Shakespeare words: #

'cause conjunction

Because. A contraction Shakespeare uses to save a syllable and keep the rhythm flowing.

'cern verb

A short, casual way of saying "concern" or "care about." Often used with a mild curse or exasperation—like saying "confound it."

'cide verb

To move to the side, or lean toward one side. Often used to show which faction or person you're backing.

He decided to 'cide with the rebels rather than stay loyal to the king.

ædile noun

A magistrate in ancient Rome responsible for public buildings, streets, markets, and keeping order in the city. Shakespeare uses the term when depicting Roman civic life.

The aedile inspected the forum and arrested the rowdy merchants.

'ild interjection

A mild oath or exclamation—a shortening of 'God yield' (may God reward/repay you). Used to express surprise, frustration, or mild anger without serious cursing.

œillade noun

A flirty or longing look—the kind someone gives when they're attracted to you. Shakespeare's texts show it spelled in various old ways, but it's French for that unmistakable glance.

'lack interjection

An exclamation of sorrow or regret. Shakespeare uses it to express disappointment or dismay.

Lack, what foolish haste brought me to this ruin.

[rebeck noun

A stringed instrument played with a bow, an ancestor of the modern violin. It was cheap and common enough that musicians often took their name from it.

Peter the rebeck player could draw a crowd with just a few coins in his pocket.

'sblood interjection

A swear word short for "God's blood." Actors and printers tended to soften it over time, replacing it with milder oaths to avoid offense.

A character might cry out 'Sblood! when shocked or angry, the way we might say a stronger curse today.

'sdeath interjection

A mild oath—a shortened form of "God's death." Characters swear by it when they want to express surprise, annoyance, or emphasis without invoking God's name directly.

'Sdeath, what a fool I've been!

'sfoot interjection

A mild oath or exclamation, short for "God's foot." A character swears by it when they're annoyed or want to add emphasis.

'slid interjection

A mild oath or exclamation. It's a contraction of "by God's lid"—a softened way to swear without saying the full blasphemy.

'Slid, what a fool I've been!

'slight interjection

A mild oath invoking God's light. Shakespeare's characters use it as a casual exclamation, like "good Lord" or "for heaven's sake."

"Slight, I forgot my sword at home."

'tis contraction

Short for "it is." You'll see this constantly in Shakespeare—it's just a way of squeezing two words into one syllable.

'Tis no use trusting that fool.

'twas contraction (verb)

It was (contraction of 'it' and 'was', often used for poetic meter or archaic formality).

It was foolish, but still lovely, To see him every hour; to sit and sketch His arched eyebrows, his sharp eyes, his curls, On my heart's table; a heart too capable Of holding every line and detail of his sweet face:

'twere contraction (verb phrase)

it would be (contraction of 'it were'). A shortened form of the conditional or subjunctive phrase expressing a hypothetical situation.

I agree with you, friends, if you scare the ladies so much they lose their minds, they'll have no choice but to hang us: but I'll make my voice so loud and fierce that I'll roar like a soft dove; I'll roar like a nightingale.