ACT I

Mountanto – a fencing term; a montant is an upright cut or thrust

birdbolt – a blunt-headed arrow used to shoot birds

trencherman – eater (also, insultingly, “parasitical dependent”)

jade’s trick – an unfair or foolish conclusion

outing jack – mocking fellow

canker – a sore; also a prickly wild rose

 

ACT II

bearherd – keeper of a performing bear

lead his apes in hell – Proverbial, meaning that women who do not marry are punished in the afterlife

cinquepace – a galliard; a popular, lively dance

Ate – Greek goddess of discord (pronounced “Ah-tay”)

Antipodes – the region on the opposite side of the globe; a reference to some-

thing unachievable

civil as an orange – i.e., like a Seville orange, described as “between sweet and

sour”

cozened – tricked or cheated

stale – low-class harlot or prostitute

tabor – small drum used with a tabor-pipe to accompany dancing

turned Orthography – become a fancy speaker (Orthography is, literally, the

study of proper spelling)

crotchets – peculiar ideas, also quarter notes in music had as life – would just as gladly

daffled – put aside

dumbshow – a theatrical scene acted without speech

daw – a jackdaw; a small kind of crow

 

ACT III

pleachéd – bordered with intertwined boughs

couchéd – hidden

haggards – wild female hawks

limed – trapped like a bird in birdlime

truant – rogue; one who does not obeyrules

slops – wide baggy breeches or hose

civet – perfume

hobby-horses – jesters or buffoons

vagrom – vagrant, vagabond

reechy – smoky, dirty

do not wrest – i.e., does not distort or twist the meaning of

carduus benedictus – the herb “blessed thistle,” which was claimed to be “a salve for every sore”

 

 

ACT IV

mired – soiled

rack the value – strain its worth to the limit

sirrah – a term of address to a male social inferior

flat burglary – out-and-out treachery

coxcomb – fool

 

ACT V

wag – depart

beshrew – mild word for curse

fleer – jeer, mock

fashion-monging –foppish

scruple – a minute amount; literally, the twenty-fourth part of an ounce (a unit of apothecary weight)

cog – cheat; or, flatter, wheedle

anticly – grotesquely dressed

pluck up – take courage

beliest – tell lies about

I give thee the bucklers – i.e., I give up (in this wit combat); bucklers are small shields used in sword fighting

quondam – bygone, former

guerdon – recompense

halting – lame, limping

wit-crackers – those who make sarcastic remarks