120 marshal guide
121 o'erlook read
122 stories narrative/true history
123 Wherefore why
129 Good troth truly
129 good sooth indeed
132 lord possessor
132 gentleness nobility/courtesy/kindness
134 of by
134 abused mistreated
137 surfeit excess
139 leave renounce
140 those ... deceive i.e. the former heretics themselves 142 Of by
143 address direct
150 prey act of preying
151 removed departed
153 an if if
154 of all loves for love's sake
Act 3, Scene 1
3.1 Clowns lower-class comic characters
2 Pat punctually
4 brake thicket
4 tiring-house dressing room
7 bully old mate, good fellow
12 By'r lakin by our ladykin (i.e. the Virgin Mary)
12 parlous perilous
14 done i.e. said and done
15 Write me write/write for me
22 eight and six alternating lines of eight and six syllables (common meter for ballads) 25 afeard afraid
26 it either the lion, or that the ladies will be afraid 29 fearful frightening
29 wild-fowl i.e. wild beast (literally, bird) 35 defect malapropism for "effect"
37 My ... yours by my life (literally, I would lay down my life for you) 38 pity ... life a bad thing, by my life/my life would be at risk 41 plainly may pun on "plane" (carpenter's tool)
46 almanac calendar
49 casement section of a window
52 bush ... lantern the traditional props of the man in the moon 53 disfigure malapropism for "figure" (i.e. represent) 53 present represent
60 rough-cast lime and gravel mixture used for plastering walls 65 rehearse recite
68 hempen home-spuns those wearing homemade/rustic clothes 68 swagg'ring blustering
69 cradle place of rest
70 toward in preparation
78 by and by shortly
85 brisky juvenal lively young man
85 eke also
85 Jew desperate rhyme, or perhaps short for "juvenal" or "jewel" as a term of affection 88 Ninus founder of Nineveh
89 part an actor's written part consisted solely of his lines and cues 93 were would be
93 fair handsome
96 round circular dance/circuitous route
99 fire will-o'-the-wisp, a flame over marshy ground (caused by gas but popularly supposed to be a hobgoblin's trick) 102 knavery trick
109 translated transformed
114 ousel cock male blackbird
116 throstle song thrush
117 quill reed/pipe (i.e. voice)
120 plain-song melodically simple
122 dares ... nay is unable to deny the truth of the cuckoo's cry of "cuckold" (man with an unfaithful wife) 123 who ... bird adaptation of "do not set your wit against a fool's" (proverbial) 124 give ... lie accuse the bird of lying
124 cuckoo i.e. "cuckold" never so ever so much 127 enthralled enslaved
128 virtue's qualities'
128 perforce of necessity
134 gleek make a jest
137 turn purposes
139 wilt wish to
140 rate worth, rank
141 still always
141 tend upon serve, wait upon
141 state status as queen
144 deep bottom of the sea
146 grossness bodily form
148 Peaseblossom flower of plants of the pea family; Pease also meant "something of very small value or importance"
148 Moth pronounced "mote" (i.e. speck) so this sense may also be implied 155 eyes i.e. sight
156 apricocks apricots
156 dewberries type of blackberry
158 humble-bees bumblebees
159 night-tapers candles
161 arise possible erectile connotations
169 cry ... mercy beg your pardon
172 desire ... acquaintance want to be better acquainted with you 173 if ... you cobwebs were used to stop bleeding
176 Squash unripe pea pod
177 Peascod pea pod (a traditional remedy for lovesickness, with play on "codpiece") 181 patience endurance (as mustard is eaten with beef) 184 made ... water since mustard is hot in the mouth 188 weeps i.e. causes dew
189 enforced violated
190 Tie ... tongue perhaps because Bottom is braying 3 in extremity to excess
5 night-rule mischievous, disordered nighttime activity 5 haunted much frequented
7 close private/secluded
8 dull inactive
9 patches clowns/fools
9 rude mechanicals uneducated manual workers
13 barren sort stupid group
15 Forsook left
15 scene performance space
17 noll head
19 mimic burlesque actor/performer
20 fowler hunter
21 russet-pated choughs reddish-brown jackdaws (with play on "chuff," rustic boor) 21 many in sort i.e. in a large flock
22 report sound of firing
23 Sever scatter
23 sweep move swiftly across
30 yielders those who yield to fear
36 latched ensnared/wetted
40 of force by necessity
41 close concealed
45 chide rebuke (you)
45 use treat
48 Being o'er shoes having waded
50 true loyal
53 whole solid, intact
53 bored pierced through
54 centre i.e. of the earth
55 Her brother's i.e. the sun's
55 th'Antipodes the people/places on the opposite side of the globe 57 dead deadly/murderous
61 Venus bright planet; also Roman goddess of love
61 sphere orbit/hollow surrounding sphere
62 to got to do with
65 cur dog
67 numbered counted
68 once once and for all
69 Durst would you/did you dare
69 a have
70 brave touch fine/impudent deed
71 worm snake
72 doubler more divided/deceitful
74 spend expend/waste
74 passion powerful feelings
74 misprised mood mistaken anger
78 therefor for it
82 vein mood
84 So ... owe i.e. lack of sleep and sorrow combined are making me very tired 84 heavier harder to bear/sleepier
85 For because of the
87 his tender sleep's offer
87 make some stay stay here awhile
88 quite utterly
90 misprision error
92 one ... troth for each man who keeps his word/faith in love 93 confounding breaking
93 on after
95 look be sure
96 fancy-sick lovesick
96 cheer face
97 sighs ... dear each sigh was thought to drain a drop of blood from the heart 98 illusion deception
99 against in preparation for when
101 Tartar's bow powerful bow from Central Asia
104 apple pupil/center
109 remedy relief, resolution
113 fee payment
114 fond pageant foolish spectacle
119 alone unique/on its own
121 preposterously perversely, out of the normal course of events 124 Look when whenever
125 nativity i.e. through weeping
127 badge outward sign (as worn on servants' livery), i.e. tears 128 advance show
129 truth kills truth i.e. his vows to Hermia and to Helena invalidate one another 129 devilish-holy fray quarrel involving false and true vows 130 o'er up
133 light as tales false as rumors/lies
136 Demetrius ... you there may be a missing rhyme line for Helena hereafter 139 ripe i.e. full and red
139 show appearance
141
pure congealed white i.e. pale skin (considered to be especially beautiful) 141 Taurus mountain range in Turkey
142 turns ... crow seems black in comparison (with Helena's white skin) 144 seal promise
145 bent disposed
146 set against be hostile to
148 do ... injury insult me so much
150 join in souls unite
152 gentle noble/mild
153 superpraise praise excessively
153 parts qualities
157 trim fine
160 extort torture/wring
169 will none i.e. want nothing to do with her 171 but ... sojourned stayed with her merely as a visitor 176 abide suffer for/pay for
176 dear at great cost
178 his its
179 apprehension perception
186 press urge
187 bide remain
188 engilds brightens with gold
189 yon i.e. those over there
189 oes spangles (i.e. stars)
193 confed'racy alliance
195 fashion contrive
195 in spite to vex
196 Injurious harmful, unjust
198 bait persecute/torment
199 counsel inmost thoughts/advice
201 chid scolded
204 artificial skilled in the arts of creation
207 one key total harmony
209 incorporate indivisible, one body
210 Like similar
213 heart may pun on "hart," a common heraldic device 214 first i.e. bodies (plays on sense of "dominant color on a shield") 214 coats coats of arms (which can appear twice on a shield though under one crest) 215 Due ... one a coat of arms is allocated to a specific individual 216 rent rend, tear
216 ancient long-standing
216 asunder apart
227 rare splendid/exceptional
231 tender offer
233 grace favor
238 Persever persevere
238 sad solemn
239 mouths faces
240 hold ... up maintain the joke
241 carried conducted
243 argument subject (for a joke)
257 withdraw i.e. remove yourself from present company (for a duel) 259 whereto to what end
260 Ethiope Ethiopian, i.e. dark-complexioned (in comparison with fair Helena) 262 take on as behave as if
264 Hang off leave hold
264 burr prickly seed head that sticks easily to clothing 264 let loose get off
266 rude harsh, unkind, offensive
268 Out exclamation of impatience ("get away!")
268 tawny dark-skinned
268 Tartar person from central Asia
269 medicine i.e. poison
271 sooth truly
274 weak bond i.e. Hermia (plays on earlier sense of "oath") 280 erewhile before
286 out of free from
289 juggler trickster
289 canker-blossom flower-destroying worm
295 Impatient angry
296 puppet false thing/small person
299 urged insisted on/brought forward
300 personage appearance
304 painted made-up (with cosmetics)
304 maypole i.e. tall, skinny person
308 curst ill-tempered
309 shrewishness scolding/bad temper
310 right true/typical
312 something lower somewhat shorter
316 evermore always
319 stealth stealing away
321 chid me hence tried to drive me away with scolding 323 so if
326 fond foolish
332 part side
333 keen sharp
333 shrewd vicious
337 suffer allow
340 minimus tiny, insignificant being
340 knot-grass type of creeping weed
347 abide pay for
351 cheek by jowl i.e. side by side
352 coil turmoil
352 'long on account
357.1 Exit ... Hermia the Quarto text gives Hermia the exit line "I am amazed and know not what to say"; Folio's omission of this was probably a printer's error, but it might conceivably have been the purposeful cut of a weak line that converts a rhyming couplet to a triplet 365 sort fall out
366 As in that
366 jangling squabbling
368 Hie hasten
369 welkin sky
370 drooping falling
370 Acheron one of the four rivers of Hades (the classical underworld) 371 testy irritable
372 As so that
373 Like ... tongue sometimes imitate Lysander's voice 374 wrong insults
375 rail rant
378 batty bat-like
379 herb i.e. the antidote
380 liquor liquid, juice
380 virtuous powerful
381 his its
382 wonted accustomed, former
383 derision ridiculousness
385 wend make their way
386 league alliance, friendship
386 date duration
392 dragons supposedly pulling the chariot of night or the moon 392 cut cut through
393 Aurora's harbinger the morning star, which can be seen before dawn 396 crossways crossroads, the unconsecrated burial place for suicides 396 floods "burial" place of those who had drowned (and whose bodies were unrecoverable) 400 aye eternity
400 consort keep company
402 morning's love either Aurora's lover, or Aurora, Roman goddess of the dawn (i.e. Oberon does not have to disappear before dawn like the other spirits) 402 made sport amused myself/made love to
403 forester guardian of the forest
405 Neptune Roman god of the sea
412 Goblin Puck refers to himself
415 drawn with sword drawn
417 straight at once
418 plainer flatter/more open
424 recreant coward
428 try test
436 spite vexation, grievance
438 Abide confront/endure
438 wot know
443 buy pay for
445 constraineth compels
449 Abate shorten
478 Jack ... Jill "all shall be well and Jack shall have Jill" (proverbial) 479 Nought nothing
480 man ... mare proverbial
2 amiable lovable
2 coy caress
15 overflown flowed over, drenched
18 neaf fist
19 leave your courtesy stop bowing/put your hat back on 21 Cavalery cavalier (i.e. courtly gentleman)
22 Cobweb apparently an error for Peaseblossom
23 marvellous extremely
27.1 rural music simple rustic music
27 tongs simple metal musical instrument, struck to produce sound 27 bones pieces of bone clapped together between the fingers 29 peck quantity (quarter of a bushel) provender fodder (for animals) 30 bottle bundle
31 fellow equal
32 vent'rous adventurous, daring
36 exposition of malapropism for "disposition to"
38 all ways away gone in all directions
39 woodbine bindweed, which entwines itself with honeysuckle
41 Enrings encircles
45 dotage infatuation
47 favours love tokens (perhaps flowers)
51 sometime formerly
52 orient from the east/lustrous
53 flowerets small flowers
63 swain rustic
64 other others
65 repair make their way
66 accidents events
71 Dian's bud i.e. Oberon's corrective herb, linked to Diana, Roman goddess of chastity 81 these five i.e. Bottom and the lovers
82 charmeth brings about by magic
82.1 Music, still the "rural music" may still have been playing or perhaps this is a cue for "still" (i.e. gentle) music; Oberon's Silence awhile may cue the suspension of the former before Sound, music! cues the latter 87 solemnly ceremoniously
88 triumphantly with great celebration
92 attend listen
94 sad solemn
95 Trip move swiftly
101.1 his i.e. Theseus'
103 observation observance (of May morning rites)
104 vaward vanguard (i.e. foremost part)
106 Uncouple release (pairs of dogs for the hunt)
111 Cadmus founder of Thebes
112 bayed pursued with dogs
113 hounds of Sparta dogs famed for their skill
114 chiding i.e. barking
118 kind breed
119 So flewed with the same large cheek folds
119 sanded sandy-colored
121 dewlapped with loose folds of skin hanging at the neck 121 Thessalian from Thessaly, an ancient region of northeastern Greece 122 matched in mouth united in barking (i.e. harmonious) 123 tuneable melodious
124 hallowed to had "halloo" (a cry of encouragement) shouted to it 124 cheered urged on
126 soft wait a moment
130 of at
133 in grace of to honor
133 solemnity ceremony
138 Saint Valentine 14 February, the day on which birds were thought to choose their mates 139 couple pair off
144 jealousy suspicion
157 defeated frustrated/deprived
163 fancy love/infatuation
167 idle gaud worthless trinket
179 overbear overrule
180 by and by soon
182 for since
182 something worn somewhat spent
183 purposed intended
185 in with
185 solemnity ceremony
187 undistinguishable unrecognizable
189 parted divided/unfocused
193 Mine ... own i.e. because found, of uncertain ownership 201 by on
204 God's God save
205 hence away from here
205 rare unique/marvelous
206 wit understanding
207 go about endeavor
210 patched i.e. wearing a fool's multicolored costume 211 The ... was garbled version of a famous passage about what the Geneva Bible calls "the bottom of God's secrets" (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) 215 bottom foundation/(is) unfathomable
216 Peradventure perhaps
217 her presumably Thisbe's
Act 4, Scene 2
4.2 Location: Athens
3 transported carried off/transformed
5 forward ahead
7 discharge perform
8 wit intellect
10 person appearance, bearing
11 paramour malapropism for "paragon"
13 naught i.e. wickedness, shame (with possible vaginal connotations) 16 we ... men i.e. our fortunes would have been made 17 sixpence a day i.e. as a reward from the duke (a considerable sum, half a day's wage) 18 scaped escaped, avoided
19 An if
22 hearts fine friends
27 fell out happened
29 of from
30 strings i.e. with which to attach the beards 31 pumps light shoes
31 presently at once
33 preferred recommended
34 pare trim
Act 5, Scene 1
5.1 his i.e. Theseus'
1 that that which
3 antic bizarre/grotesque, with pun on "antique," antiquated, which is the Quarto spelling 3 fairy toys foolish stories about fairies
5 shaping creative
5 apprehend grasp (intellectually)
8 compact composed
10 frantic mad, frenzied
11 Helen's Helen of Troy's
11 brow of Egypt dark-skinned complexion (thought unattractive) 14 bodies forth gives shape to
19 apprehend conceive
20 comprehends incorporates
24 transfigured changed, affected