To help you better understand Shakespeare’s works we’ve put together the below Shakespeare dictionary, listing Shakespeare’s words, along with a description and example of the word used in context in a Shakespeare play.
In many ways, Shakespeare is the founder of the modern English that we use. It’s generally accepted that he invented or brought into popular usage thousands of words and phrases, and wrote some of litereature’s most memorable lines. However, Shakespeare wrote almost 400 years ago in Early Modern English, and a number of words that were common in his day have since fallen out of usage. The dictionary below lists the words Shakespeare used that are not in common usage today, or may have a different meaning.
[glossary]
If there’s a word you need to understand that’s not listed, please let us know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
In in Sanskrit plx
Sorry, I can’t understand this request
what does “and” mean in Shakespeare? Does it stay the same?
yes
marry
The word “Marry” was used in Shakespeare’s time as an exclamation – think of it as meaning “indeed!”.
What does dispraise mean, except the obvious “opposite of praise”? in the final act of Henry V?
censure; criticism.
“this engraving has on occasion elicited dispraise for Raphael”
What does “rank fumetry” mean? ( Henry V)
Rank meant/means horrible, and fumitory refers to a type of plant of the genus Fumaria, so in this context ‘rank fumitory’ means something along the lines of a horrible weed.
What does “book our day” mean? (Henry V)
I can’t find this reference in Henry V – could you please share the act, scene, and line, and who says it pls?
stole
Is the past tense of steal
Nuptials
The term nuptials relates to marriage or the marriage ceremony
What does “writ” mean?
A writ is a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer.
hoary-headed
Hoary means either gray or white as if with age, or extremely old.