126 break as a lance might in jousting
comparison a sneering or unflattering analogy
128 partridge wing the part of the bird with virtually no meat on it (Beatrice’s comment is sarcastic)
130 leaders i.e. of the dance
134 amorous on courting
140 near…love i.e. close to/highly regarded by my brother
148 banquet wine, fruit and sweetmeats served after the dance
152 constant unwavering/faithful
153 office service/business
154 all let all
157 faith loyalty/integrity
blood desire
158 accident…proof event that is shown to be the case very regularly
159 mistrusted suspected
164 willow a willow
garland was an emblem of unrequited love
166 usurer’s chain heavy gold chain worn by wealthy moneylenders
167 lieutenant’s scarf sash worn diagonally across the chest as a symbol of rank
170 drover cattle dealer
so in this way
174 now…post i.e. strike out in anger (an allusion to a tale in which a boy is punished for stealing meat from his blind master, and gets his revenge by causing the old man to injure himself on a pillar)
175 post pillar/messenger (i.e. Benedick)
176 If…be i.e. if you will not leave me
177 hurt fowl injured bird
sedges coarse rush-like plants (where a wounded fowl might hide)
178 not know me not know my true nature
180 so in this way (i.e. by being merry)
182 puts…out assumes that the world shares her opinions and represents me in that way
185 Lady Fame i.e. a gossip Fame rumor
186 lodge…warren dwelling (probably of a gamekeeper) in an enclosed area used for breeding game (i.e. an isolated place)
190 forsaken rejected (by a lover)
bind…rod bind together a bundle of twigs as rod for punishment
193 flat transgression plain sin
196 a trust an act of trust
202 them i.e. the birds
204 If…honestly if what they sing agrees with what you say you have taught them (i.e. to marry Claudio) then you speak honorably
206 to with
209 misused abused
block block of wood
213 great thaw the dull period during which roads became muddy and impassable and people were unable to go out
214 huddling heaping up
impossible conveyance incredible skill
215 mark archer’s target (at which a man would have stood to note where the arrows landed)
216 poniards daggers
217 terminations terms of expression
220 all…transgressed i.e. the delights and dominion of the Garden of Eden before the Fall
221 Hercules…too in Greek legend the Queen of Lydia, Omphale, made Hercules dress as a woman and spin wool while she took over his
club and lion’s skin; turning a roasting spit was one of the lowliest domestic tasks cleft split
223 Ate goddess of discord and vengeance
224 conjure exorcise (the sending of evil spirits back to hell had to be carried out in Latin so a
scholar would be required)
here i.e. on earth
225 sanctuary holy place of safety
231 Antipodes the other side of the world
232 tooth-picker toothpick
233 Prester John Christian ruler of a wealthy Eastern kingdom
234 Cham Kubla Khan, emperor of the Mongols
Pygmies race of very small people thought to live in Asia
235 harpy fierce mythical creature with the face of a woman and body of a bird
243 use financial interest on a loan (plays on the sense of “usage”)
double twice as loving/duplicitous
244 false dice i.e. false promises, deception
246 put him down defeated him with wit (Beatrice’s response plays on the sense of “sexually subdued”)
248 do puns on the sense of “have sex with”
251 Wherefore why
256 civil count grave/sober count (puns on “Seville,” the Spanish city well known as a producer of bitter-tasting oranges)
257 jealous complexion i.e. yellow, a color associated with melancholy and jealousy
258 blazon description
259 conceit understanding of things, notion
264 His grace i.e. God
267 herald messenger/proclaimer
269 dote upon love dearly
275 windy…care windward (i.e. advantageous/safe) side of trouble
278 Good…alliance! Thank God for family unions/marriage!
goes…world everyone gets married
279 sunburnt Elizabethans considered a tanned complexion unattractive
280 ‘Hey-ho…husband!’ a playful expression of regret that was also the title of a ballad
282 getting conception (a punning response to Don Pedro’s sense of “obtain”)
289 matter substance/serious content
290 Your…me i.e. I would much rather you talked on than were silent
291 becomes suits
293 cried i.e. at the pain of labor
297 cry you mercy beg your pardon
By…pardon with your grace’s (Don Pedro’s) pardon (for my departure)
301 ever always
306 suit courtship
313 a just seven-night precisely a week
316 breathing interval
317 warrant assure
318 Hercules’ labours in Greek legend, Hercules carried out twelve seemingly impossible tasks (labours) imposed on him by King Eurystheus
320 fain gladly
322 minister provide
324 watchings staying awake
327 modest proper, seemly
329 unhopefullest least promising
330 strain descent, lineage
331 approved tested/proven
honesty honor
334 practise on work upon craftily
335 queasy stomach feelings of sickness/ delicate stomach/poor appetite (for love and marriage)
338 drift plan, intention
5 medicinable healing
6 comes athwart impedes, is an obstacle to
ranges evenly goes smoothly, directly
15 unseasonable inappropriate/odd
16 appoint instruct
18 temper mix
20 renowned well-reputed/honorable
21 estimation worth
22 stale prostitute
24 vex torment, afflict
25 undo ruin
issue outcome
26 despite spite, wreak malice on
27 meet suitable
draw bring together
29 intend pretend
zeal ardent loyalty
30 as in as follows/such as
31 like likely
32 cozened cheated
semblance outward appearance
33 trial evidence
34 instances proofs
38 fashion the matter arrange matters/contrive affairs
40 jealousy suspicion
41 preparation i.e. for the wedding
42 Grow…can no matter how harmful the outcome
43 working carrying out of
44 ducats gold (sometimes silver) coins used in Europe
45 constant unchanging/resolved
5 I…sir i.e. I will return so quickly that it will seem as if I had never left (in his reply Benedick jestingly takes the Boy literally)
11 argument subject
13 drum…fife i.e. war-like instruments fife a flute-like instrument
14 tabor…pipe i.e. instruments associated with festivity tabor a small drum
15 afoot on foot
16 carving designing
17 doublet close-fitting jacket with flared base
wont accustomed
19 orthography stylistically polished and elaborate
fantastical fanciful, imaginative
22 transform…oyster turn me into a lowly creature/silence me as an oyster snaps shut
26 graces virtues
27 grace favor
none have none of her
28 cheapen bid for
29 or come or she shall come
noble puns on the name of a gold coin
angel puns on the name of a gold coin
35 As as if
37 the music ended i.e. once the music has ended
38 fit…pennyworth i.e. give him more than he bargained for kid-fox cunning young fox
40 tax order
42 It…perfection it is always proof of excellence that it claims not to recognize its own skill
44 woo entreat, coax
47 her…worthy Balthasar also refers to himself as one who is an unworthy singer, but whose skills have yet been courted by Don Pedro
54 crotchets whimsical fancies/musical notes
55 Note…nothing pay attention to your musical notes, in truth, and nothing else (nothing puns on “noting,” which was pronounced in a similar manner)
56 air melody
57 sheep’s guts from which an instrument’s strings were made
hale haul
58 horn hunting horn, a more masculine instrument (possibly with an unconscious play on cuckold’s horns)
66 blithe and bonny joyful and healthily beautiful
67 ditties songs
moe more
68 dumps low spirits (puns on the sense of “sad songs”)
74 for a shift for the purpose/for lack of a better alternative
76 An if
78 as lief as soon/rather
79 night-raven the call of which was supposed to foretell disaster
87 Stalk on i.e. as a hunter would advance upon his prey (a sitting fowl)
90 wonderful extraordinary/astonishing
93 Sits…corner? Is that the way the wind is blowing? (i.e. is that the way things are)
95 enraged affection furiously passionate love
97 counterfeit pretend
100 discovers reveals
103 sit you sit
111 gull trick/deception
114 hold it up keep up the trick/keep going
122 smock slip
128 That (yes) that one
129 halfpence fragments (a halfpenny was a small coin)
130 railed ranted/chastised abusively
138 ecstasy frenzy
overborne overwhelmed
139 outrage violence
145 alms charitable deed
146 suspicion doubt
149 blood passion/desire
150 tender young/delicate
153 dotage great love/infatuation
154 daffed doffed (i.e. cast off)
respects considerations
made…myself i.e. married her
161 bate abate, modify
162 make tender of offer
164 contemptible contemptuous/scornful
165 proper handsome
166 good outward happiness pleasingly attractive appearance
167 ’Fore God an exclamation roughly equivalent to “indeed so, with God as my witness”
170 Hector the leader of the Trojans in the Trojan war, known for his bravery
172 discretion prudence, good judgment
178 by to judge by
large coarse/unrestrained
181 wear it out outlive it/use it up/grow tired of it
182 counsel reflection
186 the while in the meantime
187 modestly in a reasonable, moderate way
190 upon after
194 carry carry out
they…dotage each believes that the other is in love
195 no such matter in fact there is no truth in it
196 dumb-show play acted without words (as Benedick and Beatrice will be speechless)
199 sadly borne seriously carried out
200 have…bent are engaged to their fullest extent (like a bow pulled as far as possible)
202 censured judged/ criticized
205 their detractions criticisms of themselves
208 reprove disprove/refute/ reject
209 argument demonstration/evidence
211 quirks quips/witty conceits
broken cracked at my expense/snapped like a lance in jousting
214 sentences maxims, sayings
215 paper…brain i.e. words, which cannot hurt
awe terrify/restrain
career…humour pursuit of his inclination career gallop of a horse, as in a tournament
222 pains efforts (Beatrice plays on the sense of literal pain in painful)
228 choke kill/silence
daw jackdaw (proverbially a stupid bird, so also a rude reference to the talkative Benedick)
withal with
stomach appetite
235 Jew thought by many Elizabethans to be pitiless
picture a miniature, which a lover might wear or carry with him
3 Proposing conversing
10 advance…it defy the very prince whose favor made them great
12 purpose matter of our conversation
office duty/task
16 trace range through, pass along
23 hearsay report/rumor/something overheard
24 lapwing bird of the plover family known for running through the grass in a crouching fashion
27 oars i.e. fins
30 couchèd…coverture lying hidden in the thick covering of honeysuckle
35 coy disdainful
wild unrestrained/wayward/rude/fierce
36 haggards untamed female hawks
38 entirely completely/sincerely
39 new-trothèd i.e. Claudio, newly betrothed
45 Doth…upon? i.e. doesn’t Benedick deserve a wife as good as Beatrice
46 bed marriage bed
47 couch lie
49 yielded given
53 Misprising undervaluing/scorning
55 weak of little worth/contemptible
56 project conception, notion
57 self-endeared in love with herself
62 How however
rarely excellently
63 spell him backward declare he is the opposite
fair-faced attractive/light-complexioned
65 black dark-complexioned
antic grotesque figure/grinning buffoon
66 ill-headed with a poorly made or misshapen head
67 agate an agate stone would often have a tiny figure carved into it before being set in a ring
72 simpleness plainness/integrity
purchaseth earns/deserves
73 carping fault-finding
74 odd at odds with
from contrary to
78 press…death pressing a person to death with heavy weights was the penalty for one who refused to plead guilty or innocent to a crime
79 covered covered with a tightly packed heap of fuel to ensure a long burning time
85 counsel advise
86 honest slanders i.e. slanders that will do no serious harm to her reputation
92 prized esteemed, valued
94 only i.e. best, unrivaled
97 fancy thought/ preference/liking
98 argument skill in debate/powers of reasoning
103 tomorrow from tomorrow onward
104 attires ornamented headdresses with false hair attached to them
105 furnish me fit me out with, clothe me with
107 haps chance/ accidents
114 Taming…hand i.e. as a hawk would learn to obey the falconer
116 band bond (plays on sense of “wedding ring”)
118 reportingly as it is reported/through hearsay
1 consummate consummated/accomplished
3 vouchsafe permit
7 only…w
ith be bold only with (i.e. prevail upon)
10 hangman i.e. executioner
16 truant knave
17 wants lacks
20 Draw extract (Claudio puns on the sense of “disembowel,” sometimes the fate of a hanged man)
21 Hang it an expression of angry impatience
22 hang it teeth were hung up outside barbers’ shops as advertisements for the dental work that barbers also carried out (though Claudio also refers to the hanging, and drawing, of a criminal)
24 Where where there
humour…worm toothache was thought to be caused either by the descent from the head into the tooth of one of the four humors (fluids), or by a worm in the tooth
25 but except
28 fancy love (Don Pedro goes on to pun on the sense of “whim”)
30 Frenchman tomorrow German and Spanish references follow hereafter in the Quarto (see Textual Notes); Folio’s omission of them may have been to avoid offense at court
38 ornament…tennis-balls filling tennis balls with beard hair seems to have been an actual practice
42 civet a musky perfume obtained from the glands of the civet cat
smell him out detect the truth/discern his presence by his smell
45 note sign
46 wont accustomed
wash clean/perfume
47 paint apply cosmetics
50 lute-string the lute was considered the instrument of a lover
governed controlled/has the musical key determined
stops frets/restraints/impediments
51 heavy sad
56 ill conditions bad characteristics
dies expires/orgasms
58 face upwards as a faithful Christian/in a sexual position, under Benedick
59 Old signior i.e. Leonato
61 hobby-horses jokers
62 For upon
63 by this by this time
66 God save you a common greeting
67 Good den good evening
68 If…served if you have time
78 let…hereafter whether or not I love you will be apparent after I have imparted what I have to say
79 aim…manifest judge me more effectively according to what I will now reveal to you
80 holds regards
84 circumstances shortened in brief/regardless of details
85 a talking of the subject of conversation (either Claudio and Don Pedro’s conversation or public gossip)
91 paint out convey in full
93 fit suit/adapt
Wonder marvel/be incredulous
warrant proof
96 fit befit
100 If…know if you do not dare to admit that what you see with your own eyes is the case, then you had better say nothing about it/then you know nothing at all
110 Bear it coldly behave calmly
112 untowardly turned unfavorably changed
113 mischief misfortune/wickedness
1 true reliable, honest