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Baccare, Backare - (bak-ARE-ay) stand back, get away. Not a real word, but believed to be the attempt of one character to speak Latin when he has no understanding of the language whatsoever. 
Bacchanal - (bak-an-AHL) a wild dance of celebration, named after the Roman god of wine, Bacchus; a worshipper of the god Bacchus. Bacchus was known for wild drunken parties.
Backare - (bak-ARE-ay) stand back, get away. Not a real word, but believed to be the attempt of one character to speak Latin when he has no understanding of the language whatsoever.
Backbite - (BAK-byt) to betray, to speak slander of another. It has the same connotation as the modern term of talking behind someone's back with the added meaning of metaphorically stabbing someone in the back.
Backfriend - (BAK-frend) a false friend. The meaning is to imply one who would pat a supposed friend on the back, while in truth seeking to undermine or destroy him.
Backsword - (BAK-sword) a practice sword, basically a stick with a hilt, used to teach fencing. To say someone is a good backsword man can mean that person was a good teacher or a good student of fencing.
Back-trick - (BAK-trik) a certain dance step, a short leap backward. The character who mentions the back-trick is praising his own skill at dancing. He's ready for a party.
Bacon-fed - (BAY-kon fed) one who eats a great deal of bacon. Implied to mean a hick or hillbilly, a commoner who works a farm and therefore eats a lot of pork products.
Bade - (BAYD) ask to, made a request of, to command or order. Anytime someone is asked to do something else, it can be said that one person bade another to do it.
Bail - (BAIL) as a verb, to gain release of someone from confinement, e.g. "Will you bail me?"; as a noun, the security or payment given to secure release, the same as the modern meaning.
Bailiff - (BAY-liff) an officer who works under a sherriff. The bailiff arrests those who have broken the law and serves papers to those who are to appear in court.
Baiting-place - (BAY-ting place) a pit for bear-baiting. Bear-beating was a form of entertainment in Shakespeare's time where a bear was tied to a post in a pit, then dogs were set on it until it died.
Baldric, Baldrick - (BALL-drik) a leather strap that is hung over the shoulder, used to carry objects. It generally has a loop in it for a sword, but other things, such as bugles, can be held with a baldric.
Balk - (BAWLK) hold back from, or stop engaging, in a particular task. "Make slow pursuit or altogether balk." means "Take it slowly or don't do it at all."
Ballasting - (BAL-ast-ing) social weight or influence. Comes from the word "ballast", heavy material used to weight down a ship so it will stay even when in the water.
Ballow - (BAL-oh) a club or a cudgel. A simple but effective weapon that was accessible to anyone, unlike the swords were generally restricted to soldiers or the wealthy.
Balmy - (BALL-me) sweet or pleasant-smelling; something that heals or restores. From the word "balm", meaning at type of lotion that aids in healing wounds and soothing a worn body.
Balsam - (BALL-sum) a balm, a medical ointment or lotion that aids in healing and soothes wounds and worn bodies. Can be used metaphorically as something that heals or restores a bad situation.
Balsamum - (BALL-sa-mum) balm or some sort of perfumed oil. An ointment that soothes muscles and assists in the healing of wounds. Generally similar to balsam.
Bancrout, Bankrout, Bankerout - (BAN-krout, BAN-krout, BAN-ker-out) all archaic spellings of bankrupt, meaning divested of all value and worth, when it once had something to offer.
Bandetto, Banditto - (ban-DET-oh, ban-DIT-oh) another way to say a bandit, someone who makes a living from waylaying and robbing others, often in a brutal manner.
Ban-dog - (BAN-dog) a dog that has been chained up or tethered. A ban-dog is simply a dog or a hound at any other time; this is just another way to say bound dog.
Bandy - (BAN-dee) to pass something back and forth, perhaps multiple times; to band together in a group; to fight; to strike with enough force to push another back.
Bandying - (BAN-dee-ing) an exchange of words, generally an unpleasant one. An argument or a quarrel. Someone bandying in the streets is publicly bickering.
Bane - (BAIN) destroyer, a person or object that ruins another, an archenemy; sometimes poison. To be the bane of something often means to be the one thing that can destroy it.
Banket - (BAN-ket) another word for banquet. Unlike a feast, a banquet is not necessarily a heavy meal. It could be something light, refreshments, or even merely dessert.
Bankrout, Bankerout - (BAN-krout, BAN-ker-out) two archaic spellings of bankrupt, meaning divested of all value and worth, when it once had something to offer.
Banneret - (ban-ner-ET) the flag or banner of a knight or noble, small enough to be carried on the tip of a lance. It was one way to identify an important person, both on and off the battlefield.
Barber-monger - (BAR-ber MON-ger) one who often visits the barber shop. The barber shop was not only a place to cut hair in Shakespeare's day. Barbers would let out blood, lance boils, and perform other duties today only allowed to doctors.
Bare-gnawn - (bair-NAWN) completely gnawed away, worn down to nothing. The implication is of something ruined by little bites and cuts until there is nothing left of it.
Bark About - (bark ab-OUT) form a hard crusty layer over something, as in a tree growing bark around itself. In Hamlet, it refers to skin being disfigured through the application of a fatal poison.
Barley Broth - (BAR-lee brawth) a type of ale, given to horses. Not generally alcoholic, but an easy way to feed a horse with what was at hand.
Barley-break - (BAR-lee brayk) a type of game played out in the country, generally in a barley field, hence the name. A pair would stand in a spot called the den, and could break apart when about to be caught.
Barm - (BARM) the froth atop a glass or tankard of ale, the head of a cup of beer. To make the drink bear no barm means the power to turn beer or ale flat.
Barren - (BAIR-in) lacking all life or signs of life; unable to bear children; empty of thought. Sometimes an insult and sometimes just a matter of fact.
Barren-spirited - (BAIR-in SPEER-it-id) someone empty of spirit, barely able to respond, emotionally numb. One who is barren-spirited appears to be without the strength or will to react.
Barricade - (bair-ih-KAHD-oh) as a noun, a wall, barrier, or some kind of fortification made to keep others out; as a verb the act of building such a fortification for protection.
Barrow - (BAIR-oh) the contents of a wheelbarrow or a cart, a load that such a conveyance carries. To be treated like a barrow is to be treated like cargo.
Base Viol - (BASE VY-ol) also "bass viol", a stringed instrument somewhat like a cello, serving as an instrument that plays notes in the lower registers.
Base-born - (BASE born) someone of low birth, a mere commoner, someone with no inborn nobility. An insult when spoken to nobility, since it casts doubt on their heritage.
Base-court - (BASE-kort) part of a castle, a lower courtyard where the servants generally assemble. People who were familiar was the layout of castles would know where to find it.
Basilisk - (BASS-ill-ihsk) a mythical creature, somewhat like a serpent. It had the ability to kill other beings simply by looking at them. Sometimes a type of cannon.
Basket-hilt - (BAS-ket hillt) a basket-shaped guard over the hilt of a sword, put there so an opponent could not slide his blade down and cut a duellist's hand.
Bass Viol, Base Viol - (BASE VY-ol) a stringed instrument somewhat like a cello, serving as an instrument that plays notes in the lower registers. The precedesor to the cello.
Bass, Base - (BASE) a low resonant tone. Something that sounds a bass has a deep and powerful voice. It could apply to an instrument or to a voice in general.
Bastinado - (bass-tin-AH-doh) a severe beating with a stick, often on the soles of the feet. It can also meant a metaphorical beating, like a tongue-lashing.
Bate - (BAYT) to lessen, lower, or otherwise reduce something. From the word "abate". "Bate the rage" is the same as saying "calm down".
Bate-breeding - (BAYT BREED-ing) someone who causes trouble or is looking to cause some kind of mischief. Generally used in an accusatory tone.
Bateless - (BAYT-less) always sharp to the point where nothing can dull the edge. A bateless sword can cut through anything, always, without becoming blunt.
Bat-fowling - (BAT fowl-ing) catching birds, at night when they're asleep, by the method of sneaking up on them and hitting them with a club.
Batler, Batlet - (BAT-ler, BAT-let) a wooden stick used for beating clothes to wash them. Before the invention of the washboard or washing machine, clothing was soaked in a cleaning agent, then beaten to get the dirt out.
Battalia - (bat-AL-ee-a) a large military force, prepared for battle. The term battalia is similar to the modern word "battalion".
Batten - (BAT-tin) to fatten, to gorge on food. Batten is similar to "pig out" or "stuff yourself", eating so much as to become obese.
Batty - (BAT-tee) having attributes like a bat, bat-like. To say something has batty wings is simply to say it has wings like a bat.
Bauble - (BAW-bul) a toy, something to be played with, a mere trinket, something that might be pretty but is ultimately without value.
Baubling, Bawbling - (BAW-bling) trifling, hardly worth noticing. A baubling vessel is a ship that is ramshackle and poorly-built, barely seaworthy -- certainly nothing any real sailor would want anything to do with.
Baulk, Balk - (BAWLK) hold back from, or stop engaging, in a particular task. "Make slow pursuit or altogether balk." means "Take it slowly or don't do it at all."
Bavian - (BAV-ee-an) an ape, more specifically, a baboon. An older word for a baboon, an animal generally only the wealthy ever got to see in Shakespeare's England.
Bavin - (BAV-in) wood used for kindling, dry sticks and twigs for starting fires. Not generally insulting, but is not complimentary when used to refer to someone's wits.
Bawcock - (BAW-kok) a fine chap, a good guy. Literally a "good bird", the kind of guy someone else will vouch for, someone who can be counted upon to be a good friend.
Bawd - (BAWD) one who ruins or corrupts a virtuous thing, a pimp, one who sells or gives out corruption. A bawd is a go-between who brokers unsavory deals.
Bawdry - (BAWD-ree) something lewd or obscene. A bawdry tale is one that includes a lot of sexual content, unfit for the ears of ladies and others who might be offended by such matters (in the eyes of the people at that time).
Bawdy-house - (BAWD-ee hows) a brothel, a house of ill-repute, a place where one would go to see a prostitute. Presumably, no one good goes to one, yet many did.
Beachy - (BEE-chee) the rocky, pebble-strewn shore, as some beaches are. "The beachy girdle of the ocean" is simply the land that holds in the sea.
Beadle - (BEE-dul) the constable of a parish, a policeman charged with enforcing the law; someone who punishes others for infractions against the law.
Beadsman - (BEEDS-man) a beggar, one who lives at the charity of others and prays for those who give him money by way of thanks.
Bearard - (BAIR-ard) one who herds or tends bears. Bears were used in "sporting" events like bear baiting. Some also trained bears to dance for entertainment.
Bearherd, Bear-herd, Bearard, Bearward, Berrord - (BAIR-ard, BAIR-hurd, BEAR-ard, BAIR-ward, BEAR-ord) one who handles or tends bears. Bears were used in "sporting" events like bear baiting. Some also trained bears to dance for entertainment.
Bearing-cloth - (BAIR-ing clawth) a garment used when one is christened or baptisted. Used to wrap a small child in, as infants are baptised in the Catholic and Anglican traditions.
Bearward - (BAIR-ward) one who handles or tends bears. Bears were used in "sporting" events like bear baiting. Some also trained bears to dance for entertainment.
Beauty-waning - (BEW-tee WAYN-ing) describes someone whose beauty is fading away, generally with age. A beauty-waning widow is a woman whose age is catching up to her and she's not as pretty as she used to be.
Bechance - (bee-CHANS) happen to, e.g. "If he bechance to fall and become injured", meaning "If he should happen to fall and get hurt."
Beck - (BEK) command, beckon, as in "at my beck and call". For Hamlet to have many offenses at his beck, means more wrong deeds than he can even call to mind.
Bedashed - (bee-DASHD) dashed around, splashed with, splattered with. Trees bedashed with rain are trees that are splattered with raindrops from a storm or shower.
Bedazzle - (bee-DAZ-zul) to cause confusion by dazzling with brilliance, either literally with light, or metaphorically by beauty.
Bed-blotting - (BED blot-ting) something that corrupts the marriage bed. Almost always meaning adultery, generally on the part of a woman, as male adultery was often considered less severe.
Bedded - (BED-did) to lie flat, matted down; embedded, as in a jewel set into a ring; had sexual relations with, as in taken a woman into one's bed.
Bedew - (be-DOO) to get wet with little droplets of moisture, most commonly tears. To bedew a hearse is to weep over a coffin, dropping tears of grief onto it.
Bedfellow - (BED-fell-oh) a very close friend, as in a person one could comfortably share a bedroom with. Very rarely implies a sexual relationship. Bedfellows are nearly always just very good friends.
Bed-hanger - (BED hang-er) a tapestry that one hangs on a four-poster bed, more than likely something only the wealthy generally have, given the expense of a four-poster bed and of artwork.
Bedim - (be-DIM) to cause something to become dim, to darken the glow or light of an object. To cover the sun with clouds is to bedim the sun.
Bedlam - (BED-lam) crazed or insane, e.g. bedlam beggars are beggars who are also not sound of mind; a state of crazed confusion, random franticness.
Bed-presser - (BED press-er) one who loves his bed far too much, a lazy person who can't be bothered to get up until late in the day. Same as a sluggard.
Bedred - (BED-red) bedridden, one who is unable to rise from bed, whether to due to sickness or advanced age. Often a person who is soon to die.
Bedrench - (be-DRINCH) to dowse with a liquid, to soak someone down. Such drenching does not necessarily have to be water. Sometimes it was blood, either metaphorically or literally.
Bedrid, Bed-rid, Bedred - (BED-rid, BED-rid, BED-red) bedridden, one who is unable to rise from bed, whether to due to sickness or advanced age. Often a person who is soon to die.
Bed-right - (BED-rite) so-called marriage rights, the rights to sexual activity with one's spouse. Often meaning the consummation of a marriage.
Bed-swerver - (BED-swur-ver) an adulterer, one that breaks the vows of marriage by having an affair. The term applies to both male or female.
Bed-vow - (BED vow) the vows of marriage, after which a man and a woman occupy the same bed. The promise for each to be faithful toward the other.
Bedward, to - (BED-word) to bedward is to be shown a path to bed. In the case of its mention in Coriolanus, this is the way to the honeymoon bed lighted after a wedding.
Beef-witted - (BEEF wit-ted) to have the brains of an ox, stupid. A beef-witted person is slow-thinking, stubborn, and difficult, if not impossible, to teach anything new.
Beer / Ale, small - (BEER, AIL) beer or ale that is weak, either having been watered down, or beer that is of poor quality, lacking the strength of well-made ale.
Beesome - (BEE-some) half-blind, can only see things through blurred vision. Someone with beesome vision would have a difficult time seeing without glasses -- to which most did not have access then.
Beest - (BE-est) a form of the verb "to be". An archaic way to say "are". "If thou beest not ill" is to say "If you are not sick."
Beest-eating - (BEEST eet-ing) a term that describes someone who drinks the milk of a cow after the calf has been born. The term was considered insulting because only unsophisticated country folk did this in Shakespeare's day.
Beetle-headed - (BEE-tul hed-did) stupid, stubborn, and lacking in wit. It is comparable to calling someone idiotic and just as insulting, if not more so.
Befall - (BE-fall) to happen or happen to, to come to pass. To be strong whatever may befall is to say the one will remain strong no matter what happens.
Before-breach - (be-FOR breech) an earlier breaking of the law, an infraction that happened before the current time. It refers to a crime that was committed in a past date.
Beggar-fear - (BEG-ger feer) the fear a beggar would fear. A beggar was the lowest of the low in Shakespeare's time, with no real rights. Almost anyone could do a beggar at least some harm with impunity.
Begird - (be-GURD) to surround or make a circle around something. When used in a military or battle context, it means to surround with an army or to besiege.
Begnaw - (be-NAW) to reduce or weaken something be eating at it, biting it, or chewing it. Often used in a metaphorical sense, so worry can begnaw a man's soul.
Beguild - (be-GYLD) Thought to be an alternate spelling of beguile, which means to trick by means of deception and charm, to con someone.
Beguile - (be-GYL) to trick or deceive, to con another, to draw attention away from something by means of trickery; charm or bewitch
Beguiling - (be-GYL-ing) trickery or deception. A more modern term would be a con job. This is a deliberate effort to gain something through lying.
Behest - (be-HEST) command or request. If someone performs an action because she was told to so, she is acting at the behest of another.
Behindhand - (be-HYND-hand) slow, backward, late. It has the implication of a lack of sophistication or of someone who's made a social mistake.
Beholden - (be-HOHLD-en) in debt or obligation to another. To beholden to someone means to owe them something, whether money or a favor.
Behoof - (be-HOOF) an advantage of some kind. A more modern way to say it is "behalf", as in "I'll open the store early on your behalf."
Behoofeful - (be-HOOF-ful) necessary or useful. Behoofeful objects are things one likes to have around or might find to be of use in the present situation or in the future.
Behove - (be-HOHV) as a noun, some kind of advantage or benefit; as a verb, fits, is appropriate; keeps under control or moderates.
Behoveful, Behoofeful - (be-HOHV-ful, be-HOOF-ful) necessary or useful. Behoofeful objects are things one likes to have around or might find to be of use in the present situation or in the future.
Behowl - (be-HOWL) to howl at, or cry out to. "As the wolf behowls the moon" is simply to say "As the wolf howls at the moon." An archaic usage.
Beldam - (BEL-dam) an old woman. Depending upon context and the subject, it could mean a grandmotherly or matronly woman, any elderly woman, or a witch or hag. Also written as "beldame)
Be-lee - (be-LEE) literally to be out of the wind, figuratively to be made helpless. It implies a sailing ship without any wind to drive it, so it lies dead in the water, incapable of movement.
Bell-wether - (BELL-weth-er) the sheep that leads the flock, named so because it wears a bell; otherwise, a man who has an unfaithful wife, a cuckold. An insult in the latter case.
Belly Doublet - (BEL-lee DUB-let) A doublet, or close-fitting jacket that had the belly of the garment either padded or unpadded. Unpadded was thin-belly, padded was great-belly.
Belly-god - (BEL-lee gahd) one who worships his belly, someone with a great love of food and/or drink who spends a lot of time feeding himself.
Belly-pinched - (BEL-lee pinchd) very hungry, so that the stomach feels pinched, starving. The belly-pinched wolf is a predator that is starved and looking for any prey to devour.
Belock - (be-LOK) to lock up or to hold tight. It's possible for a safe or room to be belocked, but two people who intertwine their fingers can said to have hands belocked.
Bemadding - (be-MAD-ing) an older way to say "bemaddening", it describes something that makes one crazy, or insane. It means something that is too much for sanity to bear.
Bemeet - (be-MEET) to meet with. Two people who encounter each other on a road or in a tavern public room can be said to bemeet one another. An archaic form no longer used.
Bemete, Be-mete - (be-MEET, be-MEET) measure, in particular to measure out punishment. To bemete someone usually means to exact some sort of punitive action on another.
Bemoaning - (be-MOH-ning) sad and sorrowful, a bemoaning speech is made up of words full of sadness, with something of a plaintive air to it.
Bemock - (be-MOK) to mock or taunt, to make fun of. One does not necessarily have to bemock another person. Inanimate objects can also be bemocked.
Bemocked-at - (be-MOKD at) to be the subject of mockery, derision, or taunting. Someone who is constantly the butt of jokes or teasing can be said to be much bemocked-at.
Bemoil - (be-MOIL) to dirty, to soil. After Katherina fell from her horse, she was bemoiled, meaning she was covered with dirt or mud after her fall.
Bemonster, Be-monster - (be-MON-ster) to become monstrous in appearance, to become deformed or perverted. A be-monstered face is one that has gone from beauty to ugliness, in demeanor, if not appearance.
Ben Venuto - (ben vin-OOT-oh) a form of the Italian "benvenuto", meaning welcome. This meaning here is specifically the warm welcome one would give a friend or someone else to whom is being offered hospitality.
Bencher - (BINCH-er) a magistrate, a leader, or someone else who sits in judgment. The term refers to the bench upon which jurists sit while hearing a case and making judgments.
Bench-hole - (BINCH hohl) a privy-hole or toilet. Such facilities were often nothing more than a hole cut into a bench with a bucket underneath, set in a private room.
Benefice - (BEN-ih-fis) a church assignment, as in the locale in which a priest or bishop is posted for service. To be moved to another benefice is to be relocated to another parish or see.
Benet - (be-NET) to ensnare or capture in a net. A child who catches butterflies in a net can be said to have benetted some butterflies. Modern usage is to simply use the verb "to net".
Benevolence - (ben-EV-o-lens) a forced payment or compelled act of charity. Different from the modern meaning in which benevolence is unforced kindness or charity.
Benison - (BEN-ih-son) another word for blessing or benediction. A priest would often offer a benison or one would seek one out, before a dangerous or risky endeavor, especially war.
Benumbed - (be-NUMD) unable to move, without strength. One can be physically benumbed, as in without feeling and paralyzed, or emotionally benumbed, without the will to do anything productive.
Bepaint - (be-PAYNT) to cover over, or recolor. A blushing cheek can be said to be bepainted with red, likewise a sunset sky is bepainted by purple and pink.
Bepray - (be-PRAY) the same as pray, in the older sense of asking or begging or something, e.g. "I bepray you to show mercy" is a way to plead for mercy.
Bequeath - (be-KWEETH) to give something up, or hand it over. A king can bequeath his crown to an heir, a father can bequeath an inheritance to his children.
Berattle - (be-RAT-ul) to fill with rattling or noise. Players who berattle the stage fell it with pointless talking, noises, and babbling. It is more commotion than art.
Beray - (be-RAY) to stain, ruin, or disfigure. To have someone "berayed in blood" is to say that person's appearance has been marred or disfigured due to blood stains.
Bereave - (be-REEV) to take something away, to deny something to someone, to steal something from another; to destroy or pillage in the manner of a bandit or a pirate.
Berhyme, Be-rime - (be-RYM, be-RYM) to put a thought or sentiment to rhyme, to celebrate something by making rhyming poetry or song about it.
Berrord - (BAIR-ord) one who handles or tends bears. Bears were used in "sporting" events like bear baiting. Some also trained bears to dance for entertainment.
Bescreen - (be-SKREEN) to screen away from view or cover something up. To be "bescreened by night" means one is hidden in the darkness, covered up by the night.
Beseek - (be-SEEK) a misspelling of "beseech", which means to ask or plead for. Purposely spelled wrong to represent either a dialect or the low education of the speaker.
Beseem - (be-SEEM) be fit for. A garment as might beseem a king is a robe or other article of clothing that is rich and elegant enough for a ruler. An action not worthy of that same king is something that does not beseem him.
Beshrew, 'shrew - (be-SHROO, SHROO) a curse, meaning something like "devil take" or simply just "curse", e.g. "He does beshrew my manners" is to say someone is cursing the manners of another, or more likely, the lack of manners.
Beslubber - (be-SLUB-ber) to spread or smear something thickly with a liquid of some sort, like mud or blood. Can be used figuratively as well as literally.
Besmear - (be-SMEER) to smear, either in the physical sense of smearing a thing, as with blood; or in the figurative sense, as in to smear or sully someone's name with slander.
Besmirch - (be-SMURCH) stain, either in the literal sense of clothing being dirtied, or in the figurative sense of a person's good reputation being stained by lies.
Besom - (BE-sum) a broom, or any sort of brush-like object used to sweep a room clean. Used figuratively in Henry VI, Part II, to mean a clean political sweep.
Besonian, Bezonian (be-SO-nee-an, be-ZO-nee-an) a rogue or scoundrel, someone not to be trusted, implied to be of low birth or low reputation. It is not a pleasant thing to call another.
Besort - (be-SORT) as a verb, to means to be suitable for, the way a fine sword besorts a soldier; as a noun it means company suitable for a given person, such as a noble's entourage.
Bespice - (be-SPICE) to add spice to something, most commonly a beverage. It could also mean to add something less benign -- like a poison to someone's wine.
Bestained - (be-STAYND) to be covered with stains. Bestained is not merely dirty or soiled, it is stained all over in the manner of someone who has not worn clean clothing in quite a long time.
Best-boding - (best BOHD-ing) the most promising. To call a plan or idea best-boding, it means it is the one, out of any others, that seemed to have the best possibility of working.
Best-conditioned - (best con-DIT-shund) to be of the highest character. A best-conditioned spirit is one of good impulses that will always attempt to do the right thing before all else.
Bestraught - (be-STRAWT) completely insane, out of one's mind. One who is bestraught is utterly over the edge and likely needs to be constrained to avoid harming himself or others.
Bestrew - (be-STREW) to scatter or cover the ground with something; to lay upon or cover something. A person fallen over bestrews the ground.
Bestride - (be-STRYD) to straddle or sit across, as on a horse; to stand across in a protective manner; to take a large step across, to stride
Best-tempered - (best TIM-perd) of the finest quality, from the term "temper", which is part of the process of forging metal. A best-tempered sword is one of the best swords one can acquire.
Beteem, Beteene - (be-TEEM, be-TEEN) allow, permit, let free. To not beteem the winds of heaven to blow too roughly is to restrain the wind from blowing so hard.
Beteene - (be-TEEN) allow, permit, let free. To not beteene the winds of heaven to blow too roughly is to restrain the wind from blowing so hard.
Bethump - (be-THUMP) to hit soundly. While it could mean a literal hit with fist or weapon, one can also be bethumped by a powerful speech or strong condemnation.
Betide - (be-TYD) to happen to, to come to, to take place. To stand strong whatever may betide means to hold firm no matter what comes along or what happens in the future.
Betime - (be-TYM) early, at an early hour; soon, in good time; right away, immediately. The meaning changes slightly, depending upon context.
Betossed - (be-TOSSD) tossed around to the point of being shaken up. Often used in a figurative sense, again meaning shaken up, but emotionally, rather than in a physical manner.
Betrim - (be-TRIM) to embellish or add decoration to. Can also be meant in nature, as in the spring season betrims the trees with flowering blossoms each year.
Betumbled - (be-TUM-buld) disordered, disarranged. It has a meaning similar to a bed that has been slept in, but has yet to be made, giving it a disheveled appearance.
Betwixt - (be-TWIXT) an archaic form of the word "between". It can be used in the same manner and same circumstances interchangeably.
Bevel - (BEV-ul) not level, crooked, or slanting. It might apply to a physical structure, but can also apply in a figurative sense, meaning something is not on an even keel in a moral sense.
Bevy - (BEV-ee) a group of friends or associates, sometimes more specifically meant to imply a group of women, like a coven of witches.
Bewasted - (be-WAYST-ed) wasted away. "My oil-dry and time-bewasted lamp" means "My lamp's oil has dried up and its light has wasted away."
Beweep - (be-WEEP) to weep over, to make wet with tears. To beweep something is to be overcome with sorrow, though the actual tears don't have to be literal.
Bewet - (be-WET) wet to the point of being soaked through. Often used to refer to being soaked with tears, rather than rain, beverages, or blood.
Bewhore - (be-HOR) a verb meaning to call someone a whore. "To so bewhore Desdemona" is to say "To imply so strongly that she is unfaithful".
Bewray - (be-RAY) to reveal, expose, unmask or otherwise make known that which was hidden before. It can usually be exchanged with "betray", as in "Her expression betrays her real mood".
Bezonian - (be-ZOHN-ee-an) a rogue or scoundrel, someone not to be trusted, implied to be of low birth or low reputation. It is not a pleasant thing to call another.
Bias-drawing - (BY-us DRAW-ing) deliberately avoiding the truth, deceitful actions or plans. Any shady deal or unsavory plot can be called a bias-drawing.
Bibble-babble - (BIB-ul BAB-ul) chatter, babble, rambling speech without any real meaning. A pointed way to say someone is talking nonsense or saying a lot without really saying much at all.
Bid the base / Bass - (BID thuh BASE) challenge another to a chase. The name is derived from a game boys played at the time involving a lot of chasing called prisoner's base.
Biddy - (BID-dee) short for "chickabiddy", which means chicken. Rather than being an insult as it is today, it was a term of childish affection in those days, much the same as "buddy" or "pal".
Bide - (BYD) endure, suffer, e.g. to bide a curse; live or dwell, e.g. to bide in the house by the river; to wait for something, e.g. to bide here until he arrives; to exist, to be, e.g. I bide, by the grace of God.
Bifold, By-fold - (BY-fold) another way to say two-fold. A more modern way to say it is "double". To have "bifold trouble" is to have twice as much trouble as before.
Biggen - (BIG-gen) a nightcap, as in the hat one wears when asleep. With no real heating aside from fires, people often wore hats to bed to keep their heads warm.
Bilbo - (BIL-boh) a sword. The word comes from the tree "bilbao", which is known for its flexibility. The implication is of a thin supple weapon that can bend without breaking.
Bird-bolt, Burbolt - (BURD-bolt, BUR-bolt) an arrow, shorter in length than the standard, with a blunt tip. It's used for hunting birds, enabling a hunter to kill small fowl without destroying the body as a larger arrow might.
Birdlime - (BURD-lym) a type of adhesive applied to branches, used to catch birds. Once was figured out where birds would perch, the birdlime was applied and the hunter could return later.
Birthdom - (BURTH-dum) nation of birth, e.g. one's native land, the land one calls home; birthright, that which belongs to a person from birth or due to their circumstances of birth.
Bison - (BIS-sun) blurry-visioned, half-blind; brilliant and dazzling to the point of causing blindness. A bisson lamp is one that flares far too brightly.
Bitumed - (bih-TOOMD) covered in bitumen, otherwise known as pitch or tar. A thick, sticky material often used for binding and insulating roofs, despite its ease to set aflame.
Blackamoor - (BLAK-a-mor) a dark-skinned native of Africa. Though the name came in part from the Moors, Spanish Muslims, one called by this term was not necessarily a Moor.
Black-cornered - (BLAK-kor-nerd) full of shadows. It means a room where all the corners are shadowed, giving those who wish to hide a great deal of opporunity to do so.
Blain - (BLAYN) a sore, a blister, or a boil. Often caused by a sickness of some kind, but any sore or blister can be rightfully called a blain.
Blank Charter - (BLAYNK CHAR-ter) a promisory document that does not have the amount of money promised filled in. In other words, a blank check, where the recipient can request as much money as he or she feels is required.
Blaze - (BLAYZ) a fire or flame, as in modern language; also to shine forth or show, e.g. the blaze of his wrath was clear upon his face.
Blazon - (BLAYZ-on) a banner or a coat of arms; to display something (as on showing a coat of arms); something that shows a path or reveals something that would otherwise be difficult to see.
Blear - (BLEER) to lie or deceive. Someone who has been bleared is someone who has been lied to or tricked in some fashion.
Blench - (BLINCH) to jerk or shrink away from; to back away from, or turn away from; when a noun it means to look at something from the corner of one's eye.
Blent - (BLINT) an obsolete term for "blended" or mixed together, like paint. The meaning can also be figurative, such as the blending of two lives, concepts or ideas.
Blind-worm - (BLIND WURM) Not a worm, but actually a legless lizard known as a slow-worm. The name blind-worm is rarely used. Though it resembles a snake, the blind-worm is not one.
Blithe - (BLYTH) happy, full joy. One can have a blithe spirit, meaning a happy soul or disposition, but it most often applies to the current mood or atmosphere.
Bloat - (BLOHT) an adjective meaning bloated or swollen up. The connotation is of someone who has grown large through too much food or alcohol.
Blockish - (BLOK-ish) the same meaning as "block-headed", a blockish person is not very smart, slow to understand concepts. Synonymous with "stupid".
Blood-boltered - (BLUD bohlt-erd) hair matted and soaked in blood. Specifically, Macbeth saw an apparition with his hair matted and tangled by blood into knots.
Blood-sized - (BLUD syzd) stained by blood. Could mean either smeared or spattered with blood, or even soaked with blood, like a field after a battle.
Bloody-minded - (BLUD-ee MYN-did) bloodthirsty, prepared to kill another person. Someone who bloody-minded is fully prepared for battle -- or for murder.
Blowt - (BLOHT) an adjective meaning bloated or swollen up. The connotation is of someone who has grown large through too much food or alcohol.
Blowze - (BLOWZ) a red-cheeked woman. It can mean rozy or blushing cheeks, or it could mean a woman who has a reddish, round face.
Blubbered - (BLUB-erd) Someone whose appearance looks as if they have been crying, like word "blubbering", which means sobbing. Though the word may sound funny to modern ears, there is no humor around the word in Shakespeare's work. It is perfectly serious.
Bluebottle - (BLOO-bot-ul) wearing a blue cloak or a blue uniform. It comes from the impression of one being inside a blue container, due to the uniform color of the garment.
Blue-cap - (BLOO cap) a Scotsman, so named because they were known for wearing blue caps. It is a derisive term for a Scotsman, very similar to a racial slur.
Blur - (BLUR) either as a verb, which means to spot, or stain; or as a noun, meaning a spot or stain. The stain can either be literal, or mean a stain on one's reputation. It does not mean to make visually or morally indistinct or unclear.
Blurt - (BLURT) to say something in a contemptuous way, rather than to say something without thinking. Another word which has had a changed meaning over the centuries since the play was written.
Bluster - (BLUS-ter) either a storm or something that buffets like a storm. Weather can bluster, but so can another person, angrily ranting or otherwise showing his displeasure in a loud way.
Boast Off - (bohst OFF) to boast about or say good things about something in an open and public way. It does not necessarily mean the same as bragging about something or someone.
Bobtail - (BOHB-tail) referring to the tail of an animal that has been bobbed or shortened. The animal mentioned in the passage has had part of its tail cut off, either purposely or through injury.
Bode - (BOHD) to have some meaning in the future, rather through a prediction or through a promise. To say something does not bode well means it's likely to turn out badly in the future.
Bodement - (BOHD-ment) a prediction of the future, an omen of some kind. Usually some kind of mystical premonition or vision, but not necessarily so.
Bodge - (BODJ) Sometimes written as "budge", it means to give way or retreat. Unlike the modern meaning of a small movement when pushed, bodge means a full retreat.
Boding - (BOHD-ing) something that predicts a bad future ahead. An older way to say "foreboding". Anything that gives the impression some poor fortune is ahead can be termed as boding.
Bodkin - (BOHD-kin) a sharp object of some kind. It could be a simple instrument like a hairpin, or a long needle, or something more deadly, like a knife or a dagger.
Body Forth - (BOHD-ee forth) to fully imagine, to picture in the mind. To body forth something is to be able to see it in one's thoughts as if it really existed.
Bodykins - (BOHD-ee-kins) a curse word that has been made mild, short for "God's little body". Phrases referring to Jesus or God that were not prayer were as vulgar as any curse word in Shakespeare's time.
Boggle - (BOG-ul) to show physical signs of sudden fear, to flinch or shy away. Boggling is what one does when startled by a sudden sound. It does not mean profoundly confused, as it does in its modern definition.
Boiled-brain - (BOILD brain) in more modern terms, a "hothead", someone who is liable to go off half-cocked. A boiled-brain is more likely to act before talking and before thinking, often in a violent or crazed manner.
Boisterous - (BOYS-ter-us) violent or painful. The term implies there is a great deal of commotion or tumult that goes along with the pain or violence, like a storm or a battle, or simply someone who is emotionally hurtful.
Bolin - (BOH-lin) a rope used to steady a sail. It's a nautical term that specifically applies to that type of rope, used for that purpose, and no other type of line.
Bollen - (BOH-lin) synonymous with swollen or puffed up. The reason why is not important to the meaning of the word, whether swollen from crying or swollen from injury.
Bolster - (BOHL-ster) a large cushion or pillow, but it can also be a verb meaning to share that pillow, as in to lie in bed or recline together. The verb can have the implication of an intimate relationship.
Bolter - (BOHL-ter) a cloth used as a sieve to sift or strain something. Today, such instruments are often made of metal but such would likely be fairly expensive in Shakespeare's day.
Bolting - (BOHL-ting) sifting. Using a cloth or some other object to strain or separate objects, like flour, or some liquid that needs to be made clearer or more pure.
Bolting-hutch - (BOHL-ting hutch) a container used in sifting, as in when a cook or scullery servant is sifting flour out of bran. It can also be used for other substances, but flour is the most common.
Bombard, Bumbard - (BOM-bard, BUM-bard) a large jug used to carry wine and made of leather. Once used as an insult to refer to another as a fat lump, but not generally used in such a manner.
Bombast, Bumbast - (BOM-bast, BUM-bast) literally, it means wool padding or stuffing, but it can also mean speech that sounds full of wisdom, but is actually only empty words.
Bona-roba - (BOHN-a ROHB-a) an expensive prostitute, what might be known as a call girl of high quality today. It can also refer to high quality acquisitions in general.
Bondmaid - (BOND-mayd) a servant girl who has no real choice in the matter, essentially a slave. A bondmaid has no recourse to quit her job if she so desires and must always follow her master's will.
Bondman - (BOND-man) a serf or a slave. A bondman does not own himself or his work. Instead, his person and what would normally be his property belongs to his master.
Bondslave - (BOND-slayv) simply a slave, someone who is the property of another person. The work and the person of the slave belongs utterly to his or her master.
Bone-ache, Neapolitan - (BOHN-ayk, nee-a-POL-ih-tan) literally a pain in the bones from Naples, but actually a term referring to a sexually transmitted disease, like syphilis.
Bonnet - (BON-net) a hat. It refers to any hat or cap, not just as specific time. Very rarely used as a verb -- to bonnet can mean to remove one's cap out of respect or to flatter another.
Bonny - (BON-nee) Depending upon the context, it could mean strong or strapping, when used to refer to a male, or lovely, beautiful, or sweet when applied to a female.
Book-man - (BOOK-man) someone who is learning or involved in academic matters, well-read. It could refer to a lifelong scholar or to a student.
Book-oath - (BOOK-ohth) an oath sworn on a Bible. When someone is ask to swear an oath, then looks for a book, the book they mean is the Bible, so that the oath may be solemnly sworn.
Boon - (BOON) a request or a favor. Often asked of a king or other high noble in return for service done. A lady would sometimes grant a boon to her champion.
Boor - (BOOR) a peasant or hick, someone uncouth and unlettered. The implication is of someone of low birth who has never been taught any manners.
Boot-hose - (BOOT hohs) a stocking or sock that covered the entire lower leg, like a boot. Something like a knee sock, generally worn in such a way as to be visible.
Bo-peep - (bo-PEEP) also known as "peep-bo" or "peek-a-boo". A game that adults played with very small children and infants, and still play today.
Boresprit - (BOR-sprit) otherwise known as a bowsprit. This is a boom, or beam, that comes from the bow of the ship to attach to the front end of the ship's front sail.
Bosky - (BOS-kee) covered with undergrowth, thickets, and bushes. When one refers to his bosky acres, it means his land is likely in need of some clearing.
Botch - (BOTCH) as a noun, it means a mistake or a flaw, and applied to a person it's a little like calling that person a freak; as a verb it means to fail, to mess up, or to have a great deal of trouble with.
Botcher - (BOTCH-er) someone who patches or mends old clothing, a tailor that fixes garments, or someone who patches old or broken things together in general.
Botchy - (BOTCH-ee) covered entirely in sores, or tumors, visibly and terribly ill. Comes from the word "botch", which can mean a mistake, flaw, or blemish.
Bots - (BOTS) a stomach worm that afflicts horses. Can also be used as somewhat of a curse, as in to wish "the bots on it".
Boughs - (BOWS) leaves, branches, twigs growing from a tree. Basically, the parts of the tree that offshoot from the trunk.
Bounden - (BOWND-en) to be bound to another by obligation, indebted. It can also simply mean grateful, but the implication is usually to owe someone for some welcome assistance.
Bounteously - (BOWNT-ee-us-lee) a great deal, a lot. To be given something bounteously, means not just to be given something to be given great amounts of whatever it is.
Bourn - (BORN) a boundary, or the land beyond boundaries, such as a frontier. The meaning changes slightly, depending upon the context of the passage.
Bow Hand - (BOH hand) simply, the hand that holds the bow. This usually refers to the non-dominant hand, as a right-handed person would hold the bow with the left hand and pull the string back with the right.
Bow-back - (BOH back) a bowed back, when someone's spine is arched to resemble a bow. It can refer to animals, such as horses, as well as to humans.
Bowels - (BOW-els) the very depths or core of something. This could be the literal depths or core, like the bowels of a mountain, or it could mean an emotional core, the origin of one's emotions.
Bower - (BOW-er) a green glade surrounded by trees; a lady's bedchamber or private quarters. It can also be a verb, meaning to enclose something.
Bowget - (BOH-jet) a tool bag, or a pouch meant to hold tools. May be written as "budget" in some transcripts -- it does not mean budget, as in a plan to spend or allocate money.
Bowling, Bowline - (BOH-ling, BOH-line) a nautical term for the rope that holds a ship's sail steady. In the plays, it is generally part of the orders shouted to the crew.
Box-tree - (BOX tree) an ornamental shrub or bit of topiary. Judging from the context in which the term appears, it is big enough to hide behind or in.
Boy-queller - (BOY-kwel-ler) one who kills or murders, young boys, specifically. Sometimes just "queller". It can also be specified to say "man-queller", "woman-queller", "child-queller" and so forth.
Brabble - (BRAB-ul) a commotion or disturbance. It can mean anything from a small and petty quarrel to a loud argument to an outright brawl.
Brabbler - (BRAB-ler) someone boastful, a braggart. A swaggering type of person who is more than likely to pick fights with his bragging in order to prove himself.
Brach - (BRACH) a hound, especially one that hunts by scent. Can more specifically refer to a female dog. Another way to say "bitch". Not used, at least in Shakespeare, as a pejorative.
Braggardism, Braggartism - (BRAG-gard-is-um, BRAG-gart-is-um) bragging. Anyone boasting of his own deeds in a positive light (and often in a way that cannot believed) is engaging in braggardism.
Brainsick, Brain-sick - (BRAIN-sik) mentally ill, insane. A brainsick idea is one that is not merely silly or stupid, but insane or foolish in some destructive manner.
Brain-sickly - (BRAIN-sik-lee) foolishly, as in the way an insane person might do something. Indicates an action that someone who is not quite right in the mind might take.
Bran - (BRAN) a husk, the part of grain that is not eaten. The bran is generally sifted away from the grain, just as the chaff, the other inedible part, is winnowed away.
Brawl - (BRAWL) a quarrel, fight, or argument, much the same as the modern meaning; also, less commonly, a type of dance that comes France.
Brawn - (BRAWN) muscle, or the muscular parts of the body, sometimes specifically a muscular arm; also, a stuffed pig that has been prepared for the banquet table.
Brawn-buttock - (BRAWN but-ok) a well-rounded and toned posterior. A pleasant rear end as opposed to one that is fat, lumpy, bony, or otherwise unattractive.
Braze - (BRAYZ) to harden, like the metal brass. An object can be literally brazed or hardened, but it can also be meant in a figurative sense as in to braze one's resolve or will.
Brazen-faced - (BRAYZ-en faysd) without shame or embarrassment, unabashed. One who is brazen-faced feels or shows no shame for his actions, no matter how shameful those actions might have been (or are thought to be.)
Brazier - (BRAYZ-ur) someone who works in brass, a brass-smith. Generally a common craftsman, which gave them very little status in society.
Bread-chipper - (BRED chip-per) a menial laborer who has to take what he gets when it comes to food, so he gets to eat the crusts of the bread, leaving the main body of the loaves to others.
Break-neck - (BRAYK neck) a noun meaning a complete and utter ruin. To make a break-neck of a castle for instance is to knock it down, so it is unfit to live in or defend anything.
Break-promise - (BRAYK prom-iss) someone who breaks a promise, who swears an oath and does not follow it. It is something one does not ever want to be known as.
Break-vow - (BRAYK-vow) one who breaks his promises, swearing oaths without meaning to keep them. Similar in meaning to "break-promise".
Breed-bate - (BREED-bayt) someone who causes trouble or mischief. While not exactly an insult, it isn't a good thing to be known as, either.
Brew-house - (BROO-hows) a house specially used for brewing alcoholic beverages, generally a smaller building separated from the larger establishment.
Briar - (BRY-er) thorns or a thorny bush or briar. Often used to refer to the a rosebush, which is known for its particularly sharp thorns, which must be braved to extract the flower.
Bride-habited - (bryd HAB-it-ed) in one's wedding gown, dressed for a wedding. A woman in her white dress and veil, who looks as if she's ready walk the aisle is bride-habited.
Bridehouse - (BRYD-hows) house where one is married. Marriages are not necessarily held in a church, but even if it is, when a wedding is performed there, it is a bridehouse.
Brim - (BRIM) the edge of something, not necessarily a hat or a cup. One could stand on the brim of a river. It could also refer to a figurative brim, as to stand on the brim of reason.
Brinded - (BRIN-did) striped or streaked. The word most usually refers to the fur colors of an animal. A brinded cat would be called a tabby cat in modern terms.
Brine - (BRYN) salty water. It most often refers to sea water, but the word is also used to describe tears in many passages of Shakespeare's work.
Brine-pit - (BRYN pit) a salt-pit, though not necessarily a place from which salt can be extracted. Not a salt mine, but a natural feature of the earth.
Brinish - (BRYN-ish) means salty, in general, but the word can also mean bitter, not merely in the sense of taste, but emotionally bitter.
Brisk - (BRISK) sharp and refreshing; also, sharply and finely dressed. The exact meaning can be taken from the context -- a drink would be brisk in the refreshing sense, a person would be brisk in the clothing sense.
Broach - (BROHCH) to open up or start flowing, either in the physical sense, as in tapping a keg by puncturing it to let the beer out, or in a figurative sense, by starting a conversation flowing; it can also mean simply to stab or impale.
Broad-fronted - (BRAWD front-id) someone with a broad forehead. It was used to describe Julius Caesar and may also suggest a noble aspect or a intelligent demeanor.
Brock - (BROK) literally, a badger, but to call another a brock was to call them sneaky, disgusting, low-down, and generally disreptuable, in the same way the word "rat" is used in modern times.
Brogue - (BROHG) a poorly-made shoe, of the type the very poor might wear. Specifically something of low quality, something that no one who could afford any better would ever wear.
Broker-lackey - (BROHK-er lak-ee) a middleman or messenger, someone who tries to make deals for another. Used in a somewhat contemptuous manner.
Broking - (BROHK-ing) to be a broker, someone who arranges deals and contracts between others. Someone who tries to arrange a bargain of some kind is broking.
Brooch - (BROOCH) a jewel or ornament, of the type that is often pinned on clothing; as a verb it means to make beautiful, like a work of art, or to display it as such.
Brood - (BROOD) children, either physical or figurative. All of a person's offspring are their brood, but a group of people planning treason can be a brood of traitors.
Brook - (BRUHK) as a noun, a small natural stream of water; as a verb, tolerate or allow, usually expressed in the negative, e.g. "I will brook no lies from him."
Broom-grove - (BROOM grohv) a grove where the broom plant grows, which is a shrub with yellow flowers. It has nothing to do with the actual sweeping implement.
Broomstaff - (BROOM-staf) a broomstick. Nothing more than the common broom used to clean house, so called a broomstaff because it resembles a staff with bristles on one end.
Brow-bind - (BROW bynd) to tie around the brow. The term is reminescent of the crown of laurels typically pictured around the brows of Roman emperors or of a crown of flowers a lady might wear in her hair.
Browny - (BROWN-ee) something brownish colored. To have browny hair is to have hair that is one shade of brown or another, somewhere between black and blond.
Bruit - (BROOT) as a noun, the news or latest rumors; as a verb, to announce, report, or reveal the news. One can be told the bruit, or can bruit the tidings themselves.
Brunt - (BRUHNT) the focal point in a scene of violence or tumult. To be in the brunt of battle is to be in the very thickest part of the conflict.
Bubukle, Bubuncle - (byoob-UK-ul, byoob-UN-kul) a made-up word, from the cross between "bubo" and "carbunkle", meaning inflammation and swelling caused by disease.
Buck-basket - (BUK bass-ket) a basket used specifically for dirty laundry. It is not quite the same as a hamper as dirty clothes are not necessarily put in the buck-basket first.
Buckler - (BUK-ler) most commonly, a small round shield; can also be used as a verb, meaning to protect or defend, as with a shield, to fight or to block attacks.
Buckram, Buckrom - (BUK-ram, BUK-rom) a type of rough or coarse cloth; can also be used to describe person as stiff or rigid in demeanor, essentially stuck-up.
Buck-washing - (BUK wahsh-ing) to wash extremely dirty clothing in a strong solution, such as lye or some kind of bleach, in an effort to get it cleaner than plain soap and water could.
Bud - (BUHD) as a noun, a new blossom on a tree or bush about to grow into a flower; as a verb, the appearance of a new blossom ready to open into a flower.
Budge, Bodge - (BUDJ, BODJ) to give way or retreat. Unlike the modern meaning of a small movement when pushed, bodge means a full retreat.
Budger - (BUDJ-er) one who flinches, shrinks back, or runs away. The implication is that the one who flinches back from danger is a coward.
Buffet - (BUHF-fet) as a noun, it means a strike or a blow; as a verb, it means to hit or pummel something. This is not necessarily a human action, as one can be buffeted by storms and other forces of nature.
Bugbear - (BUHG-bair) a monster, a hobgoblin. In general, a fearsome creature, but of the kind that adults tend to no longer believe in. Used figuratively.
Bugle-bracelet - (BYOO-gul brays-let) a decorative bracelet that was covered by tube-shaped glass beads which vaguely resembled bugles, hence the name.
Bull-beef - (BUL-beef) a joint of beef. It was the belief of some that eating a joint of beef would impart the strength reputed to the bull to the eater.
Bull's-pizzle - (BULS PIZ-ul) the penis of a bull. Much like being compared to genitalia today, it was a dreadful insult to be called a pizzle of any kind.
Bully - (BUL-lee) a good person, a good friend. Unlike today, to call someone a bully was a compliment in Shakespeare's day. Likewise, to call someone a bully friend was to say he was one of the best friends one could have.
Bully Rook - (BUL-lee rook) an affectionate way to greet or address a friend, similar to "old pal", "old buddy", with a minor connotation of an old partner in mischief.
Bulwark - (BUL-work) a barrier, a wall, a structure that protects and holds back the enemy. Usually meant to describe walls, ramparts, or other physical fortifications, but could also describe a rhetorical defense.
Bum-baily, Bum-bailiff - (bum BAY-lee, bum BAY-liff) a sheriff's officer who performs arrest, but mostly by sneaking up on his quarry and catching them by surprise.
Bumbard - (BUM-bard) a large jug used to carry wine and made of leather. Once used as an insult to refer to another as a fat lump, but not generally used in such a manner.
Bombast - (BUM-bast) a large jug used to carry wine and made of leather. Once used as an insult to refer to another as a fat lump, but not generally used in such a manner.
Bunch-backed - (BUNCH bakd) hunch-backed, someone who walks stooped over. Not necessarily an insult, but always used to describe someone in unflattering terms.
Buoy up - (BOY up) to rise up or grow, like a bouy lifted by the water of the ocean. Meant in a figurative sense, as in to lift one's spirits of hopes.
Bur - (BUR) Usually spelled "burr", it is literally a seed-pod with little prickly hooks that stick to clothing or animal's coats. Can also mean a person who is clingy, or anything that is difficult to get rid of.
Burbolt - an arrow, shorter in length than the standard, with a blunt tip. It's used for hunting birds, enabling a hunter to kill small fowl without destroying the body as a larger arrow might.
Burden-wise - (BUR-din wyz) to attach oneself to something like a harmony. If one person is the melody, the other will stick burden-wise, like the other part of the music.
Burdock - (BUR-dok) a type of plant or weed. One of a number of kind of plants that serve no food or medicinal purpose and merely choke out those plants useful to humans.
Burgher - (BUR-ger) a citizen or inhabitant, someone who lives in the general area. The term does not generally include the nobility, who are considered a separate class.
Burgomaster - (BUR-go-mass-ter) the leader or supervisor of an area of the town, the local official of a particular neighborhood or quarter. Sometimes the liason between the lesser nobility and the common folk of the area.
Burgonet - (bur-go-NET) a small light helmet worn in battle, sometimes with a bill in front and a ridge on top, rarely with a visor to cover the face.
Burly-boned - (BUR-lee bohnd) large-framed, very big. A burly-boned man is visibly larger than most men, stronger and bigger than his compatriots.
Burnet - (BUR-net) a flower, reputed to smell sweet. It is unknown what the name of the flower is in modern terms, since many of the names for plants have changed since Shakespeare's time.
Burning Zone - (BUR-ning zohn) the tropical parts of the world, the hot regions of the planet that encircle the globe. It was known then that the tropical areas of the world were to the south (of Europe) then.
Burr - (BUR) Literally a seed-pod with little prickly hooks that stick to clothing or animal's coats. Can also mean a person who is clingy, or anything that is difficult to get rid of.
Burthen - (BUR-then) an archaic spelling of "burden". When "burthen" is seen, either as a verb or as a noun, it can be read as "burden" without any further change.
Buskined - (BUS-kend) wearing buskins, which are high boots usually worn when on the hunt. Specifically speaking of the attire of the Queen of the Amazons in a Midsummer Night's Dream.
Busky - (BUS-kee) another way to say "bushy" or otherwise covered with shrubbery. When a "busky hill" is described, it means the hill is green with vegetation.
Buss - (BUS) as a noun, simply a kiss; as a verb, to kiss with great passion or desire; to bump against, as in "knees bussing the stone" meaning to kneel down.
Butt-end - (BUT end) the very end, the very last part, all that remains. To hear the butt-end of a speech means to only hear the last few sentences or words.
Butter-woman - (BUT-ter wo-man) literally, a dairymaid or the woman than churns the milk into butter. It can also mean someone who talks incessantly, as in the modern "chatterbox".
Buttery Bar - (BUT-ter-ee bar) a ledge on the door of the buttery (a place liquor was sold). The door of the buttery would be split in half, allowing the top half to open independently from the bottom half. The proprietor would open the top half and place the drinks on the ledge protruding from the bottom half for customers.
Butt-shaft - (BUT shaft) a blunt-headed arrow, used for target practice. Spoken of when talking of arrows that won't actually pierce the target, for whatever reason.
Buxom - (BUX-um) bright and cheerful, lively. The meaning of the word has changed over the centuries and it absolutely does not carry the same meaning as it does today.
By-gone - (BY gon) referring to something that has just passed. Mentioning the by-gone day simply means yesterday, while talking of a by-gone era means ages past, like the days of the Romans.
Byle, Bile - (BYL) archaic spelling of "boil", in the medical sense. It is a blister or a pustule on the skin, caused by sickness. It can also be used in a pejorative manner to refer to a person.
By-peep - (BY peep) to look aside, to view something from the corner of one's eye. It's a sideways glance given when trying to appear not to be looking at the subject.
By-room - (BY room) a room off of the main room, a secondary room. Implied to be a room in which one can meet privately with another.
By-word - (BY word) someone looked down upon by all, specifically due to cowardice. Those who are considered by-words have a terrible reputation often difficult to overcome.
Bacchanal - (bak-an-AHL) a wild dance of celebration, named after the Roman god of wine, Bacchus; a worshipper of the god Bacchus. Bacchus was known for wild drunken parties.
Backare - (bak-ARE-ay) stand back, get away. Not a real word, but believed to be the attempt of one character to speak Latin when he has no understanding of the language whatsoever.
Backbite - (BAK-byt) to betray, to speak slander of another. It has the same connotation as the modern term of talking behind someone's back with the added meaning of metaphorically stabbing someone in the back.
Backfriend - (BAK-frend) a false friend. The meaning is to imply one who would pat a supposed friend on the back, while in truth seeking to undermine or destroy him.
Backsword - (BAK-sword) a practice sword, basically a stick with a hilt, used to teach fencing. To say someone is a good backsword man can mean that person was a good teacher or a good student of fencing.
Back-trick - (BAK-trik) a certain dance step, a short leap backward. The character who mentions the back-trick is praising his own skill at dancing. He's ready for a party.
Bacon-fed - (BAY-kon fed) one who eats a great deal of bacon. Implied to mean a hick or hillbilly, a commoner who works a farm and therefore eats a lot of pork products.
Bade - (BAYD) ask to, made a request of, to command or order. Anytime someone is asked to do something else, it can be said that one person bade another to do it.
Bail - (BAIL) as a verb, to gain release of someone from confinement, e.g. "Will you bail me?"; as a noun, the security or payment given to secure release, the same as the modern meaning.
Bailiff - (BAY-liff) an officer who works under a sherriff. The bailiff arrests those who have broken the law and serves papers to those who are to appear in court.
Baiting-place - (BAY-ting place) a pit for bear-baiting. Bear-beating was a form of entertainment in Shakespeare's time where a bear was tied to a post in a pit, then dogs were set on it until it died.
Baldric, Baldrick - (BALL-drik) a leather strap that is hung over the shoulder, used to carry objects. It generally has a loop in it for a sword, but other things, such as bugles, can be held with a baldric.
Balk - (BAWLK) hold back from, or stop engaging, in a particular task. "Make slow pursuit or altogether balk." means "Take it slowly or don't do it at all."
Ballasting - (BAL-ast-ing) social weight or influence. Comes from the word "ballast", heavy material used to weight down a ship so it will stay even when in the water.
Ballow - (BAL-oh) a club or a cudgel. A simple but effective weapon that was accessible to anyone, unlike the swords were generally restricted to soldiers or the wealthy.
Balmy - (BALL-me) sweet or pleasant-smelling; something that heals or restores. From the word "balm", meaning at type of lotion that aids in healing wounds and soothing a worn body.
Balsam - (BALL-sum) a balm, a medical ointment or lotion that aids in healing and soothes wounds and worn bodies. Can be used metaphorically as something that heals or restores a bad situation.
Balsamum - (BALL-sa-mum) balm or some sort of perfumed oil. An ointment that soothes muscles and assists in the healing of wounds. Generally similar to balsam.
Bancrout, Bankrout, Bankerout - (BAN-krout, BAN-krout, BAN-ker-out) all archaic spellings of bankrupt, meaning divested of all value and worth, when it once had something to offer.
Bandetto, Banditto - (ban-DET-oh, ban-DIT-oh) another way to say a bandit, someone who makes a living from waylaying and robbing others, often in a brutal manner.
Ban-dog - (BAN-dog) a dog that has been chained up or tethered. A ban-dog is simply a dog or a hound at any other time; this is just another way to say bound dog.
Bandy - (BAN-dee) to pass something back and forth, perhaps multiple times; to band together in a group; to fight; to strike with enough force to push another back.
Bandying - (BAN-dee-ing) an exchange of words, generally an unpleasant one. An argument or a quarrel. Someone bandying in the streets is publicly bickering.
Bane - (BAIN) destroyer, a person or object that ruins another, an archenemy; sometimes poison. To be the bane of something often means to be the one thing that can destroy it.
Banket - (BAN-ket) another word for banquet. Unlike a feast, a banquet is not necessarily a heavy meal. It could be something light, refreshments, or even merely dessert.
Bankrout, Bankerout - (BAN-krout, BAN-ker-out) two archaic spellings of bankrupt, meaning divested of all value and worth, when it once had something to offer.
Banneret - (ban-ner-ET) the flag or banner of a knight or noble, small enough to be carried on the tip of a lance. It was one way to identify an important person, both on and off the battlefield.
Barber-monger - (BAR-ber MON-ger) one who often visits the barber shop. The barber shop was not only a place to cut hair in Shakespeare's day. Barbers would let out blood, lance boils, and perform other duties today only allowed to doctors.
Bare-gnawn - (bair-NAWN) completely gnawed away, worn down to nothing. The implication is of something ruined by little bites and cuts until there is nothing left of it.
Bark About - (bark ab-OUT) form a hard crusty layer over something, as in a tree growing bark around itself. In Hamlet, it refers to skin being disfigured through the application of a fatal poison.
Barley Broth - (BAR-lee brawth) a type of ale, given to horses. Not generally alcoholic, but an easy way to feed a horse with what was at hand.
Barley-break - (BAR-lee brayk) a type of game played out in the country, generally in a barley field, hence the name. A pair would stand in a spot called the den, and could break apart when about to be caught.
Barm - (BARM) the froth atop a glass or tankard of ale, the head of a cup of beer. To make the drink bear no barm means the power to turn beer or ale flat.
Barren - (BAIR-in) lacking all life or signs of life; unable to bear children; empty of thought. Sometimes an insult and sometimes just a matter of fact.
Barren-spirited - (BAIR-in SPEER-it-id) someone empty of spirit, barely able to respond, emotionally numb. One who is barren-spirited appears to be without the strength or will to react.
Barricade - (bair-ih-KAHD-oh) as a noun, a wall, barrier, or some kind of fortification made to keep others out; as a verb the act of building such a fortification for protection.
Barrow - (BAIR-oh) the contents of a wheelbarrow or a cart, a load that such a conveyance carries. To be treated like a barrow is to be treated like cargo.
Base Viol - (BASE VY-ol) also "bass viol", a stringed instrument somewhat like a cello, serving as an instrument that plays notes in the lower registers.
Base-born - (BASE born) someone of low birth, a mere commoner, someone with no inborn nobility. An insult when spoken to nobility, since it casts doubt on their heritage.
Base-court - (BASE-kort) part of a castle, a lower courtyard where the servants generally assemble. People who were familiar was the layout of castles would know where to find it.
Basilisk - (BASS-ill-ihsk) a mythical creature, somewhat like a serpent. It had the ability to kill other beings simply by looking at them. Sometimes a type of cannon.
Basket-hilt - (BAS-ket hillt) a basket-shaped guard over the hilt of a sword, put there so an opponent could not slide his blade down and cut a duellist's hand.
Bass Viol, Base Viol - (BASE VY-ol) a stringed instrument somewhat like a cello, serving as an instrument that plays notes in the lower registers. The precedesor to the cello.
Bass, Base - (BASE) a low resonant tone. Something that sounds a bass has a deep and powerful voice. It could apply to an instrument or to a voice in general.
Bastinado - (bass-tin-AH-doh) a severe beating with a stick, often on the soles of the feet. It can also meant a metaphorical beating, like a tongue-lashing.
Bate - (BAYT) to lessen, lower, or otherwise reduce something. From the word "abate". "Bate the rage" is the same as saying "calm down".
Bate-breeding - (BAYT BREED-ing) someone who causes trouble or is looking to cause some kind of mischief. Generally used in an accusatory tone.
Bateless - (BAYT-less) always sharp to the point where nothing can dull the edge. A bateless sword can cut through anything, always, without becoming blunt.
Bat-fowling - (BAT fowl-ing) catching birds, at night when they're asleep, by the method of sneaking up on them and hitting them with a club.
Batler, Batlet - (BAT-ler, BAT-let) a wooden stick used for beating clothes to wash them. Before the invention of the washboard or washing machine, clothing was soaked in a cleaning agent, then beaten to get the dirt out.
Battalia - (bat-AL-ee-a) a large military force, prepared for battle. The term battalia is similar to the modern word "battalion".
Batten - (BAT-tin) to fatten, to gorge on food. Batten is similar to "pig out" or "stuff yourself", eating so much as to become obese.
Batty - (BAT-tee) having attributes like a bat, bat-like. To say something has batty wings is simply to say it has wings like a bat.
Bauble - (BAW-bul) a toy, something to be played with, a mere trinket, something that might be pretty but is ultimately without value.
Baubling, Bawbling - (BAW-bling) trifling, hardly worth noticing. A baubling vessel is a ship that is ramshackle and poorly-built, barely seaworthy -- certainly nothing any real sailor would want anything to do with.
Baulk, Balk - (BAWLK) hold back from, or stop engaging, in a particular task. "Make slow pursuit or altogether balk." means "Take it slowly or don't do it at all."
Bavian - (BAV-ee-an) an ape, more specifically, a baboon. An older word for a baboon, an animal generally only the wealthy ever got to see in Shakespeare's England.
Bavin - (BAV-in) wood used for kindling, dry sticks and twigs for starting fires. Not generally insulting, but is not complimentary when used to refer to someone's wits.
Bawcock - (BAW-kok) a fine chap, a good guy. Literally a "good bird", the kind of guy someone else will vouch for, someone who can be counted upon to be a good friend.
Bawd - (BAWD) one who ruins or corrupts a virtuous thing, a pimp, one who sells or gives out corruption. A bawd is a go-between who brokers unsavory deals.
Bawdry - (BAWD-ree) something lewd or obscene. A bawdry tale is one that includes a lot of sexual content, unfit for the ears of ladies and others who might be offended by such matters (in the eyes of the people at that time).
Bawdy-house - (BAWD-ee hows) a brothel, a house of ill-repute, a place where one would go to see a prostitute. Presumably, no one good goes to one, yet many did.
Beachy - (BEE-chee) the rocky, pebble-strewn shore, as some beaches are. "The beachy girdle of the ocean" is simply the land that holds in the sea.
Beadle - (BEE-dul) the constable of a parish, a policeman charged with enforcing the law; someone who punishes others for infractions against the law.
Beadsman - (BEEDS-man) a beggar, one who lives at the charity of others and prays for those who give him money by way of thanks.
Bearard - (BAIR-ard) one who herds or tends bears. Bears were used in "sporting" events like bear baiting. Some also trained bears to dance for entertainment.
Bearherd, Bear-herd, Bearard, Bearward, Berrord - (BAIR-ard, BAIR-hurd, BEAR-ard, BAIR-ward, BEAR-ord) one who handles or tends bears. Bears were used in "sporting" events like bear baiting. Some also trained bears to dance for entertainment.
Bearing-cloth - (BAIR-ing clawth) a garment used when one is christened or baptisted. Used to wrap a small child in, as infants are baptised in the Catholic and Anglican traditions.
Bearward - (BAIR-ward) one who handles or tends bears. Bears were used in "sporting" events like bear baiting. Some also trained bears to dance for entertainment.
Beauty-waning - (BEW-tee WAYN-ing) describes someone whose beauty is fading away, generally with age. A beauty-waning widow is a woman whose age is catching up to her and she's not as pretty as she used to be.
Bechance - (bee-CHANS) happen to, e.g. "If he bechance to fall and become injured", meaning "If he should happen to fall and get hurt."
Beck - (BEK) command, beckon, as in "at my beck and call". For Hamlet to have many offenses at his beck, means more wrong deeds than he can even call to mind.
Bedashed - (bee-DASHD) dashed around, splashed with, splattered with. Trees bedashed with rain are trees that are splattered with raindrops from a storm or shower.
Bedazzle - (bee-DAZ-zul) to cause confusion by dazzling with brilliance, either literally with light, or metaphorically by beauty.
Bed-blotting - (BED blot-ting) something that corrupts the marriage bed. Almost always meaning adultery, generally on the part of a woman, as male adultery was often considered less severe.
Bedded - (BED-did) to lie flat, matted down; embedded, as in a jewel set into a ring; had sexual relations with, as in taken a woman into one's bed.
Bedew - (be-DOO) to get wet with little droplets of moisture, most commonly tears. To bedew a hearse is to weep over a coffin, dropping tears of grief onto it.
Bedfellow - (BED-fell-oh) a very close friend, as in a person one could comfortably share a bedroom with. Very rarely implies a sexual relationship. Bedfellows are nearly always just very good friends.
Bed-hanger - (BED hang-er) a tapestry that one hangs on a four-poster bed, more than likely something only the wealthy generally have, given the expense of a four-poster bed and of artwork.
Bedim - (be-DIM) to cause something to become dim, to darken the glow or light of an object. To cover the sun with clouds is to bedim the sun.
Bedlam - (BED-lam) crazed or insane, e.g. bedlam beggars are beggars who are also not sound of mind; a state of crazed confusion, random franticness.
Bed-presser - (BED press-er) one who loves his bed far too much, a lazy person who can't be bothered to get up until late in the day. Same as a sluggard.
Bedred - (BED-red) bedridden, one who is unable to rise from bed, whether to due to sickness or advanced age. Often a person who is soon to die.
Bedrench - (be-DRINCH) to dowse with a liquid, to soak someone down. Such drenching does not necessarily have to be water. Sometimes it was blood, either metaphorically or literally.
Bedrid, Bed-rid, Bedred - (BED-rid, BED-rid, BED-red) bedridden, one who is unable to rise from bed, whether to due to sickness or advanced age. Often a person who is soon to die.
Bed-right - (BED-rite) so-called marriage rights, the rights to sexual activity with one's spouse. Often meaning the consummation of a marriage.
Bed-swerver - (BED-swur-ver) an adulterer, one that breaks the vows of marriage by having an affair. The term applies to both male or female.
Bed-vow - (BED vow) the vows of marriage, after which a man and a woman occupy the same bed. The promise for each to be faithful toward the other.
Bedward, to - (BED-word) to bedward is to be shown a path to bed. In the case of its mention in Coriolanus, this is the way to the honeymoon bed lighted after a wedding.
Beef-witted - (BEEF wit-ted) to have the brains of an ox, stupid. A beef-witted person is slow-thinking, stubborn, and difficult, if not impossible, to teach anything new.
Beer / Ale, small - (BEER, AIL) beer or ale that is weak, either having been watered down, or beer that is of poor quality, lacking the strength of well-made ale.
Beesome - (BEE-some) half-blind, can only see things through blurred vision. Someone with beesome vision would have a difficult time seeing without glasses -- to which most did not have access then.
Beest - (BE-est) a form of the verb "to be". An archaic way to say "are". "If thou beest not ill" is to say "If you are not sick."
Beest-eating - (BEEST eet-ing) a term that describes someone who drinks the milk of a cow after the calf has been born. The term was considered insulting because only unsophisticated country folk did this in Shakespeare's day.
Beetle-headed - (BEE-tul hed-did) stupid, stubborn, and lacking in wit. It is comparable to calling someone idiotic and just as insulting, if not more so.
Befall - (BE-fall) to happen or happen to, to come to pass. To be strong whatever may befall is to say the one will remain strong no matter what happens.
Before-breach - (be-FOR breech) an earlier breaking of the law, an infraction that happened before the current time. It refers to a crime that was committed in a past date.
Beggar-fear - (BEG-ger feer) the fear a beggar would fear. A beggar was the lowest of the low in Shakespeare's time, with no real rights. Almost anyone could do a beggar at least some harm with impunity.
Begird - (be-GURD) to surround or make a circle around something. When used in a military or battle context, it means to surround with an army or to besiege.
Begnaw - (be-NAW) to reduce or weaken something be eating at it, biting it, or chewing it. Often used in a metaphorical sense, so worry can begnaw a man's soul.
Beguild - (be-GYLD) Thought to be an alternate spelling of beguile, which means to trick by means of deception and charm, to con someone.
Beguile - (be-GYL) to trick or deceive, to con another, to draw attention away from something by means of trickery; charm or bewitch
Beguiling - (be-GYL-ing) trickery or deception. A more modern term would be a con job. This is a deliberate effort to gain something through lying.
Behest - (be-HEST) command or request. If someone performs an action because she was told to so, she is acting at the behest of another.
Behindhand - (be-HYND-hand) slow, backward, late. It has the implication of a lack of sophistication or of someone who's made a social mistake.
Beholden - (be-HOHLD-en) in debt or obligation to another. To beholden to someone means to owe them something, whether money or a favor.
Behoof - (be-HOOF) an advantage of some kind. A more modern way to say it is "behalf", as in "I'll open the store early on your behalf."
Behoofeful - (be-HOOF-ful) necessary or useful. Behoofeful objects are things one likes to have around or might find to be of use in the present situation or in the future.
Behove - (be-HOHV) as a noun, some kind of advantage or benefit; as a verb, fits, is appropriate; keeps under control or moderates.
Behoveful, Behoofeful - (be-HOHV-ful, be-HOOF-ful) necessary or useful. Behoofeful objects are things one likes to have around or might find to be of use in the present situation or in the future.
Behowl - (be-HOWL) to howl at, or cry out to. "As the wolf behowls the moon" is simply to say "As the wolf howls at the moon." An archaic usage.
Beldam - (BEL-dam) an old woman. Depending upon context and the subject, it could mean a grandmotherly or matronly woman, any elderly woman, or a witch or hag. Also written as "beldame)
Be-lee - (be-LEE) literally to be out of the wind, figuratively to be made helpless. It implies a sailing ship without any wind to drive it, so it lies dead in the water, incapable of movement.
Bell-wether - (BELL-weth-er) the sheep that leads the flock, named so because it wears a bell; otherwise, a man who has an unfaithful wife, a cuckold. An insult in the latter case.
Belly Doublet - (BEL-lee DUB-let) A doublet, or close-fitting jacket that had the belly of the garment either padded or unpadded. Unpadded was thin-belly, padded was great-belly.
Belly-god - (BEL-lee gahd) one who worships his belly, someone with a great love of food and/or drink who spends a lot of time feeding himself.
Belly-pinched - (BEL-lee pinchd) very hungry, so that the stomach feels pinched, starving. The belly-pinched wolf is a predator that is starved and looking for any prey to devour.
Belock - (be-LOK) to lock up or to hold tight. It's possible for a safe or room to be belocked, but two people who intertwine their fingers can said to have hands belocked.
Bemadding - (be-MAD-ing) an older way to say "bemaddening", it describes something that makes one crazy, or insane. It means something that is too much for sanity to bear.
Bemeet - (be-MEET) to meet with. Two people who encounter each other on a road or in a tavern public room can be said to bemeet one another. An archaic form no longer used.
Bemete, Be-mete - (be-MEET, be-MEET) measure, in particular to measure out punishment. To bemete someone usually means to exact some sort of punitive action on another.
Bemoaning - (be-MOH-ning) sad and sorrowful, a bemoaning speech is made up of words full of sadness, with something of a plaintive air to it.
Bemock - (be-MOK) to mock or taunt, to make fun of. One does not necessarily have to bemock another person. Inanimate objects can also be bemocked.
Bemocked-at - (be-MOKD at) to be the subject of mockery, derision, or taunting. Someone who is constantly the butt of jokes or teasing can be said to be much bemocked-at.
Bemoil - (be-MOIL) to dirty, to soil. After Katherina fell from her horse, she was bemoiled, meaning she was covered with dirt or mud after her fall.
Bemonster, Be-monster - (be-MON-ster) to become monstrous in appearance, to become deformed or perverted. A be-monstered face is one that has gone from beauty to ugliness, in demeanor, if not appearance.
Ben Venuto - (ben vin-OOT-oh) a form of the Italian "benvenuto", meaning welcome. This meaning here is specifically the warm welcome one would give a friend or someone else to whom is being offered hospitality.
Bencher - (BINCH-er) a magistrate, a leader, or someone else who sits in judgment. The term refers to the bench upon which jurists sit while hearing a case and making judgments.
Bench-hole - (BINCH hohl) a privy-hole or toilet. Such facilities were often nothing more than a hole cut into a bench with a bucket underneath, set in a private room.
Benefice - (BEN-ih-fis) a church assignment, as in the locale in which a priest or bishop is posted for service. To be moved to another benefice is to be relocated to another parish or see.
Benet - (be-NET) to ensnare or capture in a net. A child who catches butterflies in a net can be said to have benetted some butterflies. Modern usage is to simply use the verb "to net".
Benevolence - (ben-EV-o-lens) a forced payment or compelled act of charity. Different from the modern meaning in which benevolence is unforced kindness or charity.
Benison - (BEN-ih-son) another word for blessing or benediction. A priest would often offer a benison or one would seek one out, before a dangerous or risky endeavor, especially war.
Benumbed - (be-NUMD) unable to move, without strength. One can be physically benumbed, as in without feeling and paralyzed, or emotionally benumbed, without the will to do anything productive.
Bepaint - (be-PAYNT) to cover over, or recolor. A blushing cheek can be said to be bepainted with red, likewise a sunset sky is bepainted by purple and pink.
Bepray - (be-PRAY) the same as pray, in the older sense of asking or begging or something, e.g. "I bepray you to show mercy" is a way to plead for mercy.
Bequeath - (be-KWEETH) to give something up, or hand it over. A king can bequeath his crown to an heir, a father can bequeath an inheritance to his children.
Berattle - (be-RAT-ul) to fill with rattling or noise. Players who berattle the stage fell it with pointless talking, noises, and babbling. It is more commotion than art.
Beray - (be-RAY) to stain, ruin, or disfigure. To have someone "berayed in blood" is to say that person's appearance has been marred or disfigured due to blood stains.
Bereave - (be-REEV) to take something away, to deny something to someone, to steal something from another; to destroy or pillage in the manner of a bandit or a pirate.
Berhyme, Be-rime - (be-RYM, be-RYM) to put a thought or sentiment to rhyme, to celebrate something by making rhyming poetry or song about it.
Berrord - (BAIR-ord) one who handles or tends bears. Bears were used in "sporting" events like bear baiting. Some also trained bears to dance for entertainment.
Bescreen - (be-SKREEN) to screen away from view or cover something up. To be "bescreened by night" means one is hidden in the darkness, covered up by the night.
Beseek - (be-SEEK) a misspelling of "beseech", which means to ask or plead for. Purposely spelled wrong to represent either a dialect or the low education of the speaker.
Beseem - (be-SEEM) be fit for. A garment as might beseem a king is a robe or other article of clothing that is rich and elegant enough for a ruler. An action not worthy of that same king is something that does not beseem him.
Beshrew, 'shrew - (be-SHROO, SHROO) a curse, meaning something like "devil take" or simply just "curse", e.g. "He does beshrew my manners" is to say someone is cursing the manners of another, or more likely, the lack of manners.
Beslubber - (be-SLUB-ber) to spread or smear something thickly with a liquid of some sort, like mud or blood. Can be used figuratively as well as literally.
Besmear - (be-SMEER) to smear, either in the physical sense of smearing a thing, as with blood; or in the figurative sense, as in to smear or sully someone's name with slander.
Besmirch - (be-SMURCH) stain, either in the literal sense of clothing being dirtied, or in the figurative sense of a person's good reputation being stained by lies.
Besom - (BE-sum) a broom, or any sort of brush-like object used to sweep a room clean. Used figuratively in Henry VI, Part II, to mean a clean political sweep.
Besonian, Bezonian (be-SO-nee-an, be-ZO-nee-an) a rogue or scoundrel, someone not to be trusted, implied to be of low birth or low reputation. It is not a pleasant thing to call another.
Besort - (be-SORT) as a verb, to means to be suitable for, the way a fine sword besorts a soldier; as a noun it means company suitable for a given person, such as a noble's entourage.
Bespice - (be-SPICE) to add spice to something, most commonly a beverage. It could also mean to add something less benign -- like a poison to someone's wine.
Bestained - (be-STAYND) to be covered with stains. Bestained is not merely dirty or soiled, it is stained all over in the manner of someone who has not worn clean clothing in quite a long time.
Best-boding - (best BOHD-ing) the most promising. To call a plan or idea best-boding, it means it is the one, out of any others, that seemed to have the best possibility of working.
Best-conditioned - (best con-DIT-shund) to be of the highest character. A best-conditioned spirit is one of good impulses that will always attempt to do the right thing before all else.
Bestraught - (be-STRAWT) completely insane, out of one's mind. One who is bestraught is utterly over the edge and likely needs to be constrained to avoid harming himself or others.
Bestrew - (be-STREW) to scatter or cover the ground with something; to lay upon or cover something. A person fallen over bestrews the ground.
Bestride - (be-STRYD) to straddle or sit across, as on a horse; to stand across in a protective manner; to take a large step across, to stride
Best-tempered - (best TIM-perd) of the finest quality, from the term "temper", which is part of the process of forging metal. A best-tempered sword is one of the best swords one can acquire.
Beteem, Beteene - (be-TEEM, be-TEEN) allow, permit, let free. To not beteem the winds of heaven to blow too roughly is to restrain the wind from blowing so hard.
Beteene - (be-TEEN) allow, permit, let free. To not beteene the winds of heaven to blow too roughly is to restrain the wind from blowing so hard.
Bethump - (be-THUMP) to hit soundly. While it could mean a literal hit with fist or weapon, one can also be bethumped by a powerful speech or strong condemnation.
Betide - (be-TYD) to happen to, to come to, to take place. To stand strong whatever may betide means to hold firm no matter what comes along or what happens in the future.
Betime - (be-TYM) early, at an early hour; soon, in good time; right away, immediately. The meaning changes slightly, depending upon context.
Betossed - (be-TOSSD) tossed around to the point of being shaken up. Often used in a figurative sense, again meaning shaken up, but emotionally, rather than in a physical manner.
Betrim - (be-TRIM) to embellish or add decoration to. Can also be meant in nature, as in the spring season betrims the trees with flowering blossoms each year.
Betumbled - (be-TUM-buld) disordered, disarranged. It has a meaning similar to a bed that has been slept in, but has yet to be made, giving it a disheveled appearance.
Betwixt - (be-TWIXT) an archaic form of the word "between". It can be used in the same manner and same circumstances interchangeably.
Bevel - (BEV-ul) not level, crooked, or slanting. It might apply to a physical structure, but can also apply in a figurative sense, meaning something is not on an even keel in a moral sense.
Bevy - (BEV-ee) a group of friends or associates, sometimes more specifically meant to imply a group of women, like a coven of witches.
Bewasted - (be-WAYST-ed) wasted away. "My oil-dry and time-bewasted lamp" means "My lamp's oil has dried up and its light has wasted away."
Beweep - (be-WEEP) to weep over, to make wet with tears. To beweep something is to be overcome with sorrow, though the actual tears don't have to be literal.
Bewet - (be-WET) wet to the point of being soaked through. Often used to refer to being soaked with tears, rather than rain, beverages, or blood.
Bewhore - (be-HOR) a verb meaning to call someone a whore. "To so bewhore Desdemona" is to say "To imply so strongly that she is unfaithful".
Bewray - (be-RAY) to reveal, expose, unmask or otherwise make known that which was hidden before. It can usually be exchanged with "betray", as in "Her expression betrays her real mood".
Bezonian - (be-ZOHN-ee-an) a rogue or scoundrel, someone not to be trusted, implied to be of low birth or low reputation. It is not a pleasant thing to call another.
Bias-drawing - (BY-us DRAW-ing) deliberately avoiding the truth, deceitful actions or plans. Any shady deal or unsavory plot can be called a bias-drawing.
Bibble-babble - (BIB-ul BAB-ul) chatter, babble, rambling speech without any real meaning. A pointed way to say someone is talking nonsense or saying a lot without really saying much at all.
Bid the base / Bass - (BID thuh BASE) challenge another to a chase. The name is derived from a game boys played at the time involving a lot of chasing called prisoner's base.
Biddy - (BID-dee) short for "chickabiddy", which means chicken. Rather than being an insult as it is today, it was a term of childish affection in those days, much the same as "buddy" or "pal".
Bide - (BYD) endure, suffer, e.g. to bide a curse; live or dwell, e.g. to bide in the house by the river; to wait for something, e.g. to bide here until he arrives; to exist, to be, e.g. I bide, by the grace of God.
Bifold, By-fold - (BY-fold) another way to say two-fold. A more modern way to say it is "double". To have "bifold trouble" is to have twice as much trouble as before.
Biggen - (BIG-gen) a nightcap, as in the hat one wears when asleep. With no real heating aside from fires, people often wore hats to bed to keep their heads warm.
Bilbo - (BIL-boh) a sword. The word comes from the tree "bilbao", which is known for its flexibility. The implication is of a thin supple weapon that can bend without breaking.
Bird-bolt, Burbolt - (BURD-bolt, BUR-bolt) an arrow, shorter in length than the standard, with a blunt tip. It's used for hunting birds, enabling a hunter to kill small fowl without destroying the body as a larger arrow might.
Birdlime - (BURD-lym) a type of adhesive applied to branches, used to catch birds. Once was figured out where birds would perch, the birdlime was applied and the hunter could return later.
Birthdom - (BURTH-dum) nation of birth, e.g. one's native land, the land one calls home; birthright, that which belongs to a person from birth or due to their circumstances of birth.
Bison - (BIS-sun) blurry-visioned, half-blind; brilliant and dazzling to the point of causing blindness. A bisson lamp is one that flares far too brightly.
Bitumed - (bih-TOOMD) covered in bitumen, otherwise known as pitch or tar. A thick, sticky material often used for binding and insulating roofs, despite its ease to set aflame.
Blackamoor - (BLAK-a-mor) a dark-skinned native of Africa. Though the name came in part from the Moors, Spanish Muslims, one called by this term was not necessarily a Moor.
Black-cornered - (BLAK-kor-nerd) full of shadows. It means a room where all the corners are shadowed, giving those who wish to hide a great deal of opporunity to do so.
Blain - (BLAYN) a sore, a blister, or a boil. Often caused by a sickness of some kind, but any sore or blister can be rightfully called a blain.
Blank Charter - (BLAYNK CHAR-ter) a promisory document that does not have the amount of money promised filled in. In other words, a blank check, where the recipient can request as much money as he or she feels is required.
Blaze - (BLAYZ) a fire or flame, as in modern language; also to shine forth or show, e.g. the blaze of his wrath was clear upon his face.
Blazon - (BLAYZ-on) a banner or a coat of arms; to display something (as on showing a coat of arms); something that shows a path or reveals something that would otherwise be difficult to see.
Blear - (BLEER) to lie or deceive. Someone who has been bleared is someone who has been lied to or tricked in some fashion.
Blench - (BLINCH) to jerk or shrink away from; to back away from, or turn away from; when a noun it means to look at something from the corner of one's eye.
Blent - (BLINT) an obsolete term for "blended" or mixed together, like paint. The meaning can also be figurative, such as the blending of two lives, concepts or ideas.
Blind-worm - (BLIND WURM) Not a worm, but actually a legless lizard known as a slow-worm. The name blind-worm is rarely used. Though it resembles a snake, the blind-worm is not one.
Blithe - (BLYTH) happy, full joy. One can have a blithe spirit, meaning a happy soul or disposition, but it most often applies to the current mood or atmosphere.
Bloat - (BLOHT) an adjective meaning bloated or swollen up. The connotation is of someone who has grown large through too much food or alcohol.
Blockish - (BLOK-ish) the same meaning as "block-headed", a blockish person is not very smart, slow to understand concepts. Synonymous with "stupid".
Blood-boltered - (BLUD bohlt-erd) hair matted and soaked in blood. Specifically, Macbeth saw an apparition with his hair matted and tangled by blood into knots.
Blood-sized - (BLUD syzd) stained by blood. Could mean either smeared or spattered with blood, or even soaked with blood, like a field after a battle.
Bloody-minded - (BLUD-ee MYN-did) bloodthirsty, prepared to kill another person. Someone who bloody-minded is fully prepared for battle -- or for murder.
Blowt - (BLOHT) an adjective meaning bloated or swollen up. The connotation is of someone who has grown large through too much food or alcohol.
Blowze - (BLOWZ) a red-cheeked woman. It can mean rozy or blushing cheeks, or it could mean a woman who has a reddish, round face.
Blubbered - (BLUB-erd) Someone whose appearance looks as if they have been crying, like word "blubbering", which means sobbing. Though the word may sound funny to modern ears, there is no humor around the word in Shakespeare's work. It is perfectly serious.
Bluebottle - (BLOO-bot-ul) wearing a blue cloak or a blue uniform. It comes from the impression of one being inside a blue container, due to the uniform color of the garment.
Blue-cap - (BLOO cap) a Scotsman, so named because they were known for wearing blue caps. It is a derisive term for a Scotsman, very similar to a racial slur.
Blur - (BLUR) either as a verb, which means to spot, or stain; or as a noun, meaning a spot or stain. The stain can either be literal, or mean a stain on one's reputation. It does not mean to make visually or morally indistinct or unclear.
Blurt - (BLURT) to say something in a contemptuous way, rather than to say something without thinking. Another word which has had a changed meaning over the centuries since the play was written.
Bluster - (BLUS-ter) either a storm or something that buffets like a storm. Weather can bluster, but so can another person, angrily ranting or otherwise showing his displeasure in a loud way.
Boast Off - (bohst OFF) to boast about or say good things about something in an open and public way. It does not necessarily mean the same as bragging about something or someone.
Bobtail - (BOHB-tail) referring to the tail of an animal that has been bobbed or shortened. The animal mentioned in the passage has had part of its tail cut off, either purposely or through injury.
Bode - (BOHD) to have some meaning in the future, rather through a prediction or through a promise. To say something does not bode well means it's likely to turn out badly in the future.
Bodement - (BOHD-ment) a prediction of the future, an omen of some kind. Usually some kind of mystical premonition or vision, but not necessarily so.
Bodge - (BODJ) Sometimes written as "budge", it means to give way or retreat. Unlike the modern meaning of a small movement when pushed, bodge means a full retreat.
Boding - (BOHD-ing) something that predicts a bad future ahead. An older way to say "foreboding". Anything that gives the impression some poor fortune is ahead can be termed as boding.
Bodkin - (BOHD-kin) a sharp object of some kind. It could be a simple instrument like a hairpin, or a long needle, or something more deadly, like a knife or a dagger.
Body Forth - (BOHD-ee forth) to fully imagine, to picture in the mind. To body forth something is to be able to see it in one's thoughts as if it really existed.
Bodykins - (BOHD-ee-kins) a curse word that has been made mild, short for "God's little body". Phrases referring to Jesus or God that were not prayer were as vulgar as any curse word in Shakespeare's time.
Boggle - (BOG-ul) to show physical signs of sudden fear, to flinch or shy away. Boggling is what one does when startled by a sudden sound. It does not mean profoundly confused, as it does in its modern definition.
Boiled-brain - (BOILD brain) in more modern terms, a "hothead", someone who is liable to go off half-cocked. A boiled-brain is more likely to act before talking and before thinking, often in a violent or crazed manner.
Boisterous - (BOYS-ter-us) violent or painful. The term implies there is a great deal of commotion or tumult that goes along with the pain or violence, like a storm or a battle, or simply someone who is emotionally hurtful.
Bolin - (BOH-lin) a rope used to steady a sail. It's a nautical term that specifically applies to that type of rope, used for that purpose, and no other type of line.
Bollen - (BOH-lin) synonymous with swollen or puffed up. The reason why is not important to the meaning of the word, whether swollen from crying or swollen from injury.
Bolster - (BOHL-ster) a large cushion or pillow, but it can also be a verb meaning to share that pillow, as in to lie in bed or recline together. The verb can have the implication of an intimate relationship.
Bolter - (BOHL-ter) a cloth used as a sieve to sift or strain something. Today, such instruments are often made of metal but such would likely be fairly expensive in Shakespeare's day.
Bolting - (BOHL-ting) sifting. Using a cloth or some other object to strain or separate objects, like flour, or some liquid that needs to be made clearer or more pure.
Bolting-hutch - (BOHL-ting hutch) a container used in sifting, as in when a cook or scullery servant is sifting flour out of bran. It can also be used for other substances, but flour is the most common.
Bombard, Bumbard - (BOM-bard, BUM-bard) a large jug used to carry wine and made of leather. Once used as an insult to refer to another as a fat lump, but not generally used in such a manner.
Bombast, Bumbast - (BOM-bast, BUM-bast) literally, it means wool padding or stuffing, but it can also mean speech that sounds full of wisdom, but is actually only empty words.
Bona-roba - (BOHN-a ROHB-a) an expensive prostitute, what might be known as a call girl of high quality today. It can also refer to high quality acquisitions in general.
Bondmaid - (BOND-mayd) a servant girl who has no real choice in the matter, essentially a slave. A bondmaid has no recourse to quit her job if she so desires and must always follow her master's will.
Bondman - (BOND-man) a serf or a slave. A bondman does not own himself or his work. Instead, his person and what would normally be his property belongs to his master.
Bondslave - (BOND-slayv) simply a slave, someone who is the property of another person. The work and the person of the slave belongs utterly to his or her master.
Bone-ache, Neapolitan - (BOHN-ayk, nee-a-POL-ih-tan) literally a pain in the bones from Naples, but actually a term referring to a sexually transmitted disease, like syphilis.
Bonnet - (BON-net) a hat. It refers to any hat or cap, not just as specific time. Very rarely used as a verb -- to bonnet can mean to remove one's cap out of respect or to flatter another.
Bonny - (BON-nee) Depending upon the context, it could mean strong or strapping, when used to refer to a male, or lovely, beautiful, or sweet when applied to a female.
Book-man - (BOOK-man) someone who is learning or involved in academic matters, well-read. It could refer to a lifelong scholar or to a student.
Book-oath - (BOOK-ohth) an oath sworn on a Bible. When someone is ask to swear an oath, then looks for a book, the book they mean is the Bible, so that the oath may be solemnly sworn.
Boon - (BOON) a request or a favor. Often asked of a king or other high noble in return for service done. A lady would sometimes grant a boon to her champion.
Boor - (BOOR) a peasant or hick, someone uncouth and unlettered. The implication is of someone of low birth who has never been taught any manners.
Boot-hose - (BOOT hohs) a stocking or sock that covered the entire lower leg, like a boot. Something like a knee sock, generally worn in such a way as to be visible.
Bo-peep - (bo-PEEP) also known as "peep-bo" or "peek-a-boo". A game that adults played with very small children and infants, and still play today.
Boresprit - (BOR-sprit) otherwise known as a bowsprit. This is a boom, or beam, that comes from the bow of the ship to attach to the front end of the ship's front sail.
Bosky - (BOS-kee) covered with undergrowth, thickets, and bushes. When one refers to his bosky acres, it means his land is likely in need of some clearing.
Botch - (BOTCH) as a noun, it means a mistake or a flaw, and applied to a person it's a little like calling that person a freak; as a verb it means to fail, to mess up, or to have a great deal of trouble with.
Botcher - (BOTCH-er) someone who patches or mends old clothing, a tailor that fixes garments, or someone who patches old or broken things together in general.
Botchy - (BOTCH-ee) covered entirely in sores, or tumors, visibly and terribly ill. Comes from the word "botch", which can mean a mistake, flaw, or blemish.
Bots - (BOTS) a stomach worm that afflicts horses. Can also be used as somewhat of a curse, as in to wish "the bots on it".
Boughs - (BOWS) leaves, branches, twigs growing from a tree. Basically, the parts of the tree that offshoot from the trunk.
Bounden - (BOWND-en) to be bound to another by obligation, indebted. It can also simply mean grateful, but the implication is usually to owe someone for some welcome assistance.
Bounteously - (BOWNT-ee-us-lee) a great deal, a lot. To be given something bounteously, means not just to be given something to be given great amounts of whatever it is.
Bourn - (BORN) a boundary, or the land beyond boundaries, such as a frontier. The meaning changes slightly, depending upon the context of the passage.
Bow Hand - (BOH hand) simply, the hand that holds the bow. This usually refers to the non-dominant hand, as a right-handed person would hold the bow with the left hand and pull the string back with the right.
Bow-back - (BOH back) a bowed back, when someone's spine is arched to resemble a bow. It can refer to animals, such as horses, as well as to humans.
Bowels - (BOW-els) the very depths or core of something. This could be the literal depths or core, like the bowels of a mountain, or it could mean an emotional core, the origin of one's emotions.
Bower - (BOW-er) a green glade surrounded by trees; a lady's bedchamber or private quarters. It can also be a verb, meaning to enclose something.
Bowget - (BOH-jet) a tool bag, or a pouch meant to hold tools. May be written as "budget" in some transcripts -- it does not mean budget, as in a plan to spend or allocate money.
Bowling, Bowline - (BOH-ling, BOH-line) a nautical term for the rope that holds a ship's sail steady. In the plays, it is generally part of the orders shouted to the crew.
Box-tree - (BOX tree) an ornamental shrub or bit of topiary. Judging from the context in which the term appears, it is big enough to hide behind or in.
Boy-queller - (BOY-kwel-ler) one who kills or murders, young boys, specifically. Sometimes just "queller". It can also be specified to say "man-queller", "woman-queller", "child-queller" and so forth.
Brabble - (BRAB-ul) a commotion or disturbance. It can mean anything from a small and petty quarrel to a loud argument to an outright brawl.
Brabbler - (BRAB-ler) someone boastful, a braggart. A swaggering type of person who is more than likely to pick fights with his bragging in order to prove himself.
Brach - (BRACH) a hound, especially one that hunts by scent. Can more specifically refer to a female dog. Another way to say "bitch". Not used, at least in Shakespeare, as a pejorative.
Braggardism, Braggartism - (BRAG-gard-is-um, BRAG-gart-is-um) bragging. Anyone boasting of his own deeds in a positive light (and often in a way that cannot believed) is engaging in braggardism.
Brainsick, Brain-sick - (BRAIN-sik) mentally ill, insane. A brainsick idea is one that is not merely silly or stupid, but insane or foolish in some destructive manner.
Brain-sickly - (BRAIN-sik-lee) foolishly, as in the way an insane person might do something. Indicates an action that someone who is not quite right in the mind might take.
Bran - (BRAN) a husk, the part of grain that is not eaten. The bran is generally sifted away from the grain, just as the chaff, the other inedible part, is winnowed away.
Brawl - (BRAWL) a quarrel, fight, or argument, much the same as the modern meaning; also, less commonly, a type of dance that comes France.
Brawn - (BRAWN) muscle, or the muscular parts of the body, sometimes specifically a muscular arm; also, a stuffed pig that has been prepared for the banquet table.
Brawn-buttock - (BRAWN but-ok) a well-rounded and toned posterior. A pleasant rear end as opposed to one that is fat, lumpy, bony, or otherwise unattractive.
Braze - (BRAYZ) to harden, like the metal brass. An object can be literally brazed or hardened, but it can also be meant in a figurative sense as in to braze one's resolve or will.
Brazen-faced - (BRAYZ-en faysd) without shame or embarrassment, unabashed. One who is brazen-faced feels or shows no shame for his actions, no matter how shameful those actions might have been (or are thought to be.)
Brazier - (BRAYZ-ur) someone who works in brass, a brass-smith. Generally a common craftsman, which gave them very little status in society.
Bread-chipper - (BRED chip-per) a menial laborer who has to take what he gets when it comes to food, so he gets to eat the crusts of the bread, leaving the main body of the loaves to others.
Break-neck - (BRAYK neck) a noun meaning a complete and utter ruin. To make a break-neck of a castle for instance is to knock it down, so it is unfit to live in or defend anything.
Break-promise - (BRAYK prom-iss) someone who breaks a promise, who swears an oath and does not follow it. It is something one does not ever want to be known as.
Break-vow - (BRAYK-vow) one who breaks his promises, swearing oaths without meaning to keep them. Similar in meaning to "break-promise".
Breed-bate - (BREED-bayt) someone who causes trouble or mischief. While not exactly an insult, it isn't a good thing to be known as, either.
Brew-house - (BROO-hows) a house specially used for brewing alcoholic beverages, generally a smaller building separated from the larger establishment.
Briar - (BRY-er) thorns or a thorny bush or briar. Often used to refer to the a rosebush, which is known for its particularly sharp thorns, which must be braved to extract the flower.
Bride-habited - (bryd HAB-it-ed) in one's wedding gown, dressed for a wedding. A woman in her white dress and veil, who looks as if she's ready walk the aisle is bride-habited.
Bridehouse - (BRYD-hows) house where one is married. Marriages are not necessarily held in a church, but even if it is, when a wedding is performed there, it is a bridehouse.
Brim - (BRIM) the edge of something, not necessarily a hat or a cup. One could stand on the brim of a river. It could also refer to a figurative brim, as to stand on the brim of reason.
Brinded - (BRIN-did) striped or streaked. The word most usually refers to the fur colors of an animal. A brinded cat would be called a tabby cat in modern terms.
Brine - (BRYN) salty water. It most often refers to sea water, but the word is also used to describe tears in many passages of Shakespeare's work.
Brine-pit - (BRYN pit) a salt-pit, though not necessarily a place from which salt can be extracted. Not a salt mine, but a natural feature of the earth.
Brinish - (BRYN-ish) means salty, in general, but the word can also mean bitter, not merely in the sense of taste, but emotionally bitter.
Brisk - (BRISK) sharp and refreshing; also, sharply and finely dressed. The exact meaning can be taken from the context -- a drink would be brisk in the refreshing sense, a person would be brisk in the clothing sense.
Broach - (BROHCH) to open up or start flowing, either in the physical sense, as in tapping a keg by puncturing it to let the beer out, or in a figurative sense, by starting a conversation flowing; it can also mean simply to stab or impale.
Broad-fronted - (BRAWD front-id) someone with a broad forehead. It was used to describe Julius Caesar and may also suggest a noble aspect or a intelligent demeanor.
Brock - (BROK) literally, a badger, but to call another a brock was to call them sneaky, disgusting, low-down, and generally disreptuable, in the same way the word "rat" is used in modern times.
Brogue - (BROHG) a poorly-made shoe, of the type the very poor might wear. Specifically something of low quality, something that no one who could afford any better would ever wear.
Broker-lackey - (BROHK-er lak-ee) a middleman or messenger, someone who tries to make deals for another. Used in a somewhat contemptuous manner.
Broking - (BROHK-ing) to be a broker, someone who arranges deals and contracts between others. Someone who tries to arrange a bargain of some kind is broking.
Brooch - (BROOCH) a jewel or ornament, of the type that is often pinned on clothing; as a verb it means to make beautiful, like a work of art, or to display it as such.
Brood - (BROOD) children, either physical or figurative. All of a person's offspring are their brood, but a group of people planning treason can be a brood of traitors.
Brook - (BRUHK) as a noun, a small natural stream of water; as a verb, tolerate or allow, usually expressed in the negative, e.g. "I will brook no lies from him."
Broom-grove - (BROOM grohv) a grove where the broom plant grows, which is a shrub with yellow flowers. It has nothing to do with the actual sweeping implement.
Broomstaff - (BROOM-staf) a broomstick. Nothing more than the common broom used to clean house, so called a broomstaff because it resembles a staff with bristles on one end.
Brow-bind - (BROW bynd) to tie around the brow. The term is reminescent of the crown of laurels typically pictured around the brows of Roman emperors or of a crown of flowers a lady might wear in her hair.
Browny - (BROWN-ee) something brownish colored. To have browny hair is to have hair that is one shade of brown or another, somewhere between black and blond.
Bruit - (BROOT) as a noun, the news or latest rumors; as a verb, to announce, report, or reveal the news. One can be told the bruit, or can bruit the tidings themselves.
Brunt - (BRUHNT) the focal point in a scene of violence or tumult. To be in the brunt of battle is to be in the very thickest part of the conflict.
Bubukle, Bubuncle - (byoob-UK-ul, byoob-UN-kul) a made-up word, from the cross between "bubo" and "carbunkle", meaning inflammation and swelling caused by disease.
Buck-basket - (BUK bass-ket) a basket used specifically for dirty laundry. It is not quite the same as a hamper as dirty clothes are not necessarily put in the buck-basket first.
Buckler - (BUK-ler) most commonly, a small round shield; can also be used as a verb, meaning to protect or defend, as with a shield, to fight or to block attacks.
Buckram, Buckrom - (BUK-ram, BUK-rom) a type of rough or coarse cloth; can also be used to describe person as stiff or rigid in demeanor, essentially stuck-up.
Buck-washing - (BUK wahsh-ing) to wash extremely dirty clothing in a strong solution, such as lye or some kind of bleach, in an effort to get it cleaner than plain soap and water could.
Bud - (BUHD) as a noun, a new blossom on a tree or bush about to grow into a flower; as a verb, the appearance of a new blossom ready to open into a flower.
Budge, Bodge - (BUDJ, BODJ) to give way or retreat. Unlike the modern meaning of a small movement when pushed, bodge means a full retreat.
Budger - (BUDJ-er) one who flinches, shrinks back, or runs away. The implication is that the one who flinches back from danger is a coward.
Buffet - (BUHF-fet) as a noun, it means a strike or a blow; as a verb, it means to hit or pummel something. This is not necessarily a human action, as one can be buffeted by storms and other forces of nature.
Bugbear - (BUHG-bair) a monster, a hobgoblin. In general, a fearsome creature, but of the kind that adults tend to no longer believe in. Used figuratively.
Bugle-bracelet - (BYOO-gul brays-let) a decorative bracelet that was covered by tube-shaped glass beads which vaguely resembled bugles, hence the name.
Bull-beef - (BUL-beef) a joint of beef. It was the belief of some that eating a joint of beef would impart the strength reputed to the bull to the eater.
Bull's-pizzle - (BULS PIZ-ul) the penis of a bull. Much like being compared to genitalia today, it was a dreadful insult to be called a pizzle of any kind.
Bully - (BUL-lee) a good person, a good friend. Unlike today, to call someone a bully was a compliment in Shakespeare's day. Likewise, to call someone a bully friend was to say he was one of the best friends one could have.
Bully Rook - (BUL-lee rook) an affectionate way to greet or address a friend, similar to "old pal", "old buddy", with a minor connotation of an old partner in mischief.
Bulwark - (BUL-work) a barrier, a wall, a structure that protects and holds back the enemy. Usually meant to describe walls, ramparts, or other physical fortifications, but could also describe a rhetorical defense.
Bum-baily, Bum-bailiff - (bum BAY-lee, bum BAY-liff) a sheriff's officer who performs arrest, but mostly by sneaking up on his quarry and catching them by surprise.
Bumbard - (BUM-bard) a large jug used to carry wine and made of leather. Once used as an insult to refer to another as a fat lump, but not generally used in such a manner.
Bombast - (BUM-bast) a large jug used to carry wine and made of leather. Once used as an insult to refer to another as a fat lump, but not generally used in such a manner.
Bunch-backed - (BUNCH bakd) hunch-backed, someone who walks stooped over. Not necessarily an insult, but always used to describe someone in unflattering terms.
Buoy up - (BOY up) to rise up or grow, like a bouy lifted by the water of the ocean. Meant in a figurative sense, as in to lift one's spirits of hopes.
Bur - (BUR) Usually spelled "burr", it is literally a seed-pod with little prickly hooks that stick to clothing or animal's coats. Can also mean a person who is clingy, or anything that is difficult to get rid of.
Burbolt - an arrow, shorter in length than the standard, with a blunt tip. It's used for hunting birds, enabling a hunter to kill small fowl without destroying the body as a larger arrow might.
Burden-wise - (BUR-din wyz) to attach oneself to something like a harmony. If one person is the melody, the other will stick burden-wise, like the other part of the music.
Burdock - (BUR-dok) a type of plant or weed. One of a number of kind of plants that serve no food or medicinal purpose and merely choke out those plants useful to humans.
Burgher - (BUR-ger) a citizen or inhabitant, someone who lives in the general area. The term does not generally include the nobility, who are considered a separate class.
Burgomaster - (BUR-go-mass-ter) the leader or supervisor of an area of the town, the local official of a particular neighborhood or quarter. Sometimes the liason between the lesser nobility and the common folk of the area.
Burgonet - (bur-go-NET) a small light helmet worn in battle, sometimes with a bill in front and a ridge on top, rarely with a visor to cover the face.
Burly-boned - (BUR-lee bohnd) large-framed, very big. A burly-boned man is visibly larger than most men, stronger and bigger than his compatriots.
Burnet - (BUR-net) a flower, reputed to smell sweet. It is unknown what the name of the flower is in modern terms, since many of the names for plants have changed since Shakespeare's time.
Burning Zone - (BUR-ning zohn) the tropical parts of the world, the hot regions of the planet that encircle the globe. It was known then that the tropical areas of the world were to the south (of Europe) then.
Burr - (BUR) Literally a seed-pod with little prickly hooks that stick to clothing or animal's coats. Can also mean a person who is clingy, or anything that is difficult to get rid of.
Burthen - (BUR-then) an archaic spelling of "burden". When "burthen" is seen, either as a verb or as a noun, it can be read as "burden" without any further change.
Buskined - (BUS-kend) wearing buskins, which are high boots usually worn when on the hunt. Specifically speaking of the attire of the Queen of the Amazons in a Midsummer Night's Dream.
Busky - (BUS-kee) another way to say "bushy" or otherwise covered with shrubbery. When a "busky hill" is described, it means the hill is green with vegetation.
Buss - (BUS) as a noun, simply a kiss; as a verb, to kiss with great passion or desire; to bump against, as in "knees bussing the stone" meaning to kneel down.
Butt-end - (BUT end) the very end, the very last part, all that remains. To hear the butt-end of a speech means to only hear the last few sentences or words.
Butter-woman - (BUT-ter wo-man) literally, a dairymaid or the woman than churns the milk into butter. It can also mean someone who talks incessantly, as in the modern "chatterbox".
Buttery Bar - (BUT-ter-ee bar) a ledge on the door of the buttery (a place liquor was sold). The door of the buttery would be split in half, allowing the top half to open independently from the bottom half. The proprietor would open the top half and place the drinks on the ledge protruding from the bottom half for customers.
Butt-shaft - (BUT shaft) a blunt-headed arrow, used for target practice. Spoken of when talking of arrows that won't actually pierce the target, for whatever reason.
Buxom - (BUX-um) bright and cheerful, lively. The meaning of the word has changed over the centuries and it absolutely does not carry the same meaning as it does today.
By-gone - (BY gon) referring to something that has just passed. Mentioning the by-gone day simply means yesterday, while talking of a by-gone era means ages past, like the days of the Romans.
Byle, Bile - (BYL) archaic spelling of "boil", in the medical sense. It is a blister or a pustule on the skin, caused by sickness. It can also be used in a pejorative manner to refer to a person.
By-peep - (BY peep) to look aside, to view something from the corner of one's eye. It's a sideways glance given when trying to appear not to be looking at the subject.
By-room - (BY room) a room off of the main room, a secondary room. Implied to be a room in which one can meet privately with another.
By-word - (BY word) someone looked down upon by all, specifically due to cowardice. Those who are considered by-words have a terrible reputation often difficult to overcome.