Shakespeare words: Q

q, qu noun

An old spelling of 'cue'—the signal an actor waits for to speak or enter, or the stick used in billiards.

qu'ai-je oublié?

A French phrase meaning 'what have I forgotten?' Characters use it when they're suddenly worried they've left something behind or overlooked something important.

quail noun

A woman of loose morals, especially one who sells sexual favours. Shakespeare uses it as a sharp insult.

quaint adjective

Skillfully made or done with careful attention to detail. Can also mean elegant or pretty in appearance, though the exact sense often depends on context.

A quaint device—something cleverly constructed or dressed with special care.

quaintly adverb

In a clever or skillful way; with neat precision. Can also mean with delicate elegance or refinement.

She arranged the flowers quaintly, each stem in its perfect place.

quak'd verb

To shake or tremble from fear or shock. The word captures that sudden physical shudder when something frightens you badly.

The news quak'd her so much she could barely speak.

qualification noun

A condition or limit you place on something to soften its impact or make it more acceptable. If you say something harsh but add a qualification, you're trying to take the edge off.

He praised the play but added a qualification: the second act dragged.

qualified adjective

Fit for something; having the right qualities or skills. When Shakespeare says someone is 'qualified' for a role or task, he means they're suited to it.

A general qualified to lead an army knows strategy and commands respect.

qualify verb

To soften, weaken, or reduce the force of something—whether a feeling, a substance, or a claim. To make something less intense or less harmful.

He tried to qualify his father's anger with gentle words.

quality noun

A person's character, nature, or natural gifts. Also: skill or accomplishment, or someone's rank and position in society.

She has more talents and abilities than a water-spaniel has tricks.

qualtitie calmie custure me noun

A nonsense phrase or song fragment—often Irish-sounding—used for comic effect. In Shakespeare's time, it could mean a catchy tune or the meaningless chorus singers tagged onto songs for fun.

quantity noun

A share or portion of something. In Shakespeare, often used to mean a measurable amount or piece—sometimes literally, as in breaking something into smaller parts.

If I were sawed into quantities — cut into pieces.

quare adverb

Why. An older or dialect form you'll see mainly in stage directions and exclamations.

quarrel noun

A disagreement or grudge with someone. In Shakespeare, it can also mean a tendency to pick fights or take offense—the quality of being quarrelsome.

She has a quarrel with him after he broke his promise.

quarrellous adjective

Quick to pick a fight or take offense. Prone to arguing.

A quarrellous man turns every conversation into a dispute.

quarry noun

A pile of dead bodies — either animals killed in a hunt or men fallen in battle. It's the grim tally of slaughter.

After the battle, the field held a terrible quarry of the fallen.

quarter noun

A section of an army or military camp where soldiers lodge. Also used to mean the state of being on good terms with someone, or occupying a particular position or standing.

The soldiers held their quarter through the winter.

quartered verb

To lodge soldiers in a place, or to assign them to barracks. The word can also mean to cut up or divide into pieces.

The soldiers were quartered in the village for the winter.

quartering noun

The brutal act of cutting a body into pieces. In Shakespeare's time, this was a legal punishment for traitors — their bodies were dismembered as the ultimate dishonor.

quasi adverb

As if; seemingly, but not really. Shakespeare uses it to suggest something looks one way but isn't quite that thing.

A quasi-friend who smiles but plots against you.

quat noun

A pimple or pustule. Shakespeare uses it as an insult for an insignificant or contemptible young person — like calling someone a spot on the skin.

quatch noun

A thick, squat part of the body—especially the buttocks. The word suggests something lumpy and low-slung.

quean noun

A woman of loose morals, or simply a disreputable woman. In Shakespeare's time, this was a serious insult—it meant a woman who slept around or couldn't be trusted.

He calls her a quean because she's been seen leaving other men's chambers.

queasiness noun

A feeling of disgust or unease, often physical. You turn away from something that repels you—blood, a bad smell, or behavior you find morally wrong.

His queasiness at the sight of the wound made him look away.

queasy adjective

Feeling sick or uneasy. Can also mean uncertain or risky—something that makes you uncomfortable or wary.

A queasy conscience after a lie told in haste.

queen noun

a female monarch or the wife of a king; also used for a woman of high status or authority (such as a fairy queen).

And by the fire that burned the Queen of Carthage, When the false Trojan was seen sailing away,

quell verb

To kill or slay someone. Shakespeare uses it for violent death, often in battle or revenge.

The soldier fell, quelled by an enemy blade.

quench verb

To put out a fire or light. More often in Shakespeare: to kill off a feeling or hope inside someone, to make it stop burning.

His despair quenched the last spark of courage in her heart.

quern noun

A small stone mill you turn by hand to grind grain into flour. You pour the grain in the top and crank a handle to spin the upper stone against the lower one.

She worked the quern each morning to make flour for bread.

quest noun

An official inquiry or investigation, or the group of people appointed to carry it out. In Shakespeare's time, a coroner's quest was a formal hearing to determine the cause of a death.

The coroner's quest will examine how the body came to be in the river.

questant noun

Someone who's searching or questing for something. In Shakespeare's time, it often meant a knight or wanderer on a mission.

A questant in a fairy wood, seeking the magic that will save his love.

question noun

A matter under discussion or examination. Shakespeare often uses it to mean a conversation or debate between people. It can also describe something that's doubtful or in doubt — 'no question' means certainly, while 'in question' means under consideration.

The gentleman in question spoke very little during the conversation.

questionable adjective

Open to discussion or talk. The kind of thing that makes people want to ask questions or chat about it.

questrist noun

Someone on a quest or search for something. In Shakespeare, often a person seeking adventure, revenge, or a lost love.

A questrist riding through the forest, hunting for the stolen jewel.

qui'ntessence noun

The purest form or most perfect example of something. In Shakespeare's time, philosophers believed this was a fifth element (beyond earth, water, air, and fire) that made up the stars and hid inside all matter.

The quintessence of courage—the very heart of it.

quick adjective

Alive or living. Also used to mean pregnant, or (of water or air) moving, flowing, or sharp. Can mean hasty or impatient.

A quick spring runs through the forest; she is quick with child.

quicken verb

To bring something to life, or to make it move faster and more lively. In Shakespeare's time, it meant literally to animate—to give life to the dead, or figuratively to stir someone's spirits.

The music quickened her pulse and lifted her sadness.

quickly adverb

with speed; soon; rapidly

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

quid noun

A fair exchange or deal—something given in return for something else. You'll see it in the phrase 'quid pro quo,' meaning one thing for another.

quiddit, quiddity noun

A petty objection or clever dodge; a fine-splitting argument that misses the real point. The kind of thing someone says when they're trying to weasel out of something.

Stop your quiddits—just tell me yes or no.

quiet adjective

Calm and undisturbed. When someone is "out of quiet," they've lost their peace—they're restless or troubled.

His mind was far from quiet after the accusation.

quietus noun

A final settling of accounts—or, more grimly, death itself. When life is a debt, quietus is the payment that closes it forever.

To die, to sleep— / No more; and by a sleep to say we end / The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation / Devoutly to be wish'd.

quill noun

A hollow stem or shaft, especially the tubular part at the base of a feather. Shakespeare uses it to mean the quill itself as a writing instrument, or metaphorically to describe something slender and hollow.

The poet dipped his quill in ink and began to write.

quillet noun

A clever trick of language or reasoning—usually a sneaky one. The kind of small-print argument a lawyer uses to get out of trouble.

A clever lawyer loved his quillets, twisting every word to win the case.

quilt noun

A joking insult for someone who's overweight or bulky—like calling them a stuffed mattress. Shakespeare uses it to mock Falstaff's size.

You're nothing but a walking quilt in that puffy doublet.

quintain noun

A wooden post or target set up for jousting practice. Knights would ride at it with a lance to prove their skill. Shakespeare uses it as a figure of speech for any goal someone aims at.

quip noun

A quick, witty remark—usually with a bite to it. Often meant to wound or make someone look foolish.

She fired off a quip about his thinning hair.

quire noun

A group of singers or musicians performing together. In Shakespeare's time, a quire was often a church choir or a company of players who made music as a unit.

A quire of angels sang in harmony.

quirk noun

A sudden change of mood or behavior, or a witty twist in speech. Shakespeare uses it for emotional flickers—a flash of joy or sorrow—or for the clever verbal tricks someone pulls.

He's subject to sudden quirks of temper.

quis pronoun

Who. Shakespeare uses this Latin word in stage directions and character names, mostly as a placeholder or formal label rather than as dialogue.

quit verb

To set free, release, or let go of someone. Also means to rid yourself of something, or to repay and settle a debt or obligation.

Your master quits you—he releases you from service.

quittal noun

A payment back; a repayment or return of something owed. Often used for revenge or settling a score.

quittance noun

A release from debt or obligation. Also means a return blow or repayment—giving someone what they deserve, good or bad.

He sought quittance for the wrongs done to him.

quiver adjective

Quick and lively in movement. Ready to act without delay.

A quiver messenger on horseback brings urgent news to the castle.

quod me alit me extinguit noun phrase

A Latin motto meaning the same thing feeds and destroys me—what keeps me alive also kills me. It captures a paradox: the very thing you need can hurt you.

quoit verb

To throw something, especially with a flick or twist of the hand. In Shakespeare's time, quoits was a popular game where players threw metal rings at a stake.

He quoited the ring across the yard.

quondam adjective

Recently past; a few days ago. Shakespeare uses it to mean 'the other day' or 'not long since.'

I saw him that quondam afternoon—just days before he left for good.

quoniam conjunction

Because. A Latin word Shakespeare uses occasionally to sound learned or formal.

quote verb

To point out, mark, or notice something — often to call attention to it as evidence or proof. Can also mean to write something down or record it.

His face's own margin seemed to point out such astonishment.

quoth verb

Said — a way to introduce or mark someone's spoken words. Shakespeare uses it to weave dialogue into narration without modern quotation marks.

"I'll do it," quoth the king, and strode away.

quotha interjection

A sarcastic way to repeat back what someone just said, as if mocking their words. It means "oh, so he said that, did he?" and carries contempt.

"Quotha, the king is wise!" she sneered, clearly thinking the opposite.

quotidian adjective

Daily or everyday—something that happens or recurs every single day. In Shakespeare's time, doctors used it for fevers that spiked each day, but he often used it figuratively to mean something constant and wearing.

The quotidian ache of missing someone—it returns every morning.