Contents  Comments  Poems  Plays  Glossary M -Z

A

ABATE - to shorten; to cast down; to blunt

ABATEMENT - diminution

ABHOR - protest; disgust

ABIDE - to sojourn to expiate

ABLE - to uphold

ABRIDGEMENT - a short play

ABROAD - away, apart

ABROOK - to brook, abide

ABSEY-BOOK a primer

ABSOLUTE - positive, certain Complete

ABUSE - to deceive

ABUSE - deception

ABY - to expiate a fault

ABYSM - abyss

ACCITE - to cite, summon

ACCUSE - accusation

ACHIEVE - to obtain

ACKNOWN - 'to be acknown' is to acknowledge

ACQUITTANCE - a receipt or discharge

ACTION-TAKING - litigious

ACTURE - action

ADDITION - title, attribute

ADDRESS - to prepare oneself

ADDRESSED - prepared

ADVANCE - to prefer, promote to honour

ADVERTISEMENT - admonition

ADVERTISING - attentive

ADVICE - consideration, discretion

ADVISE  - sometimes neuter, sometimes reflective, to consider, reflect

ADVISED - considerate

ADVOCATION - pleading, advocacy

AFEARED - afraid

AFFECT - to love

AFFY - to affiance To trust

AFRONT - in front

AGAZED - looking in amazement

AGLET-BABY - the small figure engraved on a jewel

AGNISE - to acknowledge, confess

A-GOOD - a good deal, plenteously

A-HOLD - a sea-term

AIERIE - the nest of a bird of prey

AIM - a guess

ALARUM - trumpet call to arms

ALDER-LIEFEST - most loved of all

ALE - alehouse

ALLOW - to approve

ALLOWANCE - approval

AMBIGUOUS - having two or more possible meanings

AMBIGUITY- doubtfulness or uncertainty; having more than one meaning

AMES-ACE - two aces, the lowest throw of the dice

AMORT - dead, dejected

AN - if

ANCHOR - an anchorite, hermit

ANCIENT - an ensign-bearer

ANGEL - a coin, so called because it bore the image of an angel

ANIGHT - by night

ANON - at once (spoken to her familiar)

ANSWER - retaliation

ANTHROPOPHAGINIAN - a cannibal

ANTICK - the fool in the old plays

ANTRE - a cave

APPARENT - heir-apparent

APPEAL - accusation

APPEAL - to accuse

APPEARED - made apparent

APPLE-JOHN - a kind of apple

APPOINTMENT - preparation

APPREHENSION - opinion

APPREHENSIVE - apt to apprehend or understand

APPROBATIO -N probation

APPROOF - approbation, proof

APPROVE - to prove; to justify, make good

APPROVER - one who proves or tries

ARCH - chief

ARGAL - a ridiculous word intended for the Latin ergo

ARGENTINE - silver

ARGIER - Algiers

ARGOSY - originally a vessel of Ragusa or Ragosa, a Ragosine; hence any ship of burden

ARGUMENT - subject

ARMIGERO - a mistake for Armiger, the Latin for Esquire

AROINT - found only in the imperative mood, get thee gone ( "aroint thee" - "be gone")

A-ROW - in a row

ARTICULATE - to enter into articles of agreement to exhibit in articles

ASK - to require

ASPECT - regard, looks

ASPERSION - sprinkling; hence blessing, because before the Reformation benediction was generally accompanied by the sprinkling of holy water

ASSAY - attempt

ASSAY - to attempt, test, make proof of

ASSINEGO - an ass

ASSUBJUGATE - to subjugate

ASSURANCE - deed of assurance

ASSURED - betrothed

ATOMY - an atom; used in contempt of a small person

ATONE - to put people at one; to reconcile to agree

ATTACH - to seize, lay hold on

ATTASKED - taken to task, reprehended

ATTEN -D to listen to

ATTENT - attentive

ATTORNEY - an agent

ATTORNEY - to employ as an agent; to perform by an agent

AUDACIOUS - spirited, daring, but without any note of blame attached to it

AUGUR - augury

AUTHENTIC - clothed with authority

AVAUNT - int. be gone; a word of abhorrence

AVE - the Latin for hail; hence acclamation

AVE-MARY - the angelic salutation addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary

AVERRING - confirming

AVOID - get rid of

AWFU -L worshipful

AWKWAR -D contrary

BACCARE - keep back

BACKWARD - the hinder part; hence, when applied to time, the past

BAFFLE - embarrass

BALKED - heaped, as on a ridge

BALLOW - a cudgel

BALM - the oil of consecration

BAN - to curse

BANK - to sail by the banks

 BARK - ship

BARM - yeast

BARN - a child

BARNACLE - a shellfish, supposed to produce the sea-bird of the same name

BASE - a game, sometimes called Prisoners' base

BASES - an embroidered mantle worn by knights on horseback, and reaching from the middle to below the knees

BASILISK - a kind of ordnance

BASTA - enough

BASTARD - raisin wine

BATE - to flutter, as a hawk

BATE - to except; to abate

BAT-FOWLING - catching birds with a clap-net by night

BATLET - a small bat, used for beating clothes

BATTLE - army

BAVIN - used as an a piece of waste wood, applied contemptuously to anything worthless

BAWCOCK - a fine fellow

BAWD - procurer

BAY - the space between the main timbers of the roof

BEADSMAN - one who bids bedes, that is, prays prayers for another

BEAR-BAITING - an Elizabethan "sport": the practice of setting dogs on a chained bear

BEARING-CLOTH - a rich cloth in which children were wrapt at their christening

BEAT - to flutter as a falcon, to meditate, consider earnestly

BEAVER - the lower part of a helmet

BEETLE - a mallet

BEHIND - to follow, or yet to come

BEING - dwelling

BEING - since, inasmuch as

BE-METE - to measure

BE-MOILED - daubed with dirt

BENDING - stooping under a weight

BENVENUTO - Welcome (Italian)

BERGOMASK - a rustic dance

BESHREW  -evil befal

BESTRAUGHT - distraught, distracted

BETEEM - to pour out

BETID - happened

BEZONIAN - a beggarly fellow

BIDING - abiding-place

BIGGEN - a night-cap

BILBERRY - the whortleberry

BILBO - a sword, from Bilboa, a town in Spain where they were made

BILBOES - fetters or stocks

BILL - a bill-hook, a weapon

BIN - been; are

BIRD-BOLT - a bolt to be shot from a crossbow at birds

BIRDING - part. hawking at partridges

BISSON - blind

BLANK - the white mark in the middle of a target; hence, metaphorically, that which is aimed at

BLENCH - to start aside, flinch

BLENT - blended

BLOOD-BOLTERED - smeared with blood

BLOW - to inflate

BOARD - to make advances to; accost

BOB - a blow, (metaph.) a sarcasm

BOB - to strike, metaph. to ridicule, or to obtain by raillery

BODGE - to botch, bungle

BODIKIN - a corrupt word used as an oath. 'Od's Bodikin,' God's little Body

BOITIER VERT - green box

BOLD - to embolden

BOLLEN - swollen

BOLTED - sifted, refined

BOLTER - a sieve

BOLTING-HUTCH - a hutch in which meal was sifted

BOMBARD - a barrel, a drunkard

BOMBAST - padding

BONA-ROBA - a harlot

BOND - that to which one is bound

BOOK - a paper of conditions

BOOT - help, use

BOOT - to help, to avail

BOOTLESS - without boot or advantage, useless

BOOTS - bots, a kind of worm

BORE - calibre of a gun; hence, metaph. size, weight, importance

BOSKY - covered with underwood

BOSOM - wish, heart's desire

BOTS - worms which infest horses

BOURN - a boundary; a brook

BRACE - armour for the arm, state of defence

BRACH - a hound bitch

BRAID - deceitful

BRAVE - handsome, well-dressed

BRAVE - boast

BRAVERY - finery; boastfulness

BRAWL - a kind of dance

BREAST - voice

BREATHE - to exercise

BREATHING - exercising

BREECHING - liable to be whipt

BREED-BATE - a breeder of debate, a fomenter of quarrels

BREESE - the gadfly

BRIBE-BUCK - a buck given away in presents

BRING - to attend one on a journey

BROCK - a badger, a term of contempt

BROIL - conflict, battle

BROKE - to act as a procurer

BROKEN - having lost some teeth by age

BROKEN MUSIC - the music of stringed instruments

BROKER - an agent

BROTHERHOOD - trading company

BROWNIST - a sectary; a follower of Brown, the founder of the Independents

BRUIT - noise, report, rumour

BRUIT - to noise abroad

BRUSH - rude assault

BUCK - suds or lye for washing clothes in

BUCK-BASKET - the basket in which clothes are carried to the wash

BUCKIN -G washing

BUCK-WASHING - washing in lye

BUG - a bugbear, a spectre

BULLY-ROOK - a bragging cheater

BURGONET - a kind of helmet

BURST - to break

BUSKY - bushy

BUTT-SHAFT - a light arrow for shooting at a target

BUXOM - obedient

BY'RLAKIN - by our little Lady: an oath

CADDIS - worsted galloon, so called because it resembles the caddis-worm

CADE - a cask or barrel

CAGE - a prison

CAIN-COLOURED - red (applied to hair)

CAITIFF - a captive, a slave; hence, a witch

CALCULATE - prophesy

CALIVER - a hand-gun

CALLET - a trull

CALLING - appellation

CALM - qualm

CAN - to know, be skillful in

CANAKIN - a little can

CANARY - a wine brought from the Canary Islands

CANDLE-WASTERS - persons who sit up all night to drink

CANKER - a caterpillar The dog-rose

CANON -- the collected works of a writer that have been accepted as authentic

CANSTICK - a candlestick

CANTLE - a slice, corner

CANTON - a canto

CANVAS - to sift: hence, metaphorically, to prove

CAPABLE - subject to Intelligent Capable of inheriting Ample, capacious

CAPITULATE - make a combined force

CAPOCCHIA - a simpleton

CAPRICIO - caprice

CAPRICIOUS - lascivious

CAPTIOUS - capacious

CARACK - a large ship of burden

CARBONADO - meat scotched for broiling

CARBONADO - to scotch for broiling

CARD - the taper on which the points of the compass are marked under the mariner's needle

CAREIRE - the curvetting of a horse

CARKANET - a necklace

CARL - a churl

CARLOT - a churl

CASTILIAN - a native of Castile; used as a cant term

CASTILIANO VULGO - a cant term, meaning, apparently, to use discreet language

CATAIAN - a native of Cathay, a cant word

CATLING - cat-gut

CAUTEL - deceit

CAUTELOUS - insidious

CAVALERO - a cavalier; gentleman

CAVIARE - the roe of sturgeon pickled; metaph. a delicacy not appreciated by the vulgar

CEASE - decease

CEASE - put off, made to cease

CENSURE - judgment

CENSURE - to judge, criticise

CENTURY - a hundred of anything, whether men, prayers, or anything else

CEREMONY - a ceremonial vestment, religious rite, or anything ceremonial

CERTES - certainly

CESS - rate, reckoning

CHACE - a term at tennis

CHAMBER - a species of great gun

CHAMBERER - an effeminate man

CHANSON - a song

CHARACT - affected quality

CHARACTER - a letter, handwriting

CHARACTER - to carve or engrave

CHARACTERY - handwriting; that which is written

CHAR -E a turn of work

CHARGE-HOUSE - a free-school

CHARLES' WAIN - the constellation called also Ursa Major, or the Great Bear

CHARNECO - a species of sweet wine

CHAUDRON - entrails

CHEATER - for escheator, an officer who collected the fines to be paid into the Exchequer; a decoy

CHEQUE - a technical term in falconry; when a falcon flies at a bird which is not her proper game she is said to cheque at it

CHEQUES perhaps intended for ethics

CHEER - fortune, countenance

CHERRY-PIT - a game played with cherrystones

CHEVERIL - kid leather

CHEWIT - cough

CHILDING - pregnant

CH'ILL - vulgar for 'I will.'

CHIRURGEONLY - in a manner becoming a surgeon

CHOPIN - a high shoe or clog

CHOPPY - chapped

CHRISTENDOM - the state of being a Christian

CHRISTOM - clothed with a chrisom, the white garment which used to be put on newly- baptised children

CHUCK - chicken, a term of endearment

CHUFF - a coarse blunt clown

CINQUE PACE - a kind of dance

CIPHER - to decipher

CIRCUMSTANCE - an argument

CITAL - recital

CITE - to incite

CITTERN - a guitar

CLACK-DISH - a beggar's dish

CLAP I' THE CLOUT - to shoot an arrow into the bull's eye of the target

CLAW - to flatter

CLEPE - to call

CLIFF - clef, the key in music

CLING - to starve

CLINQUANT - glittering

CLIP - to embrace, enclose

CLOUT - the mark in the middle of a target

COAST - to advance

COBLOAF - a big loaf

COCK - a cockboat

COCK - a euphemism for God

COCK-AND-PIE - an oath

COCKLE - tares or darnel

COCKNEY - a cook

COCK-SHUT-TIME - the twilight, when cocks and hens go to roost

COG - to cheat, dissemble

COGNIZANCE - badge, token

COIGN  - projecting corner stone

COIL - tumult, turmoil

COLLECTION - drawing a conclusion

COLLIED - blackened; Othello

COLOUR - pretence

COLOURABLE - specious

COLT - to defraud, befool

CO-MART - a joint bargain

COMBINATE - betrothed

COMBINE  -to bind

COMMODITY - interest, profit

COMMONTY - used ludicrously for comedy

COMPACT - compacted, composed

COMPARATIVE - drawing comparisons

COMPARATIVE - rival

COMPARE - comparison

COMPASSIONATE - moving comparison

COMPETITOR - one who seeks the same thing, an associate in any object

COMPLEMENT - accomplishment

COMPLEXION - passion

COMPOSE - to agree

COMPOSTION - composition

COMPTIBLE - tractable

CON - to learn by heart; to acknowledge

CONCEIT - conception, opinion, fancy

CONCUPY - concubine

CONDITION - temper, quality

CONDOLEMENT - grief

CONDUCT - escort

CONFECT - to make up into sweetmeats

CONFOUND - to consume, destroy Coriolanus;

CONJECT - conjecture

CONSIGN - to sign a common bond, to confederate

CONSORT - company

CONSORT - to accompany

CONSTANCY - consistency

CONSTANT - settled, determined

CONSTANTLY - firmly

CONSTER - to construe

CONTEMPTIBLE - contemptuous

CONTINENT - that which contains anything; that which is contained

CONTINUATE - uninterrupted

CONTRACTION - the marriage contract

CONTRARY - to oppose

CONTRIVE - to conspire to wear away

CONTROL - to confute

CONVENT - to convene, summon to be convenient

CONVERT - to change

CONVERTITE - a convert

CONVEY - to manage; to filch

CONVEYANCE - theft, fraud

CONVICT - convicted

CONVICTED - overpowered, vanquished; a doubtful word

CONVINCE - to conquer, subdue

CONVIVE - to feast together

CONVOY - escort

CONY-CATCH - to cheat

CONY-CATCHING - poaching, pilfering

COOLING CARD - used metaphorically for an insurmountable obstacle

COPATAIN HAT - a high-crowned hat

COPE - to reward, to give in return

COPY - theme

CORAGIO - courage!

CORAM - an ignorant mistake for Quorum

CORANTO - lively dance

CORINTH - a cant term for a brothel

CORINTHIAN - a wencher

CORKY - dry like cork

CORNUTO - a cuckold

COROLLARY - a surplus

CORPORAL - corporeal, bodily

CORPORAL - (corporeal) of a material nature; tangible

CORPORALOF THE FIELD - an aide-de-camp

CORRIVAL - rival

COSTARD - the head

COSTER-MONGER - peddling, mercenary

COTE - a cottage

COTE - to quote, instance

COTE - to come alongside, overtake

COT-QUEAN - an effeminate man, molly-coddle

COUCHINGS - crouchings

COUNT CONFECT - a nobleman composed of affectation

COUNTENANCE - fair shew

COUNTERFEIT - portrait; a piece of base coin

COUNTERPOINT - a counterpane

COUNTERVAIL - to counterpoise, outweigh

COUNTRY - belonging to one's country

COUNTY - Count; Earl

COUPLEMENT - union

COURT HOLY-WATER - flattery

COVENT - a convent

COVER - to lay the table for dinner

COWISH - cowardly

COWL-STAFF - the staff on which a vessel is supported between two men

COX MY PASSION - an oath, a euphemism for 'God's Passion.'

COY - to stroke, fondle to condescend with difficulty

COYSTRIL - a kestrel, a cowardly kind of hawk

COZE -N to cheat

COZENAGE - cheating

COZENER - a cheater

COZIER - a tailor

CRACK - to boast

CRACK - a loud noise, clap; a forward boy

CRACKER - boaster

CRACK-HEMP - a gallows-bird

CRANK - a winding passage

CRANKING - winding

CRANTS - garlands; a doubtful word

CRARE - a ship of burden

CRAVEN - a dunghill cock

CREATE - formed, compounded

CREDENT - creditable; credible; credulous

CREDIT - report

CRESCIVE - increasing

CRESTLESS - not entitled to bear arms, lowborn

CRISP - curled, winding

CROSS - a piece of money, so called because the coin was formerly stamped with a cross

CROW-KEEPER - one who scares crows

CROWNER - a coroner

CROWNET - a coronet

CRY - the yelping of hounds; a pack of hounds; acompany, use contemptuously

CRY AIM - to encourage

CUE - the last words of an actor's speech, which is the signal for the next actor to begin

CUISSES - pieces of armour to cover the thighs

CULLION - a base fellow

CUNNING - skill

CUNNING - skilful

CURB - to bend, truckle

CURRENTS - occurrences

CURST/CURSTNESS - shrewishness

CURTAIL - a cur

CURTAL - a docked horse

CURTAL-AXE - a cutlass

CUSTALORUM  - a ludicrous mistake for Custos Rotulorum

CUSTARD-COFFIN - the crust of a custard-pudding

CUSTOMER - a common woman

CUT - a cheat; 'To draw cuts' is to draw lots

CYPRESS - a kind of crape

DAFF - to befool;to put off; (seems to be a corruption of 'doff')

DAMN - to condemn

DANGER - reach, control, power

DANSKER - a Dane

DARE - to challenge

DARKLING - in the dark

DARRAIGN - to set in array

DAUB - to disguise

DAUBERY - imposition

DAY-WOMAN - a dairy-maid

DEAR - dire; that which has to do with the affections; piteous; important

DEARN - lonely

DEBOSHED - debauched, drunken

DECK - to bedew. This is probably a form of the verb 'to dag,' now a provincial word

DECK - a pack of cards

DECLINE - to enumerate, as in going through the cases of a noun

DECLINED - fallen

DEEM - doom, judgment

DEFEAT - to undo, destroy

DEFEAT - destruction

DEFEATURE - disfigurement

DEFENCE - art of fencing

DEFEND - to forbid

DEFENSIBLE - having the power to defend

DEFTLY - dexterously

DEFY - renounce

DEGREES - a step

DELAY - to let slip by delaying

DEMERIT - merit, desert

DEMURELY - solemnly

DENAY - denial

DENIER - the 12th part of a French sol coin

DENOTEMENT - marking; note or manifestation

DENY - to refuse

DEPART - departure

DEPART - to part

DEPARTING - parting, separation

DEPEND - to be in service

DERIVED - born, descended

DEROGATE - degraded

DESCANT - a variation upon a melody, hence, metaphorically, a comment on a given theme

DESIGN - to draw up articles

DESPATCH - to deprive, bereave

DESPERATE - determined, bold

DETECT - to charge, blame

DETERMINE - to conclude

DICH - optative mood, perhaps contracted for 'do it.'

DIET - food regulated by the rules of medicine

DIET - to have one's food regulated by the rules of medicine

DIFFUSED - confused

DIGRESSING - transgressing, going out of the right way

DIGRESSION - transgression

DIG-YOU-GOOD-DEN - give you good evening

DILDO - the chorus or burden of a song

DINT - stroke

DIRECTION - judgment, skill

DISABLE - to disparage

DISAPPOINTED - unprepared

DISCASE - to undress

DISCONTENT - a malcontent

DISCOURSE - power of reasoning

DISDAIN - to show contempt for; to regard as beneath oneself

DISDAINE - disdainful

DISLIMN - to disfigure, transform

DISME - a tenth or tithe

DISPARK - to destroy a park

DISPONGE - to squeeze out as from a sponge

DISPOSE - disposal

DISPOSE - to conspire

DISPOSITION - maintenance

DISPUTABLE - disputatious

DISPUTE - to argue, examine

DISSEMBLY - used ridiculously for assembly

DISTASTE - to corrupt

DISTEMPERED - discontented

DISTRACTION - a detached troop or company of soldiers

DISTRAUGHT - distracted, mad

DIVERTED - turned from the natural course

DIVISION - a phrase or passage in a melody

DIVULGED - published, spoken of

DOFF - to do off, strip; to put off with an excuse

DOLT - a small Dutch coin

DOLE - portion dealt; grief, lamentation

DON - to do on, put on

DONALBAIN - youngest son of Duncan

DONE - 'done to death' ;put to death

DOTANT - one who dotes, a dotard

DOUT - to do out, quench

DOWLAS - a kind of coarse sacking

DOWLE - the swirl of a feather

DOWN-GYVED - hanging down like gyves or fetters

DRAB - a harlot

DRABBING - whoring

DRAUGHT - a privy

DRAWN - having his sword drawn

DRAWN - drunk, having taken a good draught

DRIBBLIN -G weak

DRIVE - to rush impetuously

DROLLERY - a puppet-show

DRUMBLE - to dawdle

DRY - thirsty

DUALITY - having two parts

DUC-DAME - perhaps the Latin duc-ad-me, bring him to me

DUDGEON - a dagger

DULL - soothing

DULLARD - a dull person

DUMP - complaint

DUNCAN - King of Scotland

DUP - to do up;lift up

EAGER - sour; harsh; biting

EANLING - a yeanling, a lamb

EAR - to plough

ECHE - to eke out

EFT - ready, convenient

EISEL - vinegar

ELD - old age

EMBOSSED - swollen into protuberances; covered with foam

EMBOWELLED - disembowelled, emptied

EMBRASURE - embrace

EMINENCE - exalted station

EMPERY - empire

EMULATION - jealousy, mutiny

EMULOUS - jealous

ENCAVE - to place oneself in a cave

END - 'Still an end'; continually for ever

ENFEOFF - to place in possession in fee simple

ENGINE - a machine of war

ENGLUT - to swallow speedily

ENGROSS - to make gross or fat

ENGROSSMENT - immoderate acquisition

ENKINDLE - to make keen

ENMEW - to shut up, as a hawk is shut up in a mew

ENSCONCE - to cover as with a fort

ENSEAMED - fat, rank

ENSHIELD - hidden

ENTERTAIN - encounter; experience

ENTERTAINMENT - treatment; a disposition to entertain a proposal; service

ENTREATMENTS - interviews

EPHESIAN - a toper; a cant term

EQUIPAGE - attendance

EREWHILE - a short time since

ESCOT - to pay a man's reckoning; to maintain

ESPERANCE - hope, used as a war-cry

ESPIAL - a scout or spy

ESTIMATION - conjecture

ESTRIDGE - ostridge

ETERNE - eternal

EVEN - coequal

EVEN - to equal

EXAMINE - to question

EXCREMENT - that which grows outwardly from the body and has no sensation like the hair or nails; any outward show

EXECUTOR - an executioner

EXEMPT - excluded

EXERCISE - a religious service

EXHALE - to hale or draw out to draw the sword

EXHIBITION - allowance; pension

EXIGENT - death; ending

EXION - ridiculously used for 'action.'

EXPECT - expectation

EXPEDIENCE - expedition, undertaking; haste

EXPEDIENT - expeditious, swift

EXPIATE - completed

EXPOSTULATE - to expound, discuss

EXPOSTURE - exposure

EXPRESS - to reveal

EXPULSE - to expel

EXSUFFICATE - that which has been hissed off; contemptible

EXTEND - to seize

EXTENT - a seizure

EXTERN - outward

EXTIRP - to extirpate

EXTRACTING - distracting

EXTRAUGHT - part; extracted, descended

EXTRAVAGANT - foreign, wandering

EXTREMES - extravagance of conduct; extremities

EYAS - a nestling hawk

EYAS-MUSKET - a nestling of the musket or merlin, the smallest species of British hawk

EYE - a glance; oeillad

EYE - a shade of colour, as in shot silk

EYNE - eyes

FACINOROUS - wicked

FACT - guilt

FACTIOUS - instant, importunate

FACULTY - essential virtue or power

FADGE - to suit

FADING - a kind of ending to a song

FAIN - glad

FAIN - gladly

FAIR - beauty

FAITOR - a traitor

FAll - to let fall

FALLOW - fawn-coloured

FALSE - falsehood

FALSING - deceptive

FAMILIAR - a familiar spirit

FANCY/FANCY-FREE - untouched by love

FANG - to seize in the teeth

FANTASTIC - a fantastical person

FAP - drunk

FAR - farther

FARCED - stuffed

FARDEL - a burden

FARTUOUS - used ridiculously for ' virtuous'

FAST - assuredly, unalterably

FAT - dull

FAVOUR - countenance;complexion Quality

FEAR - the object of fear

FEAR - to affright

FEARFUL - subject to fear, timorous

FEAT - dexterous

FEAT - to make fine

FEATER - comp. degree; more neatly

FEATLY - nimbly, daintily

FEATURE - beauty

FEDERARY - confederate

FEEDER - agent, servant

 -FEE-GRIEF a grief held, as it were, in fee-simple, or the peculiar property of him who possesses it

FEERE - a companion, husband

FEHEMENTLY - used ridiculously for 'vehemently'

FELL - the hide

FENCE - art or skill in defence

FEODARY - one who holds an estate by suit or service to a superior lord; hence one who acts under the direction of another

FESTER - to rankle, grow virulent

FESTINATELY quickly

FET - fetched

 -FICO a fig

FIELDED - in the field of battle

FIG - to insult

FIGHTS - clothes hung round a ship to conceal the men from the enemy

FILE - a list or catalogue

FILE - to defile; to smooth or polish; to make even

FILL-HORSE - shaft-horse

FILLS - the shafts

FILTH - a whore

FINE - end

FINE - to make fine or specious

FINELESS - endless

FIRAGO - ridiculously used for 'Virago'

FIRE-DRAKE - Will o' the Wisp

FIRE-NEW - with the glitter of novelty on, like newly- forged metal

FIRK - to chastise

FIT - a canto or division of a song; a trick or habit

FITCHEW - a polecat

FIVES - a disease incident to horses

FLAP-DRAGON - raisins in burning brandy

FLAP-JACK - a pan-cake

FLAT - certain

FLATNESS - lowness, depth

FLAW - a gust of wind sudden emotion, or the cause of it

FLAW - to make a flaw in, to break

FLECKED - spotted, streaked

FLEET - to float; to pass away; to pass the time

FLEETING - inconstant

FLESHMENT - the act of fleshing the sword, hence the first feat of arms

FLEWED - furnished with hanging lips; as hounds are

FLIGHT - a particular mode of practising archery

FLIRT-GILL - a light woman

FLOTE - wave, sea

FLOURISH - an ornament

FLOURISH - to ornament; disguise with ornament

FLUSH - fresh, full of vigour

FOIL - defeat; disadvantage

FOIL - one that by contrast enhances the characteristics of another

FOIN - to fence; fight

FOISON - plenty

FOND - foolish; foolishly affectionate

FOOT-CLOTH - a saddle-cloth hanging down to the ground

FOR - for that, because

FORBID - accursed, outlawed

FORBODE - forbidden

FORCE - to stuff, for 'farce'

FORCED - falsely attributed

FORDO - to kill, destroy; to weary

FOREIGN - obliged to live abroad

FOREPAST - former

FORESLOW - to delay

FORFEND - to forbid

FORGETIVE - inventive

FORKED - horned

FORMAL - regular, retaining its proper and essential characteristic

FORSPEAK - to speak against

FORSPENT - exhausted, weary

FORTHRIGHT - a straight path; forthrights and meanders, straight paths and crooked ones

FORWEARY - to weary, exhaust

FOSSET-SELLER - one who sells the pipes inserted into a vessel to give vent to the liquor, and stopped by a spigot

FOX - a sword; a cant word

FOX-SHIP - the cunning of the fox

FRAMPOLD - peevish, unquiet

FRANK - the feeding place of swine

FRANKED - confined

FRANKLIN - a freeholder, a small squire

FRAUGHT - freighted

FRAUGHTAGE - freight

FRAUGHTING - to fraught; loading or constituting the cargo of a ship

FRESH - a spring of fresh water

FRET - the stop of a guitar

FRET - to wear away; to variegate

FRIEND - to befriend

FRIPPERY - an old-clothes shop

FROM - (prep.) contrary to

FRONT  -to affront, oppose

FRONTIER - opposition

FRONTLET - that which is worn on the forehead

FRUSH - to break or bruise

FRUSTRATE - frustrated

FUB OFF - to put off

FULFILL - to fill full

FULL - complete

FULLAM - a loaded die

FULSOME - lustful

FURBISH - to restore to serviceable condition

FURNISHED - equipped

FURNITOR - furnitory, an herb

GABERDINE - a loose outer coat, or smock frock

GAD - a pointed instrument, a goad; upon the gad, with impetuous haste, upon the spur of the moment

GAIN-GIVING - misgiving

GAIT - going, steps

GALLIARD - a kind of dance

GALLIASSE - a kind of ship

GALLIMAUFRY - a ridiculous medley

GALLOW - to scare

GALLOWGLASS - the irregular infantry of Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland

GAMESTER - a frolicsome person; a loose woman

GARBOIL - disorder, uproar

GARISH - gaudy, staring

GARNER - to lay by, as corn in a barn

GAST - frightened

GAUDY - festive

GAZE - an object of wonder

GEAR - matter of business of any kind

GECK - a fool

GENERAL - the generality, common people

GENERATIONS - children

GENEROSITY - noble birth

GENEROUS - noble

GENTILITY - good manners

GENTLE - gentlefolk

GENTLE - noble

GENTLE - to ennoble

GENTRY - complaisance, conduct becoming gentlefolk

GERMAN - akin; appropriate

GERMEN - seed, embryo

GEST - period

GIB - a he-cat

GIFTS - talents, endowment

GIGLOT - a wanton girl

GILDER - a coin of the value of 1shilling 6pence or 2shillings (in modern UK coinage equivalent to 7,5p or 10p)

GILT - money; state of wealth

GIMMAL - double

GIMMOR - contrivance

GING - gang

GIRD - to gibe

GIRD - a sarcasm or gibe

GLEEK - to scoff

GLEEK - a scoff

GLOSE - to comment; hence, to be garrulous

GLUT - to swallow

GNARL - to snarl

GOOD-DEED - indeed

GOOD-DEN - good-evening, contracted from 'Good-even' GOOD-YEAR or GOOD-JER a corruption of the French goujere; the venereal disease

GORBELLIED - corpulent

GOURD - a species of game of chance

GOUT - a drop

GOVERNMENT - discretion

GRACIOUS - abounding in grace; divine

GRAINED - engrained

GRAMERCY - int. grand mercy, much thanks

GRANGE - the farmstead attached to a monastery, a solitary farm-house

GRATILLITY - used ridiculously for 'gratuity'

GRATULATE - to congratulate

GRAVE - to bury

GRAYMALKIN - the witch's familiar, a spirit in animal form, in this case a cat

GREASILY - grossly

GREEK - a bawd

GREEN - immature, fresh, unused

GREENLY - foolishly

GREET - to weep

GRIZE - a step

GROSSLY - palpably

GROUNDLING - one who sits in the pit of a theatre

GROWING - accruing

GUARD - decoration

GUARD - to decorate

GUARDAGE - guardianship

GUINEA-HEN - the pintado; a cant term

GULES - red; a term in heraldry

GULF - the throat

GUN-STONE - a cannon ball

GUST - taste, relish

GYVE - to fetter

HACK - to become common

HAGGARD - a wild or unreclaimed hawk

HAG-SEED - seed or offspring of a hag

HAIR - course, order, grain

HALIDOM - holiness, sanctification, Christian fellowship; used as an oath, and analogous to 'By my faith.'

HALL - an open space to dance in

HALLOWMAS - All Hallows' Day

HAP - chance, fortune

HAPPILY - accidentally

HANDSAW - perhaps a corruption of Heronshaw; a hern

HARDIMENT - defiance; brave deeds

HARLOCK - charlock; wild mustard

HARRY - to annoy, harass

HAUGHT - haughty

HAUNT - company

HAVING - property, fortune

HAVIOUR - behavior

HAY - a term in fencing

HEADY - violent, headlong

HEAT - of 'to heat,' heated

HEBENON - henbane

HEFT - a heaving

HEFT - furnished with a handle: hence, metaphorically, finished off, delicately formed

HELM - to steer, manage

HENCE - henceforward

HENCHMAN - a page or attendant

HENT - to seize, take

HERMIT - a beadsman, one bound to pray for another

HEST - command

HIGH - used in composition with adjectives to heighten or emphasise their signification, as, high- fantastical

HIGHT - called

HILD - held

HILDING - a paltry fellow

HINT - suggestion

HIREN - a prostitute; with a pun on the word 'iron.'

HIT - to agree

HOISE - to hoist, heave up on high

HOIST - hoisted

HOLP - to help; helped

HOME - to the utmost

HONEST - chaste

HONESTY - chastity

HONEY-STALKS - the red clover

HOODMAN-BLIND - the game now called blindman's-buff

HORN-MAD - probably, 'harn-mad,' that is, brain-mad

HOROLOGE - a clock

HOT-HOUSE - a brothel

HOX - to hamstring

HUGGER-MUGGER - secresy

HULL - to drift on the sea like a wrecked ship

HUMOROUS - fitful, or, perhaps, hurried

HUNT-COUNTER - to follow the scent the wrong way

HUNTS-UP - a holla used in hunting when the game was on foot

HURLY - noise, confusion

HURLYBURLY - a commotion or uproar (the coming battle)

HURTLE - to clash

HURTLING - noise, confusion

HUSBANDRY - frugality; management

HUSWIFE - a jilt

ICE-BROOK - an icy-cold brook

I'FECKS - int. in faith, a euphemism

IGNOMY - ignominy

IMAGE - representation

IMAGE - a picture that Shakespeare paints with words

IMBARE - to bare, lay open

IMMEDIACY - close connection

IMMOMENT - unimportant

IMP - to graft; to splice a falcon's broken feathers

IMP - a scion; a child

IMPAWN - to stake; compromise

IMPEACH - to bring into question

IMPEACH - impeachment

IMPEACHMENT - cause of censure, hindrance

IMPERCEIVERANT - duff of perception

IMPETICOS - to pocket

IMPORTANCE - importunity

IMPORTANT - importunate

IMPORTING - significant

IMPOSE - imposition, meaning command or task imposed upon any one

IMPOSITIONS - command

IMPRESE - a device with a motto

IMPRESS - to compel to serve

IN COMMISSION - assigned to see the execution carried out

INCAPABLE - unconscious

INCARNARDINE - to dye red

INCENSED - incited, egged on

INCH-MEAL - by inch-meal; by portions of inches

INCLINING - compliant

INCLINING - inclination

INCLIP - to embrace

INCLUDE - conclude

INCONY - fine, delicate

INCORRECT - ill-regulated

IND - India

INDENT - to compound or bargain

INDEX - a preface

INDIFFERENT - ordinary

INDIGEST - disordered

INDITE - to invite; to convict

INDUCTION - introduction, beginning

INDURANCE - delay

INFINITE - infinite power

INGRAFT - to engraff; engrafted

INHABITABLE - uninhabitable

INHERIT - to possess

INHOOPED - penned up in hoops

INKHORN-MATE - a contemptuous term for an ecclesiastic, or man of learning

INKLE - a kind of narrow fillet or tape

INLAND - civilised, well-educated

INLY - inward

INLY - inwardly

INQUISITION - enquiry

INSANE - that which causes insanity

INSCONCE - to arm, fortify

INSTANCE - example Information; reason, proof

INTELLIGENCE - information

INTEND - to pretend

INTENDING - regarding

INTENDMENT - intention

INTENTIVELY - attentively

INTERESSED - allied

INTERMISSION - pause, delay

INTRENCHMENT - not capable of being cut

INTRINSE - intricate

INTRINSICATE - intricate

INVENTION - imagination

INWARD - an intimate friend intimate

INWARDNESS - intimacy

IRONY - the use of words to express something different from, or sometimes opposite to, their literal meaning

IRREGULOUS lawless, licentious

ITERATION - reiteration

JACK - a mean fellow

JACK-A-LENT - a puppet thrown at in Lent

JACK GUARDANT - a jack in office

JADE - to whip, to treat with contempt

JAR - the ticking of a clock

JAR - to tick as a clock

JAUNCE - to prance

JESS - a strap of leather attached to the talons of a hawk, by which it is held on the fist

JEST - to tilt in a tournament

JET - to strut

JOURNAL - daily

JOVIAL - appertaining to Jove

JUDICIOUS - critical

JUMP - to agree to hazard

JUMP - hazard

JUMP - exactly, nicely

JUSTICER - a judge, magistrate

JUT - to encroach

JUTTY - a projection

JUTTY - to jut out beyond

JUVENAL - youth, young man

KAM - crooked

KECKSY - hemlock

KEECH - a lump of tallow

KEEL - to skin

KEEP - to restrain

KEISAR - Caesar; Emperor

KERNS & GALLOWGLASSES - armed footsoldiers

KERN - the rude foot soldiers of the Irish

KIBE - a chilblain

KICKSHAW - a made dish

KICKSY WICKSY - a wife, used in disdain

KILN-HOLE - the ash-hole under a kiln

KIND - nature

KINDLE - to bring forth young; used only of beasts

KINDLESS - unnatural

KINDLY - natural

KIRTLE - a gown

KNAP - to snap, crack

KNAVE - a boy; a serving-man

KNOT - a figure in garden beds

KNOW - to acknowledge

LABRAS - lips

LACED-MUTTON - a courtesan

LAG - the lowest of the people

LAG - late, behindhand

LAKIN - ladykin, little lady; an endearing term applied to the Virgin Mary in the oath, 'By our lakin.'

LAND-DAMN - perhaps to extirpate; Hanmer thinks it means to kill by stopping the urine

LAPSED - taken, apprehended

LARGE - licentious, free

LARGESS - a present

LASS-LORN - deserted by a mistress

LATCH - to smear; to catch

LATED - belated

LATTEN - made of brass

LAUND - lawn

LAVOLTA - a dance

LAY - wager

LEAGUE - besieging army

LEAF - page

LEASING - lying

LEATHER-COATS - a kind of apple

LEECH - a physician

LEER - countenance, complexion

LEET - a manor court

LEGE - to allege

LEGERITY - lightness

LEIGER - an ambassador resident abroad

LEMAN - a lover or mistress

LENNOX - a Scottish nobleman

LENTEN - meagre; that which may be eaten in Lent

L'ENVOY - the farewell or moral at the end of a tale or poem

LET - to hinder to binder

LET - hindrance

LETHE - death

LEVEL - to aim

LEVEL - that which is aimed at

LEWD - ignorant, foolish

LEWDLY - wickedly

LEWDSTER - a lewd person

LIBBARD - a leopard

LIBERAL - licentious

LIBERTY - libertinism

LICENCE - licentiousness

LIEF - dear

LIFTER - a thief

LIGHT O' LOVE - a tune so called

LIGHTLY - easily, generally

LIKE - to please

LIKE - to liken, compare

LIKE - likely

LIKELIHOOD - promise, appearance

LIKING - condition

LIMBECK - an alembick; a still

LIMBO/LIMBO PATRUN - the place where good men under the Old Testament were believed to be imprisoned till released by Christ after his crucifixion

LIME - bird-lime

LIME - to entangle as with bird-lime; to smear with bird-lime; to mix lime with beer or other liquor

LIMN - to draw

LINE - support

LINE - to cover on the inside; to strengthen by inner works

LINSTOCK - a staff with a match at the end of it used by gunners in firing cannon

LIST - a margin, hence a bound or enclosure

LITHER - lazy

LITTLE - miniature

LIVELIHOOD - appearance of life

LIVERY - a law phrase, signifying the act of delivering a freehold into the possession of the heir or purchaser

LIVING - lively; convincing

LOACH - a fish so-called

LOB - a looby

LOCKRAM - a sort of coarse linen

LODE-STAR - the leading-star; pole-star

LOFFE - to laugh

LOGGATS - the game called nine-pins

LONGLY - longingly

LOOF - to lull, bring a vessel up to the wind

LOON - a low contemptible fellow

LOST - destroyed

LOT - a prize in a lottery

LOTTERY - that which falls to a man by lot

LOWT - a clown

LOWT - to treat one as a lowt; with contempt

LOZEL - a spendthrift

LUBBER - a leopard

LUCE (n.) - the pike or jack, a fresh-water fish

LUMPISH - duff, dejected

LUNES - fits of lunacy

LURCH - to defeat, to win

LURCH - to shift, to play tricks

LURE - a thing stuffed to resemble a bird with which the falconer allures a hawk

LUSH - juicy, luxuriant

LUSTIG - lusty, cheerful

LUXURIOUS - lascivious

LUXURY - lust

LYM - a limer or slow hound

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