Shakespeare words: I

i pronoun

Me. In Shakespeare's time, this form was used where modern English would say 'me'—especially after 'and' or as the object of a verb or preposition. You might hear it in formal or poetic speech.

All debts are cleared between you and I.

i' fecks interjection

An oath swearing by faith or truth. A casual way to emphasize what you're saying, like "I swear" or "honestly."

I' fecks, he's telling the truth this time.

i'll contraction

A shortened form of "I will." In old printed editions of Shakespeare, you'll sometimes see it spelled "Ile" instead of the modern "I'll."

icarus noun

In Greek mythology, a young man who flew too close to the sun on wax wings and fell to his death. Shakespeare uses his name as a warning about reckless ambition and ignoring good advice.

An Icarus moment—reaching for glory and crashing hard.

ice noun

A symbol of coldness, emotional distance, or sexual purity. When Shakespeare calls someone "ice," he means they're frozen—unyielding, chaste, untouchable.

A woman praised for her virtue might be called 'ice' — meant as a compliment to her virtue, though it stings a bit.

ice-brook noun

A high-quality Spanish sword, hardened by plunging hot steel into ice-cold water. The practice produced blades that were both sharp and flexible—prized across Europe for their strength.

A warrior might boast of carrying an ice-brook blade, knowing its Spanish temper would not snap in battle.

iceland dog noun

A small, shaggy white dog with pointed ears, popular as a lapdog in Shakespeare's England. The name was also used as an insult for a person.

icy-cold adjective

Freezing cold. The word appears in different forms across early printed editions, sometimes as 'icie' or simply 'cold,' but the meaning is the same—the kind of chill that cuts through you.

An icy-cold wind swept across the battlefield at dawn.

idea noun

A picture in the mind—an image or mental likeness of something. It can be a memory, an imagination, or even just a notion you've dreamed up.

Your face is the right idea of your father's—you look just like him.

ides noun

In the ancient Roman calendar, the fifteenth day of March (and the thirteenth of most other months). The date is famous now because Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March.

Beware the Ides of March.

idiot noun

A professional fool or jester—someone hired to make people laugh. By extension, any blockhead or simpleton.

A king surrounds himself with idiots to mock and amuse him.

idle adjective

Pointless, worthless, or serving no real purpose. Something idle is futile—it won't achieve anything or help anyone.

A desert island is idle ground—nothing grows there, nothing thrives.

idle-headed adjective

Foolish or scatterbrained. Someone whose mind is vacant or flighty.

He came up with an idle-headed scheme to sneak past the guards in broad daylight.

idleness noun

Wasting time on things that don't matter. Trivial amusement or lazy pursuits that lead nowhere.

He filled his days with idleness instead of studying his craft.

idly adverb

Without care or attention; in a casual, offhand way. When someone does something idly, they're not taking it seriously or thinking much about it.

She idly glanced at the letter before tossing it aside.

ignis fatuus noun

A ghostly light that appears to flicker over swampy ground at night, thought in folklore to lure travelers astray. Used figuratively for any false hope or deceptive goal that draws you in.

He chased wealth and fame like an ignis fatuus, never catching either.

ignoble adjective

Low-born, or lacking honour and decency. In Shakespeare, it often means both at once—someone of humble origins acting shamefully, or simply behaving in a way unworthy of respect.

An ignoble lie, told to save his own skin rather than face the truth.

ignominy, noun

Deep shame or public disgrace. Loss of honour and respect, usually brought on by shameful or base behaviour.

To be defeated in battle and taken prisoner—that would be ignominy he could never live down.

ignorant adjective

Lacking knowledge or skill in something. Can also mean unaware of something, or caused by a lack of knowledge.

iliad noun

A long, tedious complaint or tirade. Someone pouring out grievances at length.

ill-temper'd adjective

Out of balance, either physically (your bodily humours are wrong) or emotionally (you're in a foul mood). In Shakespeare's time, these were linked—a body out of whack made you angry and unstable.

A man whose grief and anger are ill-temper'd will lash out at anyone nearby.

ill-well adverb

In a way that skillfully mimics something bad or wrong. A paradox: doing something poorly so convincingly that it works.

He played the fool so ill-well that everyone believed he really was one.

illness noun

Evil or wickedness. A moral badness, not a physical sickness.

The king's illness of heart led him to betray his own brother.

illo interjection

A shout to get someone's attention or call them over. Often used to hail a person from a distance, like "hello" or "hey."

"Illo!" he cried, waving from across the field.

illume verb

To light up or make bright. In Shakespeare, often used for fire, candlelight, or even a sudden understanding that breaks through darkness.

The torches illume the great hall for the feast.

illusion noun

A trick or deception meant to fool someone. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant a deliberate act of lying or conjuring that took people in.

The magician's illusion made the audience believe they saw something that wasn't really there.

illustrate adjective

Famous, distinguished, or high-ranking. A way to describe someone or something that stands out and commands respect.

illustrious adjective

Not shining or bright; dull. The word is a direct opposite of 'lustrous'—it describes something without gleam or radiance.

image noun

A likeness or representation of something—either a physical copy you can see, or a picture in the mind. Shakespeare uses it for everything from a portrait to a metaphor that stands in for an idea.

The ghost's image—his father's very form—appears to Hamlet on the ramparts.

imagery noun

Decorative tapestries or wall hangings, often made of silk with intricate designs. Shakespeare's time used this word for fancy woven fabrics that adorned rooms.

imagin'd adjective

Existing in the mind or imagination rather than in reality. Something imagined is as fast as thought itself—it needs no physical journey.

Love felt imagin'd when you're apart, then real when you meet again.

imaginary adjective

Existing only in the mind, not in reality. Something imaginary is made up, invented, or existing as a thought rather than as a real thing.

She wept for imaginary sorrows as if they were truly happening.

imagination noun

A thought or picture in your mind that you haven't actually experienced or felt yet. Something imagined rather than lived through.

imbace verb

To lower or debase something. This form appears rarely in Shakespeare's early texts, and its exact sense remains uncertain—it may mean to reduce in value or quality, or to diminish in some other way.

imbar verb

To lock or shut something in; to confine or secure behind a barrier. Shakespeare uses it to mean both the act of barring and the state of being barred in.

imbecility noun

Physical weakness or frailty. Shakespeare uses it to mean the feebleness of the body, especially in age or illness.

The old king's imbecility made him unfit to rule in wartime.

imbossed, imbost adjective

Raised or carved so the design stands out from the surface. An older spelling of what we'd call embossed today.

imbrue, embrue verb

To stain with blood, or to wound and draw blood. Often used of a weapon piercing flesh, or a person committing murder.

A sword imbrued with the enemy's blood.

imitari verb

To copy or mimic someone else's behavior, speech, or mannerisms. Often used to describe an actor or performer taking on a role.

He imitari'd the king's proud walk to make the court laugh.

imitate verb

To copy or reproduce something, especially poorly or incompletely. When you imitate, you're trying to match an original but usually fall short.

The fake jewels were badly imitated—nothing like the real ones.

immanity noun

Brutal, inhuman cruelty. A rare word even in Shakespeare's time, used to describe acts so savage they seem to strip away all humanity.

The king's immanity toward his prisoners shocked even his hardened soldiers.

immask verb

To cover or conceal something, especially with a mask or disguise. In Shakespeare, often used literally or figuratively to hide someone's true identity or feelings.

She immasks her grief behind a smile.

immaterial adjective

Thin, slight, or insubstantial—not solid or weighty. Something that doesn't amount to much, or that lacks real substance.

An immaterial objection won't stop the plan from moving forward.

immediacy noun

Direct access to someone in power. In Shakespeare's time, having immediacy meant you could reach a king or noble without going through layers of courtiers.

The ambassador sought immediacy with the queen to deliver his urgent news.

immediate adjective

Next in line, without anyone between. In Shakespeare's time, often used for who comes after a king or queen—the direct heir. Can also mean direct or straight, with nothing in between.

immediately adverb

According to law or legal requirement. A formal term meaning "as the law prescribes" or "in the manner the law demands."

imminence noun

Danger or evil that's about to happen. Something threatening that's nearly here.

immodest adjective

Over the top—going too far, without restraint. Often carries a sense of arrogance or showing off.

His immodest boasting about his wealth made him unlikeable.

immoment adjective

Trivial or worthless. Something that doesn't matter or carry weight.

immortal adjective

Divine or godlike. In Shakespeare's time, immortal beings lived forever in heaven—they belonged to a realm beyond ordinary human life.

The immortal gods looked down on mortals from on high.

immure verb

To wall in or lock up inside. To confine someone behind walls, or to enclose and trap.

The king was immured in the tower, cut off from the world.

imp noun, verb

As a noun: a mischievous child or creature, often used playfully or with mild scorn. As a verb: to graft feathers into a bird's wing to repair damage and restore flight—used metaphorically in Shakespeare to mean restore or strengthen something weakened.

Imp out our drooping country's broken wing—repair what is damaged and make us whole again.

impaint verb

To paint or depict something. To create a picture of someone or something.

The artist will impaint the scene upon the canvas for all to see.

impair, impare adjective

Not good enough; falling short of what's needed or expected. Damaged or weakened in quality.

An impair foundation will not hold the weight of the castle.

impale, empale verb

To surround or enclose someone, often with weapons or a fortress. Also used for placing a crown on someone's head.

Soldiers impale the prisoner with their spears on all sides.

impart verb

To give or pass something on to someone else. Can mean to share information or knowledge, or to grant something (like a quality or resource).

The king imparts his wisdom to his son.

impartial adjective

Unbiased and fair; not favoring one side over another. In Shakespeare's time, the word sometimes got mixed up with 'partial' (meaning biased), leading to confusion in a few texts.

An impartial judge hears both sides before deciding.

impartment noun

The act of sharing or telling something to another person. A revelation or disclosure of information.

The messenger brought an impartment of grave news from the king.

impasted adjective

Turned into a thick, paste-like mass. In art, it describes paint applied so thickly it builds up texture on the canvas.

The painter's impasted brushstrokes gave the portrait deep, sculptural shadows.

impeach verb

To challenge or cast doubt on someone—their word, their character, their claim. In Shakespeare's time, it meant to question whether something or someone could be trusted.

His lies impeach his honesty.

impeachment noun

An obstacle or hindrance in your way. In Shakespeare's time, it also meant damage or harm to someone's reputation or standing.

To march without impeachment means to move forward unblocked.

imperator noun

An all-powerful ruler with total control. The word comes from ancient Rome, where an imperator was a supreme military commander and head of state.

Caesar earned the title of imperator after conquering Gaul.

imperious adjective

Commanding, powerful, and expecting to be obeyed. Someone imperious acts as though they have absolute authority and won't tolerate disagreement.

An imperious queen orders her courtiers around without a second thought.

imperiously adverb

With grand dignity and commanding authority. The way a ruler or someone of high rank moves or speaks.

She swept imperiously into the hall, expecting everyone to bow.

imperseverant adjective

Unable or unwilling to notice or understand what's happening. Lacking the awareness or attention to perceive what's going on.

impertinency noun

Something that doesn't belong or has nothing to do with the matter at hand. A remark or detail that's off-topic or out of place.

His complaints about the weather were pure impertinency when we were discussing the contract.

impertinent adjective

Not relevant to the matter at hand. Launcelot famously gets this one backwards in The Merchant of Venice, using it to mean something like 'bold' or 'saucy' instead.

An impertinent detail — it has nothing to do with the case.

impeticos verb

A made-up word that Shakespeare puts in the mouth of a clown or fool, meant to sound ridiculous. It seems to play on 'impocket' (to pocket or steal) and possibly 'petticoat,' creating a bawdy joke.

impierced adjective

Pierced through; wounded or penetrated by a sharp instrument. An archaic or poetic form of the same idea.

An impierced heart might beat on, but a pierced one bleeds.

impiety noun

A lack of respect or reverence toward family, loved ones, or the bonds of kinship. It's the failure to honour those who deserve your loyalty by blood or affection.

To abandon your aging parent in need would be impiety.

impious adjective

Disrespectful toward God or sacred things. Someone impious shows contempt for religion or religious practice.

He called the prayer impious—a deliberate mockery of the holy words.

impleach'd adjective

Twisted or woven together. Shakespeare used this word to show things tangled up with each other—physically or in a more complicated way.

implorator noun

Someone who begs or pleads for something. A supplicant—someone asking urgently for help or a favor.

imply verb

To have something as a necessary part or consequence. If one thing implies another, you can't have the first without the second.

Accepting the crown implies accepting the crown's dangers.

impone verb

To stake or wager something of value. The word plays on the sound of 'impawn'—a gambling term where you put up money or goods as a bet.

import verb

To carry weight or significance; to mean something or have consequences. In Shakespeare, it often means to suggest, hint at, or signal what's coming—like a sign that points toward what will happen next.

The ghost's appearance imports that something dangerous is about to unfold.

importance noun

A matter or affair—something that has weight or significance. In Shakespeare, it often means the thing itself rather than how much it matters. It can also mean urgent pressing requests or demands.

importancy noun

The weight or significance of something—how much it matters. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant urgent business or pressing affairs that demanded attention.

A matter of great importancy kept the king from the feast.

important adjective

Urgent and demanding; pressing. In Shakespeare's time, this sense was fading—he uses it rarely, and usually means 'significant' or 'weighty' instead.

importing adjective

Full of meaning or weight; carrying real importance. Something importing matters and deserves attention.

importless adjective

Having no importance or significance. Trivial, not worth paying attention to.

He dismissed the complaint as importless gossip.

importu'nacy noun

Persistent, annoying demands or pressure. Someone won't take no for an answer and keeps bothering you about it.

His importu'nacy wore down the king until he granted the petition.

importun'd verb

Pestered or harassed someone with constant, urgent demands. The word carries the sense of being relentlessly bothered.

She importun'd him day after day until he finally agreed.

importune verb

To pester someone by asking over and over, without giving up. You wear them down with your need.

She importunes the king daily for justice until he finally listens.

impose verb

To place a burden, duty, or accusation on someone. In Shakespeare, often means to saddle a person with blame or a penalty they must bear.

Don't impose your anger on me—I had nothing to do with it.

imposition noun

A charge or command laid on someone, often one they're bound to obey. Can also mean an accusation or blame placed on a person.

He accepted the task as a knightly imposition—a duty he couldn't refuse.

impossible adjective

So wild or extreme that it strains belief. Used for extravagant ideas, outlandish claims, or things that seem made up.

A story so impossible that nobody would believe it actually happened.

imposthume noun

A painful swelling filled with pus. An infection that builds up under the skin until it bursts or must be lanced.

The wound grew into an imposthume that wouldn't heal.

imprese noun

A symbolic picture or emblem, often with a motto, used to represent a person or cause. Renaissance courts loved these as badges of identity and wit.

A knight might display his imprese on his shield—a phoenix rising, perhaps, with the words 'I am reborn.'

impress noun

A mark or stamp pressed into something. In Shakespeare, often used figuratively—a sign or imprint left on the heart or mind, as if by force.

His heart bears the impress of her beauty.

impressure noun

A mark or indentation left by pressing or stamping something. The physical impression itself, not the act of making it.

The ring left its impressure in the wax.

imprimis adverb

First of all; to begin with. An old-fashioned way to start listing things in order.

Imprimis, we need food; secondly, a safe place to sleep.

improvident adjective

Not careful or thoughtful about the future. Someone who acts without considering what might happen next.

An improvident gambler who spent his whole fortune in a single night.

impure adjective

Morally or spiritually stained; contaminated by guilt or wrongdoing. Shakespeare uses it to mean tainted, unclean, or marked by sin.

A confession that washes away impure deeds.

imputation noun

What people believe or say about you based on the evidence they see. Your reputation as others understand it.

impute verb

To attribute something to someone, or count it as theirs. If you impute a quality or action to someone, you're saying they have it or did it—rightly or wrongly.

You blamed me for the silence, as though I caused it.

in preposition, adverb, verb

As a preposition: marks position, time, or state — often used in ways that feel loose to modern ears ("in sleeping" for "while sleeping"; "in a hot day" for "on a hot day"). As an adverb: inside, or involved in trouble — "he's in" can mean he's locked up, or he's caught, or he's drunk, or he holds power. As a verb (rare): to bring in a harvest.

"Surpris'd by bloody hands, in sleeping on your beds" — caught while you sleep.

in capite phrase

A legal term for land held directly from the king or queen, with no landlord in between. The tenant owed allegiance and service straight to the crown.

A nobleman who holds his estate in capite answers only to the sovereign.

in folio noun phrase

A book made from large sheets of paper folded in half once, creating thick, tall volumes. The First Folio of Shakespeare's plays (1623) is the most famous example—it's a substantial, expensive book.

The First Folio was a prestigious object, not something ordinary people could easily afford.

in limbo patrum noun phrase

A place where souls wait, especially the souls of righteous people who died before Christ's coming. In Shakespeare's time, people believed these souls couldn't enter heaven until Christ had risen and opened the way.

in terram salicam mulieres ne succedant noun phrase

An ancient law from the Frankish kingdoms that barred women from inheriting certain lands. Shakespeare's English characters invoke it when arguing that a woman has no right to a throne or territory.

The king cites Salic law to prove his rival's claim through a female line is worthless.

in via preposition

On the way; in the process of happening or being done. Shakespeare uses this Latin phrase to mean something is underway or in progress.

The plans are in via — we're working on them as we speak.

in-a-door adverb

Indoors, or at home. A common way to say it in Shakespeare's time.

inaidible adjective

Unable to help yourself or get help. Defenseless and in a bad spot.

incaged adjective

Locked up or trapped, as if in a cage. Unable to move freely or escape.

The prisoner felt incaged by the stone walls of his cell.

incapable adjective

Unable to feel, understand, or deal with something. Often used of a person who lacks the mental or emotional capacity for a particular state or action.

She was so shocked she seemed incapable of her own distress.

incardinate, incarnal, incarnation noun

A garbled form of 'incarnate' — a mistake in the early printed texts. The word should mean 'made flesh' or 'given human form,' but the printers got it wrong.

incarnadine verb

To stain or color something red. Shakespeare uses it to describe blood turning the ocean crimson.

Will all the water in the ocean turn red with blood?

incarnate adjective

Given human form or flesh. Shakespeare uses this almost always to describe a devil or evil spirit that has taken on a body—usually to emphasize how terrifyingly real the danger is.

The witch summoned an incarnate demon to walk among the villagers.

incense verb

To stir someone up to action or anger; to prompt or provoke. An old use, now replaced by 'incite' or 'instigate.'

The rebel incensed his followers to rise against the king.

incertain adjective

Unsure or confused about what to do or believe. In Shakespeare, often used to describe someone caught between choices or unable to trust their own judgment.

A soldier incertain whether to obey the king or his conscience stands paralyzed.

inch noun

A unit of length, about the width of a thumb. Shakespeare uses it both literally and figuratively—to mean the remotest edge of something, or a person's full height and build. The phrase 'by inches' means slowly, bit by bit.

He measured the distance by inches, creeping closer to avoid detection.

inchmeal adverb

Bit by bit, gradually, inch by inch. Something happening slowly, in small stages rather than all at once.

The old king's power crumbled inchmeal as his sons grew stronger.

incidency noun

An event or something that happens. Shakespeare uses it to mean an occurrence or incident, especially one that brings trouble or harm.

What harm might befall us—what incidency of danger.

incision noun

A cut made into the body to draw blood, usually as a medical treatment. In Shakespeare's time, bloodletting was a common remedy for fever and illness.

The doctor made an incision to release the fever from his veins.

incivil adjective

Rude or ill-mannered. Someone who is incivil shows disrespect through crude or insulting behavior.

An incivil reply to the king's greeting would be dangerous.

inclination noun

A person's natural tendency or way of being. What they're drawn toward by temperament, not by choice or reason.

His inclination was toward kindness, even when anger would have been easier.

incline verb

To lean toward someone's side or opinion. To favor or support.

She inclines to trust him, though she has doubts.

inclining verb

To lean toward someone's side or belief. To be drawn to follow or support a person or cause.

He was inclining toward the king's faction.

inclip verb

To wrap around or hold someone in your arms. A close embrace.

He inclips her tenderly, drawing her near in the darkness.

include verb

To bring something to an end or close it off. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean to settle or resolve itself into a final state.

inclusive adjective

Enclosing or containing everything within a boundary; comprehensive. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant something that wraps around or gathers in.

income noun

The arrival or coming of something or someone. In Shakespeare's time, this word could mean the simple fact of arriving, though it's now mainly used for money earned.

The income of winter brings cold nights and bare trees.

incomprehensible adjective

Limitless or boundless—something so vast it can't be measured or contained. In Shakespeare's time, the word could mean something too huge to grasp mentally.

The incomprehensible vastness of the sea frightened the sailors.

inconsiderate adjective

Not thinking about other people's feelings or needs. Someone who acts without regard for how their behaviour affects those around them.

His inconsiderate remark about her weight hurt her deeply.

incontinent adverb

Right away; immediately, without delay. Shakespeare uses it to mean something happens at once, in the very next moment.

The king ordered the gates shut, and incontinent they were barred.

inconvenience noun

Trouble or harm caused to someone. In Shakespeare's time, this word could mean real damage or injury, not just a minor annoyance.

He feared the inconvenience that war would bring to the kingdom.

inconvenient adjective

Not fitting or suitable for the situation. Out of place or improper.

His laughter at a funeral would be inconvenient to the solemn mood.

incony adjective

Rare and fine; delicate. A slang word that was fashionable around 1600, though its exact origin is lost to time.

incorporal adjective

Without a physical body or form. Something you can't touch because it doesn't exist as matter.

A ghost is incorporal—you see it but your hand passes right through.

incorporate adjective

Joined together into a single body or unit. When things are incorporate, they're so closely bound up that they act as one—inseparable, like limbs of the same person.

When two souls are incorporate, what happens to one touches the other.

incorpsed verb

To join or blend together into a single unit. In Shakespeare, often used of bodies or souls becoming one.

Two lovers incorpsed in an embrace, no longer separate.

incorrect adjective

Not disciplined or reformed. Someone who hasn't learned their lesson or been corrected.

An incorrect sinner who keeps making the same mistakes.

increase verb

To make something grow or flourish. In Shakespeare's time, the word often meant helping crops, children, or fortunes prosper.

The farmer hoped rain would increase his harvest.

increaseful adjective

Producing good results or abundant growth. Something that yields plenty or brings benefit.

An increaseful harvest means the farmer's fields are heavy with grain.

incredulous adjective

So strange or outrageous that it's hard to believe. Something that seems impossible or too wild to be true.

An incredulous tale of shipwreck, magic, and a girl raised on an island.

ind(e noun

India, or more broadly the lands of Asia and the East Indies. Shakespeare uses it for any exotic, distant eastern place—sometimes the real geography matters less than the sense of faraway wealth and strangeness.

The merchant ships return from Ind laden with spices and silk.

indeed adverb

In truth; really. Used to emphasize that something is genuine or to stress the reality of a fact, especially when it contradicts what was just said or believed.

She's a deserving woman indeed—truly worthy of respect.

indent verb

To move in a zigzag or jagged line, with sharp turns back and forth. The word comes from legal documents where duplicate copies were torn apart along a jagged edge.

The snake indented through the grass with sharp, winding movements.

indenture noun

A binding contract or agreement between two parties. In Shakespeare's time, these were often written in duplicate on a single sheet, then torn along an irregular line so each party held matching halves as proof.

The master and apprentice signed an indenture that bound him to seven years of service.

index noun

A table of contents or opening summary at the front of a book. Shakespeare uses it to mean a preface or prologue—the first small sign of what's coming in the fuller work.

A brief index hints at the grand story to follow.

india noun

A place Shakespeare used as shorthand for vast wealth and exotic treasure. When characters wanted to say something was impossibly rich, they'd compare it to India.

He spent money like the mines of India—endless and fabulous.

indies noun

The East Indies—the source of enormous wealth and valuable trade in Shakespeare's time. Used figuratively to mean any place or person that brings great riches or profit.

"You are my Indies"—meaning you are my fortune.

indifferency noun

The quality of being fair and unbiased; treating everyone the same way without favouring one side. It can also mean something of medium or middling size.

indifferent adjective

Neither especially good nor especially bad; middling or ordinary. Also means impartial or unbiased—showing no preference for one side over another.

An indifferent meal won't ruin your day, but it won't delight you either.

indifferently adverb

Without much care or interest; in a neutral or middling way. Can also mean 'fairly well' or 'passably.'

He played the part indifferently — not badly, but without any real passion.

indigest adjective

Formless and chaotic, not yet organized or properly shaped. Used to describe something that is a confused jumble.

The indigest heap of armor lay scattered across the battlefield.

indigested adjective

Unrefined or chaotic—like something raw and shapeless that hasn't been properly worked out or organized. In Shakespeare's time, also used to mean foul or disgusting.

indign adjective

Shameful or beneath someone's dignity. Something unworthy of a person of rank or honour.

To bow before a traitor would be indign to the king.

indignity noun

A behaviour or quality that is beneath someone's dignity or worth. Something shameful or degrading.

He felt it an indignity to serve a man he despised.

indirect adjective

Dishonest or unjust. Roundabout and devious rather than straightforward.

He took indirect means to win her favor instead of asking honestly.

indirection noun

A roundabout or crooked way of doing something. Often implies dishonest methods or sneaking around instead of going straight at what you mean.

He reached the truth through indirection, hinting and asking questions rather than naming his suspicion aloud.

indirectly adverb

In a way that's not straightforward or honest. By hint or implication rather than in plain words.

He accused her indirectly, never naming her directly but making his meaning clear.

indisposition noun

A lack of willingness or desire to do something. You're not physically ill—you just don't feel like it.

His indisposition to forgive made peace impossible between them.

indistinguish'd adjective

Not clearly set apart or recognizable as separate. Blurred together; impossible to tell apart.

In the fog, the soldiers became an indistinguish'd mass.

indistinguishable adjective

So formless or shapeless that you can't make out what something is. Used as an insult to suggest someone is deformed or misshapen.

indite verb

To write or compose. Shakespeare's characters sometimes use this word when they mean 'invite,' but the real meaning is to put words down on paper or parchment.

He indited a letter to his love.

individable adjective

Not able to be divided or split apart. In Shakespeare's time, it sometimes described a space or time that remained whole and unbroken—though the exact sense here is uncertain.

indrench'd adjective

Soaked through or deeply immersed in something. Used literally for water or blood, and figuratively for emotion or circumstance.

His clothes were indrench'd in sweat after the battle.

indubitate adjective

Beyond doubt. Certain and clear.

An indubitate fact needs no further proof.

inducement noun

Something that persuades or tempts you to do something. A reason or reward that makes you want to act.

The promise of gold was a strong inducement to join the voyage.

induction noun

The beginning or opening move of something. The first step you take when starting an action or plan.

The general's induction of the campaign began at dawn.

indue, endue verb

To give or furnish someone with a quality or ability. To put someone into a certain state or condition.

The spell endued her with the power to breathe underwater.

industrious adjective

Clever and resourceful. Someone who finds smart ways to get things done.

industriously adverb

With deliberate purpose and focus. Doing something with intention, not by accident.

industry noun

Brave or bold action; courage shown through what you do rather than what you say. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant the kind of daring energy a soldier or lover might show.

He won her heart through industry—bold gestures and fearless deeds.

inequality noun

Unfair treatment or lack of justice. When one person is denied what another gets simply by circumstance of birth or power.

The inequality between nobles and commoners was brutal and unyielding.

inexecrable adjective

So bad that cursing it isn't enough—it deserves every bit of hatred you can throw at it. (Some editors think this might be a misprint for "inexorable," meaning unstoppable.)

infallible adjective

Cannot be wrong or questioned. Something so sure that no one can doubt it or challenge it.

A claim so strong that it settles the matter beyond dispute.

infamonize verb

To damage someone's reputation or publicly shame them. Armado uses this as a made-up word that plays on 'infame' (infamous)—he's inventing a grander way to say 'defame.'

infant noun

A young plant or shoot in its early stage of growth. Shakespeare uses it figuratively to describe anything new and tender.

The vine's infant tendrils climbed the trellis.

infect verb

To fill someone with a feeling or emotion, as though it were catching. Shakespeare uses it for fear, love, delight—anything that spreads from one person to another.

A fear that infects even the wisest.

infected adjective

Touched or tainted by something—especially emotion or artifice. In Shakespeare's time, the word carried a sense of contamination, as if something had seeped in and changed you.

An infected manner—all put-on, not genuine.

infection noun

Shakespeare sometimes uses this word to mean affection or emotion — a mix-up that works perfectly in verse. It captures the idea of feeling that spreads from one person to another, like a contagion of the heart.

infectious adjective

Carrying or spreading disease. In Shakespeare's time, this was literal—the word meant you could catch what someone had by being near them.

An infectious plague swept through the city.

infer verb

To bring something about or cause it to happen. Also: to bring forward as proof or evidence in an argument.

He inferred arguments to support his claim of innocence.

inference noun

A claim or accusation made against someone. In Shakespeare's time, it meant a statement put forward as fact, often one that challenged or blamed.

She made a harsh inference about his loyalty.

infest verb

To bother or pester someone repeatedly. In Shakespeare's time, it meant to trouble or harry, not necessarily with insects.

Stop infesting me with your complaints.

infinite adjective

Boundless or endless. Something so vast or immeasurable that it goes beyond what you can see, count, or comprehend.

The night sky stretches infinite above us.

infirm adjective

Sick or ill. In Shakespeare's time, this was a common way to say someone had a disease or was unwell.

An infirm body couldn't withstand the journey.

infirmity noun

Sickness or disease. In Shakespeare's time, this word could mean anything from a mild complaint to something serious.

The old king's infirmity kept him from the battlefield.

inflammation noun

A state of being fired up or heated—either by alcohol or by passion. The kind of excitement that clouds your judgment.

A few drinks brought on such inflammation that he challenged his friend to a duel.

inflict verb

To cause suffering or hardship to someone. In Shakespeare's time, this verb could mean afflicting or tormenting—laying a burden or punishment on someone.

The wound inflicted by her harsh words cut deeper than any blade.

infliction noun

The act of imposing or delivering something painful or unwanted on someone. In Shakespeare, often used to describe punishment or harm being carried out.

The king's harsh decrees were dead to infliction—passed but never enforced.

influence noun

Power or effect that one person has over another, often imagined as something invisible flowing from them—like a force you can't quite name but definitely feel. Shakespeare's characters sometimes talk about this as if it were as real and physical as magnetism.

Her beauty had such influence over him that he couldn't think straight.

inform verb

To give shape or life to something; to fill or inspire. Also: to tell someone a fact or give them information.

The bloody business informs his eyes — it shapes what he sees.

informal adjective

Out of one's mind; confused or mad. The opposite of composed and rational.

infuse verb

To pour or spread into someone or something. To fill a person with a feeling or quality — to inspire or imbue them with it.

The general's courage infused his soldiers with hope.

infusion noun

The character or temperament someone is born with. The natural qualities that make up who you are.

His infusion of kindness showed in every decision he made.

ingaged adjective

Pledged or committed to something—bound by a promise or obligation. Shakespeare sometimes uses it to mean the opposite: free from such a bond.

A knight ingaged to fight for the king could not turn back.

ingener noun

A person who designs or builds structures, machines, or military equipment. Also used for someone clever at scheming or working out solutions.

ingenious adjective

Clever, inventive, and skilled—whether describing a person with sharp wit or a thing made with cunning craft. In Shakespeare's time, it often blurred with "ingenuous" (noble, frank), and context tells you which sense is meant.

A torturer ingenious finds new ways to cause pain.

ingeniously adverb

With honest, straightforward candor. Speaking or acting without pretense or hidden motives.

He ingeniously confessed his mistake to the court.

ingenuous adjective

Clever and inventive. Shakespeare's era sometimes confused this word with ingenious, but both meant quick-witted and resourceful.

An ingenuous mind can solve what seems impossible.

ingraft verb

To graft or attach something onto a plant or tree, joining one part to another so they grow as one. In Shakespeare, often used metaphorically for planting an idea or quality deep into someone's mind or character.

To ingraft virtue into a wild heart takes patience and care.

ingredience noun

The ingredients that make something up. All the parts that go into a mixture or combination.

The ingredience of a good life includes both work and rest.

ingredient noun

A component or element that makes something what it is. In Shakespeare's time, often used for the parts of a mixture or compound.

An excess of wine is cursed, and every ingredient in that cup becomes unblessed.

inhabit verb

To live in or occupy a place. Shakespeare sometimes uses it to mean to dwell or remain, often with a sense of staying put or taking residence.

inhabitable adjective

Not fit to live in. A place so barren or hostile that people can't make a home there.

The shipwrecked crew found themselves on an inhabitable island with no fresh water.

inhabited verb

Stayed or lived in a place, usually temporarily. In Shakespeare's time, it meant to take up residence somewhere.

The travelers inhabited the inn for three nights before moving on.

inhearse verb

To place a dead body in a coffin or tomb. The word treats the coffin as a container, the way you'd put something precious away.

The king's body was inhearsed with full ceremony before the tomb was sealed.

inherent adjective

Built into the very nature of something, inseparable from it. Not added on, but part of what the thing fundamentally is.

Courage is inherent in a soldier's duty.

inherit verb

To receive or come into possession of something—a title, property, or condition. In Shakespeare, often used for things beyond money or land: a grave, a quality, a burden.

A grave whose hollow womb is naught but bones.

inhibited adjective

Forbidden or prohibited, especially by church law or official rule. Something inhibited was barred by authority from being done or used.

The priest said those books were inhibited—the church had banned them.

inhibition noun

An official ban or order that stops you from doing something. A formal command that you must not act.

The king's inhibition prevented anyone from leaving the city.

inhoop'd adjective

Trapped or penned in a narrow space. The word comes from cockfighting, where birds were kept inside a hoop so they had to stay close and fight each other.

inhuman adjective

Cruel and brutal in a way that shows no compassion. Behavior or treatment so savage it seems to strip away all mercy and decency.

The tyrant's inhuman cruelty left even his soldiers shocked.

iniquity noun

A stock comic villain from old morality plays—a mischievous, wicked character who embodied sin or folly. Shakespeare's audience knew this type and expected laughs when one appeared.

When a character acts like the iniquity from those old plays, the crowd knows chaos is coming.

initiate adjective

New to something; just beginning to learn or practice. Someone who has been admitted into a group or skill but doesn't yet have much experience.

An initiate actor might forget his lines on opening night.

injoint verb

To join or unite things together. In Shakespeare's time, this word appears rarely and often in formal or ceremonial contexts.

injurious adjective

Hurtful and insulting, delivered with real malice. In Shakespeare, it often means not just damaging but contemptuous—done to wound someone's pride or dignity.

Calling someone a traitor to their face is injurious—it's a deliberate insult.

injury noun

A cruel insult or affront—something that wounds your pride or reputation. Shakespeare also uses it for physical wounds, though less often.

To call someone a coward in front of their peers is a deep injury to their honor.

inkle noun

A narrow strip of linen tape or woven material. Used for trim, strings, and binding in Shakespeare's time.

inland adjective

Cultured and civilized, shaped by living in the settled heart of the country rather than its wild edges. Someone inland bred knows manners and refinement.

I am inland bred, and know some nurture.

inly adverb

Deep inside; in your heart or soul. Something felt inly is felt at your core, not just on the surface.

The inly touch of love—a feeling that reaches into your deepest self.

inn noun

A residence or lodging house. In Shakespeare's time, it also meant one of the prestigious London colleges where law students trained — places like Gray's Inn or Lincoln's Inn, which still exist today.

innocent adjective

Foolish or simple-minded. In Shakespeare's time, 'innocent' could mean someone who was gullible or slow to understand — not wise or cunning.

A character called 'a dumb innocent' is being mocked as a fool.

innovation noun

A change that upsets the natural order of things, usually for the worse. In Shakespeare's time, innovation meant dangerous disruption—a threat to stability and tradition, not something to celebrate.

The king feared innovation would topple his throne.

inobled adjective

Wrapped or covered up, especially around the head and face. Often used to describe someone bundled in cloth or a cloak.

inoculate verb

To graft a plant or bud onto another plant so it grows there. Shakespeare uses it mostly in metaphorical ways—to implant an idea or quality in someone's mind.

You've inoculated doubt in his heart, and now he questions everything.

inquire verb

To ask about something or investigate it. Shakespeare's text sometimes shows this as three syllables: en-QUI-re.

I promised to inquire carefully into the matter.

insane adjective

Causing madness or mental breakdown. Something so extreme or unbearable that it drives a person mad.

an insane amount of grief

insanie noun

Madness or loss of reason. This word is extremely rare—Shakespeare uses it only once, and it appears in hardly any other writing from the period.

insconce verb

To settle or secure yourself firmly in a place, as if tucking into a fortress. Once there, you're hard to dislodge.

He insconces himself by the fire with a book and won't budge for hours.

inscroll verb

To write or record something on a scroll or document. In Shakespeare's time, this meant literally putting words down on parchment or paper.

The poet will inscroll your deeds so future generations remember them.

insculp verb

To carve or engrave something into a hard surface, usually stone or metal. The result is meant to last.

The king's name was insculped on the monument for all future generations to see.

insculpture noun

A carved inscription or engraved text on stone or another hard surface. Shakespeare uses this rare word to mean the actual carved lettering itself.

insense verb

To make someone understand or believe something. It's an old word, rare in Shakespeare's time, that survived mainly in dialect but has come back into general use.

insensible adjective

Too subtle or small to be seen, heard, or felt. Something that happens so gradually you can't detect it moment by moment.

The sun sets so insensibly that you never notice the exact second day turns to dusk.

inship'd verb

Got on board a ship; embarked. This is an archaic past-tense form you won't find in modern English.

insinew'd adjective

Bound or joined together with the strength of sinews—muscles and tendons. Used to describe something that's held together with muscular force and resilience.

insinuate verb

To work your way into someone's favor through subtle, sneaky charm—or to hint at something without saying it outright. Either way, you're slipping in sideways.

He insinuates himself into the king's trust with flattery and small favors.

insinuation noun

A sly or cunning way of working yourself into someone's trust or favor. It can also mean a subtle hint or suggestion slipped in without being obvious about it.

His insinuation that the servant had stolen won him the master's ear.

insisture noun

The quality of staying steady and persistent. A determination to keep going in the same direction without wavering.

The river's insisture carved the valley deeper with each passing year.

insolence noun

Arrogant, disrespectful behaviour. Someone acting like they're better than everyone else and don't have to follow normal rules.

His insolence toward the king cost him dearly.

insomuch conjunction

To the extent that; since or because. It introduces a reason or condition that supports what you just said.

I trust you, insomuch as you've kept my secrets all these years.

instalment noun

A position or office that someone formally takes up or occupies. In Shakespeare's time, this meant the actual ceremony or moment of being installed into a seat of power or authority.

After his instalment as king, he sat upon the throne.

instance noun

A sign, proof, or piece of evidence that points to something. It can also mean a reason or motive—something that prompts action or explains why things happen.

"The instances that second marriage move" — the reasons that push someone toward remarrying.

instancy noun

Urgency or pressing force. A demand that won't wait, or the quality of being immediate and intense.

The instancy of his plea moved the king to decide at once.

instant noun, adjective, adverb

As a noun: this very moment, right now. As an adjective or adverb: immediate, happening at once, without delay. Shakespeare uses it to mean 'this present' moment or to urge speed.

On the instant, the messenger arrived with news.

instate verb

To give someone power, authority, or an official position. To formally place someone in a role or rank.

The king will instate his son as prince.

insteep'd adjective

Soaked or stained with blood. A poetic way to describe something drenched in gore.

His sword was insteep'd in blood after the battle.

insti'nct noun

A natural urge or impulse that comes from within, often felt as something powerful and immediate. Shakespeare sometimes treats it as an almost divine force pushing you to act.

Love moved him by instinct, not by reason.

instigation noun

A push or prompt that drives someone to act. The thing that gets you moving.

At his friend's instigation, he joined the rebellion.

instinctively

This appears to be a printing error or variant in early texts. Check your edition's notes, or look up the word nearby in context—it may be 'distinctively' or another word entirely.

instruct verb

To tell someone something; to inform or explain. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean to teach or give orders.

He'll explain the situation to us.

instruction noun

Information or knowledge given to someone. What you're told or taught about something.

She asked for instruction on his plans.

instrument noun

A tool or means to accomplish something. Often used figuratively for a person who serves as an agent or tool in someone else's plan. Can also mean a document or written agreement.

instrumental adjective

Useful or helpful for achieving something. A person or thing that's instrumental gets the job done.

His friendship proved instrumental in getting her through the hardship.

insubstantial adjective

Not real or solid — imaginary, ghostly, or existing only in the mind. Something you can't actually touch or hold.

The fairies in the forest are insubstantial creatures, here one moment and vanished the next.

insufficience, -ency noun

Lack of ability or skill to do something. A person's failure or weakness in managing a task.

His insufficiency as a general lost him the battle.

insult verb

To triumph over someone with scorn or contempt. To crow proudly at another's expense or downfall.

The victorious general insulted over his defeated enemy.

insulter noun

Power that comes from winning or gaining the upper hand. Someone who insults has a kind of tyrannical control—they're riding high on their victory and throwing their weight around.

The conqueror's insulter made the defeated bow before him.

insultment noun

Scornful mockery or taunting, especially when someone is gloating over another's defeat or misfortune. It's the swagger of winning while rubbing someone's nose in it.

His insultment after beating his rival stung worse than the loss itself.

insuppressive adjective

Unable to be held back or kept down. A spirit or quality so strong it can't be crushed or silenced.

The insuppressive courage of the soldiers carried them through the battle.

intellect noun

The meaning or point of something. What something amounts to or is trying to say.

The intellect of his warning became clear only after the disaster struck.

intelligence noun

News or information shared between people, especially secret information obtained through spies or informants. In Shakespeare's time, a spy or messenger who carries intelligence.

The king trusted his spies to bring him intelligence about the enemy's movements.

intelligencer noun

A spy or someone who gathers and reports secret information. In Shakespeare's time, intelligencers were common in royal courts and among powerful nobles, passing along rumors, military plans, or political gossip.

The king's intelligencer brought word of the rebellion brewing in the north.

intelligencing noun

The act of gathering and passing along information or news. In Shakespeare's time, this meant sending spies or messengers to find out what enemies or rivals were doing.

The king sent men out on intelligencing to learn what the rival army planned.

intelligent adjective

Able to convey information or carry news. A messenger or system described as intelligent passes things along clearly and reliably.

Our messengers will be fast and keep us well informed.

intemperature noun

A lack of self-control or restraint. The word is rare in Shakespeare — most texts use the more familiar 'intemperance' instead.

intend verb

To aim at or plan to do something. You intend a journey when you've decided to make it. You also intend meaning when you express something by your words—what you mean to say.

Caesar intends his journey through Syria.

intendment noun

What someone means to do or achieve. Their purpose or plan.

The letter made his true intendment clear—he wanted the throne.

intenible adjective

Unable to be held or contained. Something so slippery, elusive, or vast that you can't grasp it or keep it.

Love is intenible—the harder you grip it, the more it slips away.

intent noun

What someone means to do or accomplish. A person's purpose, plan, or desire. Also can mean the deeper meaning or point of something someone says.

She spoke with good intent, though her words came out wrong.

intention noun

What someone plans or means to do. A fixed purpose or goal.

He swore his intention was to help, not to harm.

intentively adverb

With full attention and focus. Deliberately, with your mind fixed on something.

She watched him intentively, trying to read his expression.

inter'gatory noun

A formal question put to someone under oath—usually a witness or accused person. Often written down beforehand to be asked in court.

intercept verb

To stop someone or something before it reaches where it's going. To cut off or block the path.

The guards intercept the messenger before he can deliver the letter to the king.

interchained adjective

Linked or joined together in a chain or sequence. Things that are interchained depend on each other, one after the next.

The fates of the two lovers were interchained—neither could escape without the other.

interchange noun

A back-and-forth switching of things; the natural rise and fall of fortune and circumstance. Life moves through these changes.

The interchange of seasons mirrors the ups and downs of a human life.

interchangeably adverb

Back and forth between two people or parties, with each doing the same thing for the other. Often used in legal or formal agreements to show mutual obligation.

They promised interchangeably to support each other through hardship.

interdiction noun

A ban or order that keeps someone away from something. It's a formal exclusion — a rule that forbids.

interess'd verb

To have a stake or claim in something—to have the right to share in it or benefit from it. When you're interess'd in a matter, you have a personal interest in how it turns out.

He felt interess'd in the estate, believing he stood to inherit it.

interest noun

A legal or financial claim on something — either a stake in property or ownership, or money paid for borrowing. In Shakespeare, it often means profit or advantage, or sometimes influence gained through personal connection.

You shall have your desires with interest — meaning you'll get back more than you gave.

interim noun

The time between two events or moments. In Shakespeare's day, it often meant the interval or break in a performance.

In the interim, the queen waits for news from the battlefield.

interjoin verb

To join together with something else; to connect or link mutually. When two things interjoin, they become linked as one.

Their hands interjoined as they made their vows.

interlace verb

To weave things together. In Shakespeare, often used for how words, ideas, or physical threads twist around each other.

Her hair interlaced with ribbons caught the light.

interlude noun

A short, often funny play or performance—usually performed between the acts of a longer show. In Shakespeare's time, these were popular, lighthearted pieces that gave the audience a break from the main action.

The players performed a comic interlude to entertain the crowd while the stage was being prepared.

intermission noun

A pause or break in the middle of something. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean a delay or interruption that stops the flow of action.

interpret noun

A puppet or a puppet show. The word can also mean the movements and gestures of puppets themselves—the physical action that tells a story without words.

The traveling players brought their motion to the village square.

interrogatory noun

A formal question, usually one asked in court or an official inquiry. It's the kind of pointed, official asking that demands a straight answer.

The judge fired interrogatories at the witness until the truth came out.

intertissued adjective

Woven together; interlaced or mingled so the threads or strands are intertwined into one whole.

The lovers' hands were intertissued, each finger clasped in the other's.

intestate adjective

Dead without having written a will. Used figuratively to mean leaving nothing of value behind — just empty words where something real should be.

intil preposition

A dialect or regional form of 'into'. You'll see it in older texts or characters meant to speak in a particular regional way.

intitled verb

An older spelling of entitled. To give someone a right to something, or to give a book or play its name.

The play is intitled Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.

intituled verb

Given a name or title. Shakespeare uses it to mean something was called by a particular name.

A play intituled 'Hamlet' was performed at court.

intolerable adjective

Extreme or excessive—so much of something that it's almost unbearable. Shakespeare often uses it to mean 'remarkably' or 'outstandingly', usually in a critical way.

She's intolerably shrewish—her sharp tongue never rests.

intrenchant adjective

So hard or tough that it can't be cut through. Shakespeare uses it for things that are unbreakable by a blade.

An intrenchant shield would turn aside any sword.

intrince verb

To tangle or trap something so it becomes hard to untangle. A rare word, possibly short for a longer form.

intrinsicate adjective

Tangled or twisted together in a complicated way. Shakespeare uses it to describe something knotted and hard to untangle.

A rope wound into an intrinsicate knot.

intrude verb

To force your way in without permission or welcome. To push into a space or conversation where you don't belong.

The unwanted guests intruded on the family gathering.

inurn'd verb

Buried in a tomb or grave. An old or formal way of saying someone was put to rest.

invasive adjective

Belonging to or used by an invading army. You might hear it applied to weapons, soldiers, or tactics of an enemy force that has crossed into your territory.

invectively adverb

With harsh, angry words. Speaking to attack or condemn someone fiercely.

He invectively accused the court of corruption.

invention noun

A creation of the mind—something imagined, composed, or designed. Shakespeare often uses it for literary works, or for clever plans and schemes.

His play was the first heir of his invention—the work he was most proud of.

inventorially adverb

Item by item, with nothing left out. A careful, complete rundown of everything.

He went through his possessions inventorially, naming each one.

invest verb

To dress or clothe someone in something; to cover or surround. Often used of putting on armor, robes, or a particular appearance.

The king was invested in his ceremonial robes before the court gathered.

investment noun

Clothing or garments. In Shakespeare's time, what you wore mattered enormously—your outfit announced your rank and status to the world.

He shed his rough investment and appeared in silks fit for a king.

invincible adjective

In some texts, this appears to be a mistake for "invisible"—a word that can't be seen. Shakespeare's printers and scribes made these kinds of slip-ups.

invis'd adjective

Invisible or unable to be seen. Shakespeare uses it to describe something hidden from view, either literally or because it's hard to spot.

invisible adjective

Hidden from view or beyond normal perception. Something so subtle or secretive that it escapes notice.

An invisible hand guided the plot forward.

invitation noun

Something that tempts or draws you in. A lure.

The promise of gold was invitation enough for the ambitious knight.

inviting adjective

Attractive and tempting. Something that draws you in and makes you want it.

An inviting hearth on a cold night.

invitis nubibus

A Latin phrase meaning against the clouds or despite the weather. Shakespeare uses it to describe doing something stubbornly, come what may.

inward adjective

Close and trusted, like an intimate friend. Or something hidden inside—a secret feeling or thought known only to yourself.

An inward shame burned in her chest, though her face stayed calm.

inwardness noun

A bond of deep trust and intimacy between people. Shakespeare uses it to describe the kind of closeness you find in true friendship.

He spoke of their inwardness—a friendship no distance could shake.

ipse pronoun

Himself. Shakespeare uses this Latin word as a theatrical flourish, often to emphasize that someone is acting or speaking in their own person, not through a messenger or proxy.

ira furor brevis est

A Latin phrase meaning anger is a temporary loss of reason. Shakespeare uses it to suggest that rage, however fierce, will burn itself out.

ire, ireful noun

Anger or wrath. A hot, powerful feeling of rage.

The king's ire was terrible to witness when he learned of the betrayal.

ireland noun

The island nation west of England. In Shakespeare's time, it was a source of military concern and a place of colonial ambition for English rulers.

iris noun

In Greek mythology, Iris is the goddess who carries messages between the gods, and she appears as a rainbow. Shakespeare uses her name for the rainbow itself, or for anything that looks like one—especially the colorful arc around the eye.

That this distemper'd messenger of wet, the many-colour'd Iris, rounds thine eye.

iron noun

The metal used to make weapons and armor. By extension, it means weapons or a sword itself. It also symbolizes cruelty or hardness of heart—so an 'iron age' is a harsh, merciless time.

Swords clashed as soldiers drew their iron in battle.

iron-witted adjective

Cold and unfeeling. Someone who is iron-witted shows no mercy or compassion—they're as hard as metal.

An iron-witted judge who sentences the poor without hesitation.

irreconcil'd adjective

Not made right or forgiven. A sin or wrong that hasn't been atoned for or resolved.

The ghost's irreconcil'd murder haunts the castle until justice is done.

irrecoverable adjective

Lost forever. Once something is irrecoverable, you can't get it back or fix it—it's gone for good.

The king's reputation was irrecoverable after his betrayal.

irregular adjective

Without law or order; lawless. Someone or something that breaks the rules or refuses to follow proper authority.

An irregular soldier fights outside the army's command.

irreligious adjective

Following the wrong faith or a corrupted version of the right one. In Shakespeare's time, this usually meant straying from Christian doctrine.

An irreligious man might worship false idols instead of God.

is't verb (contraction)

Is it (contraction of 'is' + 'it', often used in questions or emphatic statements).

Isn't it enough, isn't it enough, young man, That I could never, no, never will, Deserve a kind look from Demetrius' eye, But you must mock my worthlessness?

ise noun

A command to a horse or dog to stop or stand still. You'd call it out sharp and loud, the way you'd say 'whoa' to a horse today.

issue noun

The result or outcome of something. In Shakespeare, it can mean what comes from an action or condition, or the point where a decision must be made. Sometimes it means a deed or act itself.

The battle's issue will decide the kingdom's fate.

issued verb

Born from; descended from. In Shakespeare's time, people cared a lot about your family line, so "issued from" meant you came from that bloodline.

A princess of no worse family than you'd expect.

issuing verb

Flowing or pouring out. Think of water or liquid streaming from an opening.

Three spouts issuing water from the fountain.

it pronoun

A catch-all object that Shakespeare tacks onto verbs to add energy or movement without much literal meaning. "Foot it" means to dance or move on foot; "queen it" means to act like a queen. Sometimes it stands in for "there" in older phrasing, and occasionally it does the work of the modern "its" (the possessive form).

"Foot it featly"—move lightly and dance with style.

iterance noun

The act of repeating something over and over. Shakespeare uses it to mean the same thing as iteration—saying or doing the same thing again and again.

its pronoun

The possessive form of "it." Shakespeare uses it less often than "his," but it works the same way—showing that something belongs to or is part of a thing rather than a person.

itself pronoun

Itself can be split and scattered across a line for rhythm or emphasis. Shakespeare sometimes places 'it' early and 'self' later, letting other words fall between them.

iwis adverb

Certainly; without doubt. An old word that fell out of use by Shakespeare's time, though he and his contemporaries still used it for archaic or humorous effect.

I shall return, iwis, before the sun sets.