Glossary (words starting with A)
a
as a
A
prefix which turns a proper name into a battlecry (OED int., 2)
a botts
another variant of 'A pox'
a foot
on foot
A hall
Make room! Clear the way! (OED n1. 12)
a la mode
according to the fashion (OED phr. 1a)
a pick-pack
piggyback; riding on the back and shoulders of another person
a pox!
an oath of dismay, here an abbreviation of 'a pox on her!'
a rubbers at bowls
a set of games of lawn-bowling, in which the players compete for the best two out of three, or some other predetermined numbers
a'
have
a'
in
a-going
going
a-good
in good earnest; heartily (OED adv.)
A-hey! A-hey!
Hey-ho! Hey-ho!
a-tilt
'an encounter on horseback with the thrust of a lance. Now usually fig. of controversial encounters' (OED 2); i.e. with directive purpose. Secondary sexual sense where tilting is a metaphor for copulation.
abashed
disconcerted, subdued
abated
brought down in value; haggled over as to the price
abide
remain, stay
abiding
dwelling-place, home
ability
financial power, estate, means (OED 4)
abject
degraded; despicable, contemptible
abjure
renounce, repudiate (OED v. 2)
abjured
foresworn, renounced, repudiated
abjuring
renouncing or repudiating
able
strong
abominably
greatly, terribly (OED adv. 2)
abomination
a terrible thing to have happened
abomination
outrage, hateful acts
abound
pour forth (OED v1. 6)
about
bestir (yourselves); get a move on
about
in attendance on, in the company of
above
more than
above
in heaven
above
surpassing, beyond
above
superior; higher in rank or position
above half your length
more than half the extent of space within which it is possible to reach or act upon something (playing here on the name Tallboy, suggesting the extent by which he has missed Clack's meaning)
above-board
openly, freely, transparently, without deception (the term is here used figuratively, drawing on a term from gaming, where it refers to a denial that trickery or legerdemain is being used during card-play).
abroad
out and about
abroad
away from home (OED n. 3a)
absent
(v) to remove, withdraw (oneself)
absolute
model, ideal
absolute
unconditional
absolute
perfect, unlimited
absolute
perfect, consummate; all-powerful
absolute
free from imperfection or deficiency; perfect, consummate (OED aII, 8a)
abuse
transgress; scorn
abuse
deception, misuse
abuse
misuses of words (OED abuse n, 2b); deceits, impostures (OED abuse n, 4)
abuse
wrongful treatment
abuse
(a) scratch (one method of preventing a suspected witch from doing harm was to draw the witch’s blood); (b) attack verbally (OED 7)
abuse
(v) cheat, deceive (OED v. 4); injure, mistreat (OED v. 5); violate (OED v. 6); malign, revile (OED v. 7)
abused
deceived, misguided (with the implication that the King has been deliberately misled and that his ‘will’ has thus been misused or violated)
abused
misused, ill-treated
abused
wronged, violated (OED adj. 2); deceived
abused
misused, ill-treated, violated (Dryground strongly hints that he took advantage of the marriage agreement to have sex with Eleanor, and Oliver picks him up on this in his reply)
abused
maligned, reviled (OED abuse v, 7)
abused
deceived, misguided
abuser
one who perverts truth or abuses confidence; one who by so doing insults the honour of another; a deceiver or impostor
abusing
insulting, playing games with
acceptation
acceptance
accidence
grammar dealing with the inflection of verbs
accidences
inflections of (Latin) grammar, e.g. the forms or ‘moods’ that verbs can take to indicate particular modes of expression (commands, wishes, questions, conditionality, etc.)
accident
occurrence, incident, event (OED n. 1a)
accident
symptom (OED n. 3)
accidental
occurring by chance
accidents
things that happened by chance
accommodate
mend, repair (OED v. 8)
accommodations
items that supply a want; necessaries for adapting to or suiting a purpose (OED 6a and 1a)
accorded
reconciled; harmonized; agreed to
accorded
in agreement, united
accost
approach, address, greet
account
reckon (in business terms); consider
accoutred
dressed, equipped
accursed
cursed, doomed to misery or perdition (OED ppl. a, 1); hateful, damned (OED ppl. a, 2)
accusative
accusatory, or containing an accusation or charge
achieve
gain
acknowledgingly
expressing gratitude
acquaintance
friend, sexual partner
acquainted
familiar; personally known to one another
acquittance
written evidence of a discharge; a receipt in full, which bars a further demand (OED 3)
act
deed, action (with sexual innuendo)
act
piece of conduct, act (OED n1. 14)
act
sexual act
action
campaign, military action
action
fight (OED n. 11a), attack
action
deed
action
histrionic personation; acting of plays, performance, a play (OED 12)
activity
liveliness, energy
Actus Primus
Latin: Act One.
adamantine
with the qualities of adamant, i.e. incapable of being broken or penetrated
additaments
additions
addition
something added to a person’s name to show their rank; style of address (OED n. 4)
addition
augmentation; something added to a coat of arms as a mark of honour (OED n. 5)
addle-brained
muddle-headed; foolish
adieu
goodbye
adjudge
to award by judicial sentence
adjudged
decided, decreed (by judicial sentence)
adjunct
attachment
adjured
charged me under oath
admiration
awe
admire
see
admittance
permission to enter, admission
admonition
warning, 'authoritative counsel' (OED)
ado
fuss, business
adulterate
impure
adulterate
adulterous (OED ppl. a, 1); coming from a base origin: impure, corrupted, degraded (see OED ppl. a, 2)
advance
increase
advanced
promoted, preferred, favoured
advancement
raising to a higher rank (that is, in making her his wife, Letoy would elevate Diana to the aristocracy and a title as Lady)
advancement
promotion, preferment
advantage
‘To seize an accidental or unintended opportunity of profiting’ (OED 5b)
advantage
place of vantage, especially on rising ground (OED 3); time of vantage, favourable occasion (OED 4)
advantage
interest
adventure
share in a financial venture
adventurers
gamesters (OED adventurer 1); volunteers or soldiers of fortune (OED adventurer 3); people who undertake or share in commercial ventures (OED adventurer 4); people who live by their wits (OED adventurer 5: OED’s earliest citation dates from 1663, but something of this sense may be intended here)
adverse
opposite in position
advertise
warn
advertised
informed, made known
advertisements
official notification
advertisements
being informed, having one's attention called to something
advertisements
information, news
advise
ponder, deliberate, consider, take thought (OED v. 6)
advised
warned
advocate
one who speaks on behalf of another
advocate
lawyer
advocates
pleaders, defenders
aerial
of the air, airborne
afeard
afraid, frightened
affairs
business
affect
loves (not); has (no) feelings for
affect
likes, prefers
affect
love, like (OED v1. 2); also means ‘to show ostentatiously a liking for' (OED v1. 5)
affected
loved, preferred
affected
full of affection
affected
had affection for
affected
pleased, full of affection
affected
artificial, stilted, ‘got up’, pretended
affections
powerful controlling emotions that overwhelm reason
affections
disposition, state of mind (OED affection n1, 5)
affections
mental state; emotion, feeling (OED n1. 1a)
affections
mental states, emotions; inclinations
affiance
solemn engagement; esp. the plighting of troth between two persons in marriage, a marriage contract (OED 3)
affied
affianced, betrothed
affirm
confirm, maintain
affirmed
maintained, confirmed
affirms
maintains, claims
afflict
trouble
afflicted
troubled (OED ppl. a, 1); affected by disease of body or mind, suffering (OED ppl. a, 2; the first citation is dated 1680-90, but the context here suggests that this meaning is possible); downcast (OED ppl. a, 3)
affliction
distress, misery
afford
grant, have the means to offer
afford
manage, accomplish (OED v. 2)
afford
supply or furnish from its own resources; give what is asked for
afforded
granted, given
affrighted
terrified
affrightment
state or fact of being frightened or alarmed (OED 2)
affront
offence to one's dignity or modesty; a felt indignity; hostile attack; defiance
affront
insult, indignity
affronted
confronted, faced
afoot-back
a combinative term based on a-horse-back (OED afoot adv. 4, citing
Greene's Groats worth of Wit of 1592, Diijb,: 'When I was fayne to carry my playing fardle afoot-backe')
afore
in advance (dialect)
afore
in front of
afore
before
aforehand
in advance
after
behind (i.e. behind your back); after you have left our company
after
at a later time (OED adv. 2)
after
follow, pursue
after
'at (the rate of)' OED, which dates this usage from 1530
after-life
subsequent life, life after this episode, not a reference to life after death
after-reckoning
subsequent or final account; the final bill
against
in anticipation of, in preparation for, in time for (OED 19)
against
without
against
contrary to, without
against after supper
as soon as supper is over, or shortly after supper
age
maturity
age
generation, era
age
current period, or era, particularly referring to the morality assumed to control or approve of behaviour in a given time.
agency
actions, activity
agent
one who exerts power to produce a particular effect
agitation
motion, discussion
agnus dei
literally, lamb of God: a figure of a lamb bearing a cross or flag, sometimes a badge to be sewn on one's clothes, and sometimes encased in crystal and worn as a pendant, testifying to faith in Christ
agone
begone (dialect); go away
agree
assent (OED v. 8)
ague
acute fever
ail
troubles, afflicts, disturbs
ail
are troubled, are afflicted with
ail something
am somewhat unwell
aim
ambition, objective
air
apparent character or manner (OED n1. 13)
airs
harmonised melodies or part-songs (OED n1. 21)
airy
ethereal, incorporeal, insubstantial
Alamodes
fashionable young men, from the French 'a la mode'
alarum
signal calling upon men to fight or assault: it can be understood both as a call to arms, inciting violence, or a warning that accompanies the danger of approaching or current violence (OED esp 6 and 11)
alder
elder, but also in this instance with a punning reference to aldermen (OED alder n2, 1)
alder
elder, but also in this instance with a punning reference to alder(men)
alderman
high-ranking officer of a guild or ward
aldermanical
like an alderman (OED lists only this example, and I have not found any others)
aldermanikin
miniature alderman
ale
alehouse
Alemannic
Traditionally the term was applied to German speaking peoples from Alsace, Swabia and Switzerland. There is a problem here in that elsewhere Swatzenburgh is referred to as coming from the Netherlands. Perhaps Brome is aiming to sound exotic and is creating an adjectival noun from the French word for Germany ("Allemagne"); or maybe he just means to infer that Swatzenburgh is German-speaking.
all
everything
all and some
the sum total (OED all, 12b)
all one
both the same thing
allay
calm, repress, quell
allay
calms, represses
allay
calm down
allayed
alleviated; appeased
allayed
tempered, modified (with the intimation of sexually experienced)
allays
calms, assuages
alliance
union through marriage, kinship (OED n. 1)
allotted
apportioned, granted
allotted
assigned
allow
assign (OED v. 11), ascribe
allowable subjects
worthy of sanction, approval, or acceptance (without rising to praise); satisfactory, acceptable (OED a and n, 2)
allowably
excusably, legitimately
allowance
permission
allowance
approbation, approval
allowed
with approval (OED ppl. a, 1); speak with permission (from authority) (OED ppl. a, 2)
allowed
praised, approved, accepted as satisfactory
allowed
permitted
allure
draw forth, attract (OED v. 4)
allured
tempted, enticed
Almain
German
almanac
book of tables, containing a calendar of months and days, with astronomical data and calculations, ecclesiastical and other anniversaries, besides other useful information, including astrological forecasts of good days for special occasions like weddings
alone
without other companions (OED adj. I 7), not doing much entertaining or socialising
aloof
apart, at a distance
although
despite
altogether
permanently (OED adj. 3)
altogether
at the same time; (recount) everything
Amardla
an oath, of unknown origin
amazed
perplexed, bewildered
amazedly
stunned, bewildered
ambergris
expensive secretion from the sperm-whale used in cookery and perfumery
ambidexterity
power of using both hands alike (OED 1, where this instance is the earliest example given for the word in any sense).
ambitious
eager
ambuscado
an ambush or a force waiting to ambush (OED's etymology: an affected refashioning of 'ambuscade' after the Spanish)
ambush
hiding place (usually in preparation for a military manoeuvre where the enemy is surprised)
amended
recovered, improved
amiss
an evil deed (OED 2c)
amiss
wrong
amongst
shared between (OED 6)
amorist
votary of sexual love
amorists
professed lovers; gallants (the tone of the usage here is ironic and superior)
amort
dejected; pale and lifeless
amphitheatre
arena
an
if
an't
if it
anatomies
dissected corpses; bodies used for dissection (OED n. 2a and 2b)
ancient
of ancient lineage, or of an old established family of gentlemen
ancient
a corruption of ensign: a low-rank commissioned officer, one who carried the ensign
and
together with, along with
and
in spite of
and
what if...!
and
even if
and
and if
and
if
angel
a gold coin worth around 10 shillings which had an image of the archangel Michael standing on and spearing a dragon
angle
fishing rod
angle
nook, corner
angle-worm
worm for bait; (of persons) a reference to weedy, insignificant appearance
animates
encourages, inspirits (OED animate v, 5); stirs up, incites (OED animate v, 6)
ankle-breeches
breeches covering the whole of the legs
anon
at once, forthwith, instantly (obsolete)
anon
immediately
anon
soon, in good time
anon
soon; immediately; in good time
answer
obey or act in conformity with any indication of will or law (OED answer v 22a)-- here, the decree claimed by Cit-wit in the immediately preceding half-line
answer
defend; take responsibility for; justify
answerable
correspondent with (OED 3)
antagonist
opponent, adversary
antic
grotesque, comic
anticipate
accelerate, cause to happen earlier (OED v. 5)
antiquity
ancient times, precedents; writers of ancient times
any
anything
apace
quickly
apes
imitates, mimics, impersonates
apes
imitators, mimics
apiece
each
apish
ape-like or imitative
apostasy
abandonment or renunciation of religious or moral allegiance (OED 1); abandonment of principles more generally (OED 2)
apostates
renegades; those who abandon their moral allegiances; perverts; also hypocrites, offenders of the law (LEME: Laurence Nowell, Vocabularium Saxonicum , ca 1567)
apothecaries
early professional term for a pharmacist, but generally applied in the seventeenth century and earlier to any seller of spices, drugs, preserves, tobacco
apothegms
short, pithy sayings
apparent
visible (literally); or clear (conceptually)
apparently
evidently, visibly
apparition
illusion
apparition
ghost, vision
apparition
spirit
appear
be; be made clear or evident to understanding; be manifest
appease
pacify, calm (OED v. 1)
appease
assuage, soothe, relieve (with sexual connotations)
appeased
pacified, quieted, satisfied
appetite
sexual preference, desire, craving
applaud
make gestures of approval, possibly appearing to clap their hands: OED's earliest citation for this sense of applaud is from 1598; applaud meaning 'to express agreement' is in use from the early sixteenth century (OED v1. 2b)
applaud
approve of, praise
applaud
make gestures of approval
apply
i.e. treat this as a lesson or moral; apply this example to your own behaviour (see OED apply v. 8, application 4.a): Frances suggests that Oliver’s attentions have been as bothersome as the misfortunes that might befall a ship
apply
i.e. treat this as a lesson or moral; apply this example to your own behaviour (see OED apply v, 8; application n, 4a)
appointed
commanded, ordered
appointed
agreed, arranged
appointed
prescribed (by a stage direction)
appointment
arrangement, nominating
appointments
arrangements for the time and place of meeting (OED 4)
apprehend
recognise, see (OED v. 8a)
apprehend
understand, conceive
apprehension
seizure of a person, arrest (OED apprehension n, I 3)
apprehension
the taking possession of; (but also with regard to the mental faculties) the conscious awareness of
apprehension
opinion (OED 9)
apprehension
the action of learning, the laying hold or acquirement of knowledge (OED n, II 4)
approbation
approval, satisfaction
approve
confirm or corroborate (that)
approve
prove, demonstrate (OED v1. I 1a)
approved
commended (but also in this instance with the meanings, sanctioned, agreed, contracted)
approved
commended, said to be good (OED ppl, 3; here the first citation is given as occurring in Milton’s Paradise Lost, first published 1667)
approvement
approval
approvement
proof
appurtenances
appendages, accessories
apt
given, inclined, prone (OED adj. 4b)
aptly
fittingly
aptness
inclination, tendency (OED 2)
aqua-vitae
a term from alchemy to refer to unrefined alcohol
aqua-vitae
(literally, water of life from the Latin) all-but-pure alcohol, spirits such as brandy
aquafortis
nitric acid, a solvent and corrosive
aquittances
legal documents settlings debts, repayments etc.
architure
an early obsolete form of the word, architecture (OED records no usage after 1594)
ardency
warmth of feeling, eagerness, zeal
argle
argue (about), debate (OED v. 1); OED has one early citation: ‘Martin the Metropolitane’ (i.e. Martin Marprelate [pseud.]), Ha y’any Work for Cooper (London, 1589): ‘I will never stand argling the matter any more with you’ (sig. [A]3v)
argue
debate
argument
theme, subject-matter of discussion (OED n. 6)
argument
proof, manifestation, token (OED n. 1)
argument
(a) evidence; (b) logical or legal case to be made for or against a proposition or charge; (c) subject-matter for discussion (OED 1, 3a, 6)
arms
coat of arms, heraldic insignia
arms
weapons (used in warfare)
army royal
in various military and related uses, denoting something on a grand scale, or of great size or strength
arraignment
trial
array
clothes
arrogate
claim (without reason or through self-conceit)
arses
tailboards -- a tailboard being a board at the hinder end of a cart, barrow, van, etc.; usually one attached to the bottom by a hinge, and capable of being suspended at various angles for convenience in loading, etc. (OED)
arseward
backwards or contrary and perverse
arsy-versiest
most preposterous (OED arsy-versy a, but the entry has no examples of this superlative form)
art
cunning; artfulness; trickery, pretence
art
skill in persuasion
art
cunning, skill
art
trained, professional ability, skill
artful
ingenious, clever, cunning, skilled
article
matter, piece of business; (with its roots in legal contracts) stipulation (with indirect reference to the marriage contract); originally, joints between parts of the body, as man and wife are joined together as one body by the church
article
item in the contract, stipulation
articled
agreed (generally in the context of a formal contract)
articles
heads or points of an agreement or treaty (OED article n, 6a); terms, conditions (OED article n,6b); concerns, matters of business (OED article n,10a); items coming under a particular heading (OED article n, 10.b)
articles
charges
artifice
‘make or shape by artifice; to apply artifice to; to construct, contrive’ (OED)
as
because
as
when (OED adv. 16a), but retaining sense `as if'
as
as if
As in praesenti
the likely pronunciation, 'Arse', really implies ‘an ass in the present instance’, the sort of pun used frequently by playwrights; eg Ben Jonson, Every Man Out of his Humour, Induction 176-78, describing a bad audience:
'How monstrous and detested is’t to see/
A fellow that has neither art nor brain/
Sit like an Aristarchus, or stark ass'
As in praesenti
'as in the present tense': the beginning of a Latin verse used as a mnemonic for verb forms
as lief
rather, as willingly
as well
‘in the same way’ (OED well adv, 21); ‘as generously’, ‘as charitably’ (OED well adv, 2a); ‘as profitably’ (OED well adv, 6c); ‘as naturally’ (OED well adv, 8a); ‘as readily’ (OED well adv, 9a)
asinego
little ass; fool
asinegos
fools
Askapart
the dragon killed by Sir Bevis
aspect
sight; may also pun on aspect as an astrological term meaning the relative positions of the stars, planets, etc. as they appear to an observer on earth at a particular time (OED n. 4)
aspect
appearance
aspersion
calumny, slander, false insinuation (OED 6)
ass
fool, conceited person (OED n1. 2)
ass
donkey, beast of burden, which was often laden with panniers full of merchandise
assassinate
assassination, murder
assay
an attack, an assault, trial of strength
associate
keeps company with (OED associate v, 5b)
associate
associate with
associates
companions, confederates
assume
claim, appropriate, pretend to
assume
claims, wears
assume
adopt, put on
assumpsit
a taking upon oneself, an undertaking
assurance
certainty
assured
confident (OED 6)
assurer
one who underwrites life insurance
at
that (OED adv or conj, where the instance in The Queen's Exchange is listed as an example of this sense)
at
appealing to, soliciting (OED pre, 3c)
at a clap
at a stroke, in an instant (OED 7, obs.)
at a word
to speak plainly, to be honest (can also mean ‘in short’ or ‘briefly’)
at a word
at once (OED, word, n. 13a)
at call
ready to answer a call, immediately available (OED call n, 14)
at height
at the highest degree (OED n. IV 16)
at his lap
eating; licking up liquid dog food
at large
in full, thoroughly
at large
free
at livery
at a livery stable where horses were stabled, fed, and groomed for the owner at a fixed charge (OED n. 6a)
at odds
in conflict, at variance
at peep
quick look or glance, especially through a narrow opening or out of a place of concealment
at random
at great speed, without consideration (OED random n, 3)
at ring
a competition to try to penetrate and carry off on the lance-tip a metal circle suspended from a pole (used with bawdy implication)
at the first dash
straight away, at the first stroke (OED dash n1, 2)
at unawares
without [Anthynus] being aware (OED awares adv, 4 & 1a)
at weapons
challenge to fight (using selected or any weapons)
at's
at his
Atlas
Classical Greek mythology includes more than one mountain of this name, which is also borne by the Titan who, in punishment for rebellion against the Olympian gods, supports the pillar of the world upon his shoulders
atonement
forgiveness; restoration of friendly relations between persons who have been at variance; reconciliation (OED 2a)
attainted
convicted (of a crime)
attend
wait for; expect; ready to be of service
attend
wait
attend
listen to
attend
await, expect
attend
wait for; listen to
attention
consideration
attentively
‘with careful consideration; observantly’ (OED)
attire
clothing
attires
clothing
attorney
a legal professional who conducts litigation in the courts of Common Law and prepares the case for the barrister, or counsel, who argues the case in open court (OED attorney, n1, 3)
attorney
a legal advocate, qualified to practice in the courts of Common Law
attribute
epithet, appellation, name
attributes
descriptive terms
audients
hearers or listeners (OED n.)
audients
hearers (audiences throughout the Renaissance period were generally thought of as listeners not spectators or viewers of a performance)
auditory
audience
auditual
of or belonging to the sense of hearing (OED citing this as first usage)
aught
anything
aught
anything whatever
augment
increase (OED v. 1)
augmented
raised in estimation, increased, enlarged
augments
increases
augurs
soothsayers, prophets
augury
omen, prophecy
Augustinian
of the order of Augustines (poor religious Friars)
aunt
bawd; prostitute (OED 3)
aunt
either parent's sister
auspicate
to give a fortunate [auspicious] start to (OED auspicate v. 3)
auspicious
kind, showing favour (OED adj. 2b)
autem mort
married woman (thieves' cant)
author
authority, informant
authority
authorisation (OED 2a)
avail
help; bring
avarice
greed, desire to acquire and hoard wealth (OED)
avaunt
be off with you
avert
oppose; turn away (from a course of action)
avert
redirect, draw away
avoid
be gone, go away
awd
old (dialect)
awful
awe-inspiring
Ay
ejaculation of regret, sorrow; alas
ay me
alas
aye
ever
a–good
in good earnest; heartily