Shakespeare words: N

nag noun

A woman who behaves brazenly or sexually—an insult. Shakespeare uses it alongside words like hackney and jade, all meant as harsh put-downs.

naiads noun

Female spirits of rivers and streams in Greek mythology. Shakespeare and his contemporaries pictured them as beautiful, graceful beings living in and protecting water.

The naiads dance along the riverbank at dawn.

nail noun

The fingernail. To blow on your nails meant to warm your hands in cold weather, or figuratively to wait patiently for something.

A shepherd blowing his nails by the fire to pass the time.

naked adjective

Without clothes, armor, weapons, or covering. Also used to mean bare, plain, or lacking something essential—stripped down to what's necessary or nothing at all.

A soldier naked without his sword is defenseless; a room naked of furniture feels empty.

nakedness noun

The state of being bare or stripped of everything—both literally without clothes and figuratively without resources or protection. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant poverty or helplessness.

A soldier left with nakedness after losing his armor and his pay.

name noun

A word or title by which someone is known. Also: family, lineage, or reputation—what you're known for. When Shakespeare says someone acts 'in the name of' something, he means they do it as a representative of that thing, or claiming that authority.

He fought in the name of the king, claiming the crown's authority for his actions.

nameless adjective

So overwhelming or strange that you can't put it into words. Grief so deep it has no name, or a feeling too complicated to describe.

A nameless dread fell over her when the letter arrived.

napkin noun

A small cloth for wiping your hands or face. In Shakespeare's time, this was a fancy accessory that wealthy people carried and displayed.

He pulled out an embroidered napkin to dab his forehead.

naples noun

A syphilis reference, playing on the disease's association with Naples and Italian merchants. Shakespeare uses it as a coded insult.

narrow adjective

Small or limited in width or scope. When something is narrow, it doesn't have much room to spare.

A narrow escape means you barely made it through.

narrowly adverb

With close attention or careful study. You're watching or listening intently, not missing a thing.

He narrowly examined the letter for any hidden meaning.

native adjective

Belonging to you by birth or nature. Something native is yours by right—inborn, proper, connected to who you really are.

A courage native to her, not learned or borrowed.

natural noun

A person with an intellectual disability or mental simplicity. Shakespeare uses it as an insult, though the term itself is now considered offensive.

naturalize verb

To make something familiar or normal through habit or repeated exposure. To get used to something so it stops feeling strange.

The court musicians naturalized the foreign style until it became the fashion of the realm.

naturally adverb

In a way that looks real and true to life. Without artifice or pretense.

The actor spoke naturally, as if the words were his own thought.

nature noun

The core feelings and instincts you're born with — things like love, fear, or conscience. Shakespeare uses it to mean the natural human heart, as opposed to reason or learned behavior.

She felt no nature—no pang of conscience—at what she'd done.

naught adjective

Worthless or broken. Also: wicked or immoral. Shakespeare uses it to describe something that has failed, gone wrong, or lacks value.

My knife's naught — it won't hold an edge.

naughty adjective

Bad or unpleasant. Used for weather, but also for people — meaning wicked, worthless, or misbehaved.

A naughty storm kept the ship in harbor for days.

nave noun

The hub at the center of a wheel. Shakespeare sometimes uses it as a pun on 'knave' or plays on resemblance to the navel.

navel noun

The center or middle point of something. Shakespeare uses it as a poetic way to describe the heart or core of a place or idea.

navigation noun

Ships and sailing vessels. In Shakespeare's time, this word could refer to the fleet itself or to seafaring trade in general.

The king's navigation was the pride of the realm.

nay interjection

A word that corrects, strengthens, or pushes back gently on what was just said. It's softer than a flat 'no'—more like saying 'wait' or 'actually.'

A wolf—nay, worse, a creature in armor.

nayward adverb

Towards doubt or refusal. To go nayward is to lean towards saying no, or to disbelieve something.

When the messenger brought news, the king leaned to the nayward.

nayword noun

A saying or catchphrase that people repeat and remember—the kind of thing everyone knows and talks about. To make someone a nayword means to turn them into a joke or a warning that spreads by word of mouth.

If I trick him badly enough, he'll become a nayword around town.

nazarite noun

A person from Nazareth, the town where Jesus grew up. In Shakespeare's time, this was a familiar biblical reference.

ne'er adverb

never

May your love never change until your sweet life ends!

neaf noun

A fist. The word was spelled many different ways in early printings, which tells us how Shakespeare's actors probably said it aloud.

A clench of the neaf showed anger without words.

neapolitan noun

A sexually transmitted infection. The name comes from a historical association between Naples and this disease.

near adjective, adverb, preposition

Close in space, time, or feeling. Often means touching your heart or affecting you deeply — something that matters to you personally. Can also mean nearly or almost (as in 'go near to do something').

No grief did ever come so near thy heart — meaning no sorrow ever touched you so deeply.

near-legged adjective

A horse whose front legs are positioned close together. This was considered a flaw in a horse's build.

A near-legged mare might stumble more easily on rough ground.

neat noun

Cattle, especially cows or oxen. You'll see it in phrases like "neat's leather" (cowhide) or "neat's foot" (an ox's foot, used to make oil).

The butcher sold neat's leather to the shoemaker.

neat-herd noun

Someone who tends cattle. Neat is an old word for cattle, so a neat-herd was a cowherd—usually someone of low rank doing farm work.

A neat-herd would spend his days moving the herd to fresh pasture.

neb noun

A beak, or someone's mouth or nose. Often used as a mild insult—calling someone a neb was like calling them a beak-face.

Stop your neb from flapping, or I'll close it for you.

necessary adjective

Useful or essential to have around. In Shakespeare's time, a necessary person was someone who did practical work that society needed.

necessitied adjective

Forced into need or poverty. Driven by necessity to do something you wouldn't otherwise choose.

A necessitied man will do harsh things to feed his family.

neck noun

The neck as a place of vulnerability—especially in threats of hanging, beheading, or killing. Also used to blame someone for a crime or misfortune, as if laying the guilt on their shoulders. Can mean "immediately after" or "in close succession."

"Break thy neck" = a curse meaning "may you be destroyed."

need verb

Must happen; is necessary or required. Often used as a question to challenge whether something is really needed—"what need?" meaning "why is this necessary?"

What need these angry words when we could talk?

needful adjective

Required or necessary. In Shakespeare, often used to describe something that must happen or be done, especially in matters of war or survival.

A needful decision in wartime.

needle noun

A small, sharp tool for sewing. Shakespeare's text shows old spelling variants like "neeld" and "neele" that were common in his time.

needless adjective

Not in need of anything; already full or complete. Here, a stream that doesn't need more water because it already has plenty.

His tears fell into the needless stream—it was already overflowing.

needly adverb

By necessity; because there's no other choice. Something that has to happen.

needs adverb

necessarily; must; has to (used to express inevitability or obligation).

You can only play Pyramus; because Pyramus is a good-looking man, a handsome man, someone you'd see on a summer day; a truly charming, gentlemanly man: so you must play Pyramus.

needy adjective

Essential or required for survival. In Shakespeare's time, "needy bread" meant bread you actually need to live on—the bare minimum for staying alive.

Food was needy when the harvest failed.

neeze verb

To sneeze. A sudden, involuntary expulsion of air from the nose and mouth.

negative adjective

Boldly contradicting or refusing. Speaking or acting with disrespectful defiance.

He gave a negative answer, flatly refusing what the king demanded.

neglect verb

To leave something or someone unattended or uncared for. To fail to give proper attention or action to something that needs it.

He neglected his duties while chasing after the beautiful stranger.

neglectingly adverb

Without care or attention. Doing something in a careless way, as if you weren't paying attention.

He neglectingly left the door unlocked, and the thief walked right in.

neglection noun

The act of failing to care for or pay attention to something. Deliberate disregard or carelessness.

His neglection of his duties cost him the king's favor.

negligence noun

Deliberate disregard or disdain. Treating something with contempt by refusing to care about it.

I care so little for wealth and status that I'd throw away both worlds without a second thought.

negligent adjective

Careless or failing to pay proper attention. You neglect something important and put yourself or others at risk because of it.

We stand in danger because we've been careless and inattentive.

neighbour noun

Someone living near you, or more broadly, anyone close by or adjacent to something. Shakespeare often uses it to mean someone privy to or aware of what's happening nearby.

neighbour'd adjective

Bordered by; living next to or close beside. Also used to mean closely connected or bound to someone emotionally.

A heart neighbour'd by loyal friends.

neighbourhood noun

Friendship and goodwill between neighbors. The kind feeling people show each other when they live near one another.

neither conjunction, adverb

not one or the other; also not; nor

Not really: but if I had enough sense to get out of this forest, I'd have enough to take care of myself.

nemesis noun

In Greek mythology, the goddess who punishes excessive pride and wrongdoing. In Shakespeare, it means an avenging force—someone or something that brings a person down, especially when they deserve it.

Iago becomes Othello's nemesis, engineering his ruin with calculated lies.

nephew noun

In Shakespeare's time, this word was loose. It could mean a cousin, or a grandson—basically any male relative of the younger generation who wasn't a direct son.

A man might call his cousin's son his nephew, and nobody would bat an eye.

neptune noun

The Roman god of the sea. In Shakespeare, the name often stands in for the sea itself.

Neptune's yellow sands — a poet's way of saying the seashore.

nereides noun

In Greek mythology, beautiful female spirits who live in the sea. They're the daughters of the sea god Nereus and often appear in classical stories as graceful, magical beings tied to the ocean.

The nereides dance through the waves in ancient tales of the sea.

nerve noun

The physical sinews and tendons that give the body its strength. Shakespeare often uses it figuratively to mean the vital forces that hold something together—the backbone or core of a state, an institution, or a person.

nervy adjective

Strong and muscular. The word comes from the idea of nerves—the sinews and tendons that give a limb its power and grip.

A nervy arm capable of wielding a sword all day.

net adjective

Crafted with cunning or trickery. A net argument is one that catches you with clever wordplay rather than honest logic.

He made a net distinction—technically true but designed to mislead.

nether adjective

Lower; situated below. In Shakespeare, often used to mean the earthly realm below heaven, or the underworld.

The nether world—hell itself—awaits the wicked.

nether stock noun

A stocking worn on the lower leg. Shakespeare's characters often wear these as part of their everyday or formal dress.

neuter adjective

Neutral, taking no side. In Shakespeare's time, it could also mean indifferent or passive.

A lord who stays neuter in a war risks losing favour with the victor.

new adverb

Recently or freshly—just now, a moment ago. Also means afresh or anew, doing something over again from the start. Often attached to other words to show the recent action: newly built, newly created, freshly fallen.

The wound was bleeding new—it had only just happened.

news noun

information about recent events or current happenings; tidings or reports

Thank you, good Egeus: what's the matter with you?

next adjective

Nearest to you in space or time. It can mean the closest person or thing beside you, or what comes immediately after.

nice adjective

In Shakespeare's time, *nice* meant finicky or fussy—easily bothered by small things, reluctant to act, or overly particular about details. It could also mean delicate, shy, or trivial. The modern sense of 'pleasant' or 'agreeable' came later.

A character who is 'nice' about something refuses it out of squeamishness or overthinking, not because it sounds enjoyable.

nice-preserved adjective

Carefully kept or protected, often with a hint of shyness or reluctance to show or share. Someone or something kept at a distance, guarded with deliberate reserve.

A nice-preserved reputation—kept spotless by avoiding scandal and loose company.

nicely adverb

With delicate precision or careful attention to detail. Can also mean in a trivial or overly fussy way, or with exact accuracy.

He parsed the contract nicely, catching every loophole.

niceness noun

Shyness or reluctance to act. A kind of coy hesitation, often mixed with caution or wariness.

She showed niceness when asked to speak, hanging back from the group.

nicety noun

A show of reluctance or shyness, especially about something you actually want. A polite way of holding back.

She put on a nicety about accepting his gift, but took it gladly enough.

nicholas noun

Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of scholars. The phrase "Saint Nicholas's clerks" was slang for highwaymen and robbers—a joking way to describe criminals who "stole" from travelers.

nick noun

The exact right moment. Shakespeare uses it in the phrase "in the nick," meaning at precisely the moment when something matters most—like hitting your mark.

He arrived in the nick of time to stop the fight.

nickname verb

To call someone by the wrong name, usually by accident. It can also mean to mention or refer to something mistakenly.

He nicknamed her Mary when her real name was Margaret.

niece noun

A granddaughter. In Shakespeare's time, the word could mean either a daughter's daughter or—more loosely—any young female relative.

niggard verb

To hold back or give grudgingly. When someone niggards, they offer only a tiny amount when they could give more.

He niggards his praise, handing out compliments as if they cost him money.

niggarding adjective

Unwilling to spend money or give generously; stingy. Someone niggarding holds back what they could easily share.

He gave a niggarding donation to the poor box, though he was wealthy.

niggardly adverb

In a stingy or grudging way. Someone who acts niggardly gives or does things unwillingly and in the smallest amount possible.

He niggardly doled out the coins, handing over just one when asked for five.

night noun

The dark hours between sunset and sunrise. Also used as a farewell—'good night' means goodbye, with wishes for rest.

He rode through the night to reach the castle by dawn.

night-bird noun

A nightingale—a bird famous for its beautiful song, especially at night. Shakespeare often used it as a symbol of love and longing.

The night-bird sang so sweetly that lovers stopped to listen.

night-cap noun

A joking way to refer to a wife. The image is of a nightcap—something you put on at the end of the day—standing in for the woman you go home to.

night-crow noun

An owl, or any bird that cries at night. Shakespeare uses it as a dark, unsettling image—the kind of creature you hear in the dark and never want to see.

The night-crow's call echoed through the castle grounds, making everyone uneasy.

night-gown noun

A loose robe you'd wear in your bedchamber—like a dressing gown. Not formal wear; something for comfort and privacy.

She threw on her night-gown before answering the door.

night-rule noun

Entertainment or mischief that happens after dark. The kind of fun or trouble you get into when night gives you cover.

The young men planned their night-rule—pranks and revels in the streets when no one was watching.

nighted adjective

Dark or black as night. Used to describe something shadowed or gloomy, or to suggest death or darkness.

His nighted life—a life as dark and brief as night itself.

nightly adjective or adverb

Of or belonging to the night. As an adjective, it describes something that happens at night or is used in darkness. As an adverb, it means 'every night' or 'at night'.

The nightly watch kept guard while the city slept.

nill verb

Will not. You'll mostly see it in the old phrase "will he, nill he" (whether he wants to or not). By Shakespeare's time it was already archaic.

"I nill relate"—I won't tell the story.

nimble-pinioned adjective

Quick and agile on the wing. Used to describe birds—or anything swift and lively in flight.

A nimble-pinioned hawk cuts across the sky faster than thought.

nimbly adverb

Quick and lively. Moving or acting with speed and ease.

She nimbly dodged through the crowd.

ninefold adjective

A group of nine, often nine supernatural or divine beings. Shakespeare uses it to describe a small assembled company.

niobe noun

In Greek myth, a woman turned to stone while grieving her dead children. Shakespeare uses her as a symbol of overwhelming sorrow—someone so devastated they seem frozen by grief.

nip verb

To catch someone's attention sharply, to stop them in their tracks. The word carries a sense of sudden arrest—something so striking it demands notice.

Most heavenly music: it nips me into listening.

nit noun

A contemptuous insult for a worthless or contemptible person. A nit is the egg of a louse, so calling someone a nit is calling them vermin.

You're nothing but a nit—worthless and irritating.

no-verb noun

A word that doesn't actually exist — Shakespeare sometimes invents one anyway. He'll coin a verb or noun on the spot when it suits the moment, even if no one else uses it.

Shakespeare famously turned 'gossip' into a verb; before him, it was just a noun for a person.

noblesse noun

Noble rank or the quality of being noble. The dignity and honour that comes with high birth.

nobody pronoun

Not a single person. In Shakespeare's time, this word was sometimes written as two words or hyphenated, and actors often stressed different syllables depending on the meter.

nod verb

To beckon someone with a quick movement of your head. In Shakespeare, a nod can be a silent command or sign of agreement.

He gave a nod to his servant, who left the room at once.

noddy noun

A foolish or simple-minded person. Someone easily tricked or who lacks good sense.

He's no noddy — he saw through that scheme at once.

noise noun

A rumor or piece of gossip spreading around. Also: music, or a group of musicians performing together.

The noise of the scandal reached even the court.

nole, nowl noun

The head. A slang or colloquial term for the part of the body that holds your brain and face.

He got hit right on the nole and saw stars.

nominate verb

To name someone for a role or task; to appoint or specify someone to do something. In Shakespeare's time, this was common phrasing for selecting or calling out a person by name.

The king nominates his trusted advisor to lead the expedition.

nomination noun

The act of naming someone for a position or role, or putting someone forward for consideration. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant formally designating a person for office or duty.

His nomination as general pleased the soldiers.

nominativo adjective

In the grammatical form that names a thing or person, usually the subject of a sentence. In Latin and Greek, the nominative case marks who or what is doing the action.

non-regardance noun

The act of ignoring or paying no attention to something. Deliberate disregard.

His non-regardance of the king's command cost him dearly.

nonage noun

The period of your life before you reach legal adulthood. You're under someone else's authority—a parent, guardian, or the law.

A young heir still in his nonage cannot inherit property or make his own decisions.

nonce noun

The present occasion or immediate purpose. You'll see it mostly in the phrase "for the nonce," meaning "for now" or "for this particular moment." Shakespeare sometimes uses it as a throwaway tag, the way poets do when they need to fill out a line.

I'll prepare a cup for the nonce—just for this moment, just for you.

noncome noun

A made-up word, probably meaning someone who's confused or at a loss—though the character using it may have mangled it from Latin. Dogberry's kind of mistake.

none adjective

Not any. When Shakespeare says something is made of none, he means it has no part of the thing he's talking about—it's entirely separate or foreign.

nonny-nonny interjection

A nonsense sound or silly refrain used to fill out a song or dodge a serious question. You'd hear it in drinking songs and comic verse—a way to be playful or evasive.

"Nonny-nonny, that's all you're getting out of me!"

nonpareil noun

Someone or something without equal. The best of its kind, with no rival.

She is a nonpareil among actors—no one else can match her gift.

nonsuit verb

To dismiss or reject someone's legal claim or petition. In Shakespeare's time, a court could nonsuit a plaintiff if their case was weak or they failed to appear.

The judge decided to nonsuit the merchant's complaint for lack of evidence.

nook-shotten adjective

Warped or twisted so that it sticks out into corners. Used of wood or fabric that has shrunk unevenly, or anything that's become bent and awkward.

north noun

The north wind—a cold wind from the north. In Shakespeare's time, it carried associations with harshness and bleakness, the opposite of warm southern breezes.

northern star noun

The bright star that marks the north point in the sky. Sailors and travelers used it to navigate because it stays fixed while others move.

Hold fast to your principles like the northern star holds steady in the sky.

nose noun

Right in front of you, in plain sight. To grab someone by the nose meant to humiliate them. Syphilis could disfigure the nose, so "speak in the nose" meant you had the disease.

"I'll pluck you by the nose" — a threat to shame and degrade.

nose-herb noun

A plant grown for its fragrance—something you'd sniff for pleasure. In Shakespeare's time, people kept these in gardens and homes to make the air smell good.

She tucked a nose-herb into her bodice to freshen herself.

nose-painting noun

A flushed or reddened nose, usually from drinking. Shakespeare's audiences would recognize it as a mark of heavy drinking.

A drunkard's nose-painting was as honest as his promises.

not adverb

In Shakespeare's time, 'not' sometimes appears in positions that sound archaic to modern ears. It can emphasize a negative ('I doubt not' means 'I do not doubt'), or combine with other words to mean 'not even' or 'not only.'

not-answering noun

A refusal to speak or respond. It's a deliberate silence—a way of deflecting a question or avoiding commitment by simply not saying anything back.

His not-answering made it clear he wouldn't explain his sudden departure.

not-appearance noun

Failure to show up in court when legally required. A serious breach that could result in judgment against you.

His not-appearance at trial meant the judge ruled in favor of his accuser.

not-pated adjective

Having short, closely cropped hair. The word describes someone with a head of tight knots or bumps of hair—the opposite of long locks.

A not-pated soldier fresh from the barber, ready for duty.

notary noun

A clerk or secretary—someone who keeps records. Shakespeare uses it figuratively to mean something that records or bears witness to something shameful.

note noun

A sign or mark of something—often a flaw or shame. Also a musical tune, or a record or account of something.

She bore the note of her betrayal wherever she went.

notedly adverb

In a way that stands out; especially. Used to call attention to something remarkable or worth remarking on.

He was notedly skilled at sword work—everyone said so.

nothing noun

Emptiness or the state of not existing. Often used to express wonder or dismissal at something's lack of substance or value.

He spent hours admiring the nothing of her promise—all words, no meaning.

nothing-gift noun

A gift that has little or no value. It's the kind of present that insults rather than delights.

He gave her a nothing-gift—a worn handkerchief—when she'd hoped for genuine affection.

notice noun

Information or news about something. In Shakespeare's time, to give someone notice meant to inform them or let them know.

I'll give her father notice of our plan.

notify verb

To tell someone something; to inform or make known. In Shakespeare's time, it can also mean to notice or perceive.

notion noun

Your mind or understanding. An idea or thought that you have.

He had a notion that something was wrong.

nouns interjection

A mangled oath—a way of swearing by God's wounds while pretending to say something else. Actors and characters used it to invoke divine punishment without technically breaking the taboo against blasphemy.

nourish verb

To support, maintain, or keep something going. In Shakespeare, often means to sustain a group of people or an army in a place.

He nourished a force of soldiers in Ireland while away.

nousle verb

To push or rub with your nose, the way an animal does. Also means to nuzzle or snuggle close to someone.

novi hominem tanquam te

A Latin phrase meaning I know this person as well as I know you. Shakespeare uses it to claim intimate familiarity with someone.

novum noun

A dice game where players aim for rolls of nine or five. It was popular in Shakespeare's time and played with five or six people.

now-born adjective

Just brought into being; created or produced at this very moment. Shakespeare uses it to describe something that exists only now, fresh and immediate.

nowl noun

The back of the head or skull. Sometimes used to mean the head itself.

noyance noun

Harm or damage. Something that causes injury or trouble.

The knight shields his king from every noyance in battle.

numb adjective

So cold it makes you unable to feel. Shakespeare uses it for the physical shock of extreme cold or fear.

A numb wind cuts across the winter field.

number noun

The common people; the crowd or masses. Shakespeare often uses it to mean ordinary folk, the ones without power or title.

The honored number — meaning us regular people — deserve a say too.

number'd adjective

Countless or too many to count. Often used of things scattered or spread everywhere—like grains of sand or pebbles.

The beach was number'd with shells.

nuncio noun

A messenger or envoy, often one sent on an official errand. In Shakespeare's time, it usually meant a papal ambassador.

The nuncio arrived bearing letters from the Pope.

nuncle noun

A casual or affectionate way to say 'uncle'—the word came from running 'mine uncle' together. The fool in Shakespeare's plays often addresses his superiors this way.

The fool greets the king: 'Nuncle, your crown sits crooked.'

nurse verb

To care for something and help it grow or flourish. Shakespeare uses it metaphorically—time nurtures memory, baseness corrupts virtue, truth sustains itself.

Truth shall nurse her own strength, even without our help.

nurser noun

Someone or something that fosters or raises up—like a nurse tending the sick, but here applied to whatever creates or nourishes growth. In Shakespeare's time, a nurser could be a person, a place, or even an idea that cultivates something valuable.

A nurser of ambition in the court.

nursery noun

A place of care and training—where something or someone develops and grows. Shakespeare often uses it like a garden where plants are tended: a space where young people learn, or where ideas take root.

The court became a nursery of ambition.

nurture noun

Education and training. The care and teaching that shapes how someone grows up.

She was raised with good nurture, so she knows how to behave in court.

nut noun

Something worthless or trivial. A small thing of no real importance.

Not worth a nut to me—I'd give it away for nothing.

nuthook noun

A police officer or constable—a low-ranking official who arrested people and kept the peace. The term was slang, often used mockingly.

A drunk man shouting insults at a nuthook dragging him toward the stocks.

nuzzle verb

To push or rub with the nose, the way an animal nudges something. In older texts, it can also mean to train or bring up a child.

The horse nuzzled against his shoulder.

nymph noun

A young, beautiful woman. In Shakespeare's time, the word often carried a sense of charm or enchantment—she was the kind of woman a man might compare to a goddess.

The nymph in the forest seemed almost too lovely to be real.