream over with algae and debris.
Pale or washed-out looking, especially in the face. Often used as an insult to suggest cowardice or illness.
A cream-fac'd loon wouldn't dare show his face in battle.
To cause something to come into being or to bring forth. In Shakespeare, often used of producing offspring or emotional responses.
The lovers' passion created a bond that would last lifetimes.
Willing to believe; trusting. Also can mean worthy of belief or credible.
A credent fool believes every rumor he hears.
A reputation or report—what people say about you. In Shakespeare's time, your credit was your standing in the community, your word.
Losing a battle might damage a general's credit among the nobles.
A small stream or narrow waterway that twists and turns. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean a bend or curve in a stream.
The lovers fled through the dark forest to hide by the creek.
Growing or increasing. Something that's getting bigger or stronger.
My powers are crescent—they grow each day.
Growing or increasing. Something that gets bigger or stronger over time.
A crescive passion that builds from the first moment they meet.
An open metal basket mounted on a pole or tower, filled with burning coal or wood to shine as a beacon or signal light. Shakespeare uses it to mean any bright flame meant to guide or warn.
The cresset burned all night on the castle wall to light the soldiers' way home.
The ridge of feathers or hair on an animal's head—often used to mean the top or highest point of something. In heraldry, the decorative symbol placed above a coat of arms on a helmet. Shakespeare uses it figuratively to mean the peak or crown of something: the height of beauty, the summit of power.
Damaging to a family's honour or reputation. A family's crest was their badge of identity, so an injury to it was an injury to their name.
A scandal that brings shame to your whole house.
Without a coat of arms or family crest. In Shakespeare's time, this marked you as someone of no rank or noble standing.
A crestless man had no place at court.
A type of wool thread used for embroidery and tapestry work. It's thicker and looser than regular yarn, which makes it easier to work with for decorative stitching.
She stitched crewel patterns onto the cushion cover.
Boxed in, trapped, unable to move freely. Shakespeare pairs it with "cabin'd" and "confined" to paint a picture of being hemmed in from all sides.
The prisoner felt cribb'd in that small cell.
Guilty of crime. Full of wrongdoing or sin.
A crimeful act that brings shame on the whole family.
To scrunch or twist your face out of shape. Often a sign of pain, disgust, or discomfort.
He cringed at the bitter taste.
A person who is lame or unable to walk properly. In Shakespeare's time, the word was used straightforwardly to describe someone with a mobility injury or disability.
A cripple cannot follow the army into battle.
Curled or rippled, like something with a crinkled surface. Sometimes means bright or clear.
Curled or made wavy. Hair or fabric that's been treated to form tight waves or ringlets.
Her crisped curls framed her face.
Quick to find fault. A critic is someone who tears things apart—looking for what's wrong rather than what works.
A critic eye spotted every flaw in the performance.
An old woman, typically depicted as shriveled or worn by age. The word carries a tone of contempt or pity depending on context.
The three witches in Macbeth are sometimes called crones—ancient, weathered figures.
A person with a severe curvature of the spine; a hunchback. Used as both a descriptive term and, in Shakespeare's time, often as an insult.
Dishonest or deceitful. Can also mean morally twisted or malicious. In Shakespeare, it often describes claims or titles that are fraudulent or gained through corruption.
A king with a crooked title has no true right to the throne.
To cut or gather something short. In farming, to produce or yield a harvest. Shakespeare sometimes uses it in earthy wordplay about sex and fertility.
The orchard will crop well this year if spring stays mild.
An animal whose ears have been cropped, or cut short. In Shakespeare's time, this was a common practice with dogs and horses.
A coin, especially one stamped with a cross. Shakespeare's characters often pun on this meaning—playing on the coin itself and the word's other senses.
Wearing garters that cross behind the knee instead of staying in one place. In Shakespeare's time, this was a theatrical or festive look — and Malvolio makes himself ridiculous by sporting cross-garters in *Twelfth Night*, thinking it will impress Olivia.
The alphabet. The name comes from an old practice of printing a cross at the very start of the alphabet in children's primers.
A child learning the cross-row was learning to read.
A direct conflict or opposition. When two things work against each other.
A crossing of their wills made peace impossible.
A sudden whim or stubborn idea—the word puns on both the musical note and a quirky, unreasonable notion that somebody gets stuck on.
He won't eat anything but fish on Fridays; it's one of his crotchets.
A metal bar with a curved or angled end, used to pry things open or lift heavy objects. The curved end gives you leverage.
He used a crow to force open the locked chest.
A buttercup, or sometimes a ragged robin. The exact flower shifts by region and time, but Shakespeare means a wild bloom that grows in meadows.
A simple wildflower, nothing fancy—the kind that dots a field in spring.
Someone hired to scare away birds from crops, usually by waving a bow or making noise. The comparison suggests clumsy, awkward handling.
A boy who swings a stick badly moves like a crow-keeper flailing at birds.
To push or squeeze tightly into a space. Can mean literally squeezing people together, or figuratively piling on pressure or troubles.
The guests crowded into the hall despite the narrow doorway.
The Pope's ceremonial headdress—a tall, ornate tiara with three tiers. Shakespeare plays on the word because 'crown' has many meanings (royalty, the top of the head, money), so puns abound.
A tall garden flower with a crown of drooping bell-shaped blooms, usually orange or yellow. It was prized in Shakespeare's England and originally came from the Mediterranean region.
The crown-imperial stood proud in the garden bed, its exotic bells nodding in the breeze.
A coroner—the officer who investigates sudden or suspicious deaths. The word is a colloquial shortening, sometimes shaped by the sound of 'crown'.
A small crown or coronet. This is an old spelling of the word you might recognize as coronet.
Thick and lumpy, like curdled milk. Shakespeare uses it to describe something unpleasant and congealed.
Cruelty; harsh or unkind treatment. In Shakespeare's time, this word also referred to crewel, a type of embroidery thread, but that sense is now archaic.
To an extreme degree; excessively. Often used to intensify feelings or actions in a way that seems almost harsh or overwhelming.
She cruelly loved him—so intensely it hurt them both.
A cruel person—someone harsh, unkind, or without mercy. Often used as a term of address when speaking to someone who has hurt you.
He calls his cold lover "fair cruelty" because her beauty masks her hard heart.
A Portuguese gold coin marked with a cross. It was real money in Shakespeare's world, worth roughly what a skilled worker earned in a week.
He paid the merchant five crusados for the silk.
To share and drink from a cup of wine together, often in friendly company. The image is of pressing or extracting something precious—in this case, the experience of togetherness.
Let's crush a cup of wine and talk of old times.
Squeezed or pressed hard. In Shakespeare, often used for emotions or situations under heavy strain—love that's overwhelming, or a heart weighed down by grief.
A crush'd spirit finds no rest.
A walking stick or support—a visible sign of age and infirmity. In Shakespeare's time, a crutch marked you as worn down by years.
Time makes us all lean on a crutch eventually.
As a noun: rumor, gossip, or public talk spreading about someone. As a verb: to call out in need or demand; to beg, plead, or urgently require something.
The cry went out that the king had fled—meaning word spread fast through the city.
To call out someone's name or qualities loudly, usually in praise or invocation. Like hounds baying on a scent, it means to pursue or press forward vocally.
They cried on his name as he rode into battle.
Clear and bright. Shakespeare uses it to describe eyes that are transparent, gleaming, and full of life—the opposite of clouded or dull.
Her crystal eyes betrayed every emotion.
A decorative button made of crystal or crystal-like material. Vintners—people who sold wine—wore them on their jackets as a sign of their trade.
Drained and made fierce by nursing young. Used to describe something (or someone) made wild and hungry by what it's been forced to sustain.
A she-bear cub-drawn, protective of her den.
A small private room or bedroom. Shakespeare uses this Latin word for an intimate chamber within a larger house.
He retired to his cubiculo for the night.
Describing a man whose wife has been unfaithful. It's an insult that means he's been betrayed and emasculated.
He wore his cuckoldly shame like a badge the whole court could see.
A foolish or silly person. The word plays on the cuckoo bird's reputation for stupidity, and also hints at a cuckold—a man whose wife is unfaithful.
He's such a cuckoo for believing that obvious lie.
A yellow wildflower that blooms in spring. The exact plant is uncertain, but Shakespeare likely meant the buttercup or a similar bright meadow flower.
A spring flower with pale purple or white blossoms, common in English meadows and woodlands. Shakespeare's contemporaries called it by this name because it bloomed around the time cuckoos returned from migration.
A hood or cowl. Shakespeare uses this Latin phrase to mean that wearing monk's clothes doesn't make you a monk — outward signs don't prove inner truth.
Beaten with a club or stick. Something that's been cudgelled has taken a real battering.
His cudgell'd head bore the marks of the fight.
Armor for the thighs and upper legs. Also spelled cushes.
A cowardly or contemptible man. Used as an insult — it cuts deeper than just calling someone a fool.
You cullion — you ran from the fight and left your friend to face them alone.
A long, slender cannon used in Shakespeare's time. It was built to fire far and hard, and its name came from the French word for adder—because of its snaky shape.
The fort's culverins boomed across the water, their shots reaching ships half a mile away.
With; combined with. Often used in legal or formal contexts to join two things together — like saying 'along with' or 'plus.' Shakespeare uses it mostly in Latin phrases.
A Latin phrase meaning the holder has the exclusive right to print or publish something. In Shakespeare's era, printers and publishers sought this protection from the crown to guard their work from being copied by rivals.
To bother or weigh someone down with hassle. Shakespeare uses it for being pestered or burdened.
Don't let that problem cumber you with worry.
Skill or cleverness, especially in craft or deception. As an adjective: skilful, clever, or crafted with ingenuity—often with a suggestion of slyness or hidden intent.
A cunning man might use tricks to win trust, or a cunning plan might succeed precisely because no one sees it coming.
To give someone drink, often repeatedly, until they're drunk. In Shakespeare, it's a way to loosen someone's tongue or dull their wits.
The conspirators cupped the guards with wine before making their move.
A pansy—a small flower with velvety petals that people in Shakespeare's time called heartsease or love-in-idleness. It was linked to love and magic in folklore.
A flower squeezed onto sleeping eyes could make someone fall in love—that's Cupid's flower doing its work.
A dog, especially a large working dog like a mastiff or sheepdog. In Shakespeare's time, the word wasn't insulting—it was just what you called a dog. Later it picked up contempt.
A mastiff cur guards the gate.
A priest who has care of souls in a parish—the everyday minister who serves the congregation and tends to their spiritual needs.
The curate visits the sick and hears confession on behalf of the parish.
To hold someone back or stop them from doing something. A restraint or check on freedom or action.
You are held back from that freedom.
Thickened and lumpy, like milk curdling or ice forming. Something that was once smooth or fluid has become solid and clotted.
An icicle frozen so thick and solid it looks curdied.
Thick and lumpy, like curdled milk. Shakespeare uses it to describe something disgusting or unpleasant—often blood or other bodily matter.
A remedy or treatment. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean a state of health or well-being—you might say someone was "in good cure" or "in hard cure" depending on how sick they were.
Beyond healing or fixing. A wound or illness so bad that nothing can cure it.
A cureless disease had already begun to ravage his body.
A fussy care about details or refinement. Someone with curiosity wants things just right and notices when they're not.
A lord with curiosity about his wardrobe won't wear yesterday's doublet twice.
Carefully made or done with attention to detail. Can also mean anxious about something, or fussy and particular in your tastes.
A curious eye notices what others miss.
With great care and attention to fine detail. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant something was made or done with skillful precision.
The embroidery was curiously worked—every stitch placed exactly right.
The flow or movement of something, especially water. Also means what's happening right now or what people are doing at the moment.
The river's strong currance swept the boat downstream.
The flow or momentum of something moving forward—a river, a fight, or a trend. In Shakespeare's time, also used to mean something genuine or widely accepted, like currency that holds its value.
The current of battle swept them forward.
Like a dog in nature—mean, base, or contemptible. Shakespeare uses it to insult someone as cowardly or ignoble.
A currish fellow wouldn't stand and fight.
To win someone over with flattery and attention. You're trying to get in their good graces by being charming and agreeable.
He curries favour with the king by praising his wisdom at every turn.
Quick and careless; done without much thought or attention. A cursory glance or reading that misses the details.
A cursorary look at the letter would miss the hidden meaning.
Bad-tempered, spiteful, or vicious. Often used to describe someone's mood or nature—a person who's cursed with a sour disposition, or an animal that's dangerously wild.
A curst melancholy had settled over him.
A mean or spiteful disposition. The quality of being ill-tempered and hostile toward others.
His curstness made him enemies at every turn.
A horse with a docked tail. In Shakespeare's time, a curtal was a working horse breed, known for its short tail and sturdy build.
He rode out on his curtal, a practical beast for the day's journey ahead.
A broad, heavy sword designed for cutting rather than thrusting. The word is a mishearing or playful twist on 'cutlass,' a weapon common in Shakespeare's time.
A soldier armed with a curtle-axe could cleave through armor in a single blow.
A respectful gesture—bending the knees and lowering the body—that women and girls used to show honour or submission, especially to someone of higher rank. It's the female equivalent of a bow.
Armor that protects the thighs. Part of a soldier's plate armor, worn from hip to knee.
A knight buckles on his cushes before battle.
A soft pillow or pad, often used as a symbol of comfort and peace. In some contexts, a swollen belly that mimics the look of pregnancy.
A court official who keeps the rolls and records. The word is a jumbled Latin phrase meaning 'keeper of the rolls.' Shakespeare uses it as a mock-grand title for a petty bureaucrat.
A custalorum puffing up his chest over a ledger.
The pastry shell that holds a baked custard. The crispy outer layer that contains the creamy filling inside.
A servant brings in the custard-coffin, golden and steaming from the oven.
A coward or a base, dishonorable person. Shakespeare uses this as a sharp insult—someone without courage or integrity.
He called the man a custerell for running from the fight.
A habitual practice or tradition — the way something is normally done. In Shakespeare's time, custom meant both personal habit and the broader traditions of a community or court.
We've always danced this way — it's our custom.
Having lost customers or business. A shop or trade that has shrunk because fewer people are buying from it.
A woman who sells sexual favors. Shakespeare uses this as a cutting insult.
A working horse, often one with a docked (shortened) tail. Can be an insult when used to address someone directly.
A way of saying "everyone, no matter who they are." The phrase comes from animals with docked tails and animals with long tails — meaning all kinds, without exception.
The feast was for cut and long-tail alike — nobles and servants sat together.
To end something abruptly or kill someone. In Shakespeare, it often means death—a life cut short, a plan abandoned, a conversation stopped mid-word.
The villain's scheme was cut off when the king discovered his treachery.
A thief who steals by cutting purses from people's belts or sides. A pickpocket.
The cutpurse worked the crowded streets, knife ready to slash and grab.
Someone who carves or shapes stone or other material into a finished form. Can also mean someone who cuts something short or interrupts it.
A master cutter chiseled the marble into a statue.
A rogue or bully—someone who uses violence or intimidation. The word draws from the idea of cutting or slashing.
The cuttle picks fights in the tavern and takes what he wants.
In Greek mythology, a one-eyed giant. Shakespeare's audience knew them as the creatures who made Zeus's thunderbolts in their forge.
A Cyclops with his single eye—a figure of monstrous strength from old tales.
A person who rejects comfort and wealth on principle, scorning what others enjoy. In Shakespeare's time, the word often just means a rude or ill-tempered person.
The moon, imagined as a goddess. Shakespeare uses this name from Roman mythology when he wants to give the moon a human face.
Cynthia's light spilled across the garden at midnight.
A dark, evergreen tree with hard wood, traditionally planted in cemeteries and used to make coffins. In Shakespeare's time, cypress symbolized death and grief, so it appears in funeral imagery and mourning clothes.
A coffin made of cypress wood, or a black cypress-cloth veil worn to a funeral.
Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Shakespeare uses this name as a poetic way to invoke the idea of desire and attraction.
The lovers gazed at each other as if Cytherea herself had blessed their meeting.
