GLOSSARY
ABATEto shorten
To cast down
To blunt
ABATEMENTdiminution
ABHORprotest; disgust
ABIDEto sojourn
to expiate
ABLEto uphold
ABRIDGEMENTa short play
ABROADaway, apart
ABROOKto brook, abide
ABSEY-BOOKa primer
ABSOLUTEpositive, certain
Complete
ABUSEto deceive
ABUSEdeception
ABYto expiate a fault
ABYSMabyss
ACCITEto cite, summon
ACCUSEaccusation
ACHIEVEto obtain
ACKNOWN'to be acknown' is to acknowledge
ACQUITTANCEa receipt or discharge
ACTION-TAKINGlitigious
ACTUREaction
ADDITIONtitle, attribute
ADDRESSto prepare oneself
ADDRESSEDprepared
ADVANCEto prefer, promote to honour
ADVERTISEMENTadmonition
ADVERTISINGattentive
ADVICEconsideration, discretion
ADVISEsometimes neuter, sometimes reflective, to
consider, reflect
ADVISEDconsiderate
ADVOCATIONpleading, advocacy
AFEAREDafraid
AFFECTto love
AFFYto affiance
To trust
AFRONTin front
AGAZEDlooking in amazement
AGLET-BABYthe small figure engraved on a jewel
AGNISEto acknowledge, confess
A-GOODa good deal, plenteously
A-HOLDa sea-term
AIERIEthe nest of a bird of prey
AIMa guess
ALDER-LIEFESTmost loved of all
ALEalehouse
ALLOWto approve
ALLOWANCEapproval
AMES-ACEtwo aces, the lowest throw of the dice
AMORTdead, dejected
ANif
ANCHORan anchorite, hermit
ANCIENTan ensign-bearer
ANGELa coin, so called because it bore the image of
an angel
ANIGHTby night
ANSWERretaliation
ANTHROPOPHAGINIANa cannibal
ANTICKthe fool in the old plays
ANTREa cave
APPARENTheir-apparent
APPEALaccusation
APPEALto accuse
APPEAREDmade apparent
APPLE-JOHNa kind of apple
APPOINTMENTpreparation
APPREHENSIONopinion
APPREHENSIVEapt to apprehend or understand
APPROBATIONprobation
APPROOFapprobation, proof
APPROVEto prove
To justify, make good
APPROVERone who proves or tries
ARCHchief
ARGALa ridiculous word intended for the Latin ergo
ARGENTINEsilver
ARGIERAlgiers
ARGOSYoriginally a vessel of Ragusa or Ragosa, a
Ragosine; hence any ship of burden
ARGUMENTsubject
ARMIGEROa mistake for Armiger, the Latin for Esquire
AROINTfound only in the imperative mood, get thee
gone
A-ROWin a row
ARTICULATEto enter into articles of agreement
to exhibit in articles
ASKto require
ASPECTregard, looks
ASPERSIONsprinkling; hence blessing, because before the
Reformation benediction was generally accompanied
by the sprinkling of holy water
ASSAYattempt
ASSAYto attempt, test, make proof of
ASSINEGOan ass
ASSUBJUGATEto subjugate
ASSURANCEdeed of assurance
ASSUREDbetrothed
ATOMYan atom
Used in contempt of a small person
ATONEto put people at one, to reconcile
to agree
ATTACHto seize, lay hold on
ATTASKEDtaken to task, reprehended
ATTENDto listen to
ATTENTattentive
ATTORNEYan agent
ATTORNEYto employ as an agent
To perform by an agent
AUDACIOUSspirited, daring, but without any note of blame
attached to it
AUGURaugury
AUTHENTICclothed with authority
AVAUNTint. be gone, a word of abhorrence
AVEthe Latin for hail; hence acclamation
AVE-MARYthe angelic salutation addressed to the Blessed
Virgin Mary
AVERRINGconfirming
AVOIDget rid of
AWFULworshipful
AWKWARDcontrary
BACCAREkeep back
BACKWARDthe hinder part; hence, when applied to time,
the past
BAFFLEembarrass
BALKEDheaped, as on a ridge
BALLOWa cudgel
BALMthe oil of consecration
BANto curse
BANKto sail by the banks
BARMyeast
BARNa child
BARNACLEa shellfish, supposed to produce the sea-bird
of the same name
BASEa game, sometimes called Prisoners' base
BASESan embroidered mantle worn by knights on
horseback, and reaching from the middle to
below the knees
BASILISKa kind of ordnance
BASTAenough
BASTARDraisin wine
BATEto flutter, as a hawk
BATEto except
To abate
BAT-FOWLINGcatching birds with a clap-net by night
BATLETa small bat, used for beating clothes
BATTLEarmy
BAVINused as an a piece of waste wood, applied
contemptuously to anything worthless
BAWCOCKa fine fellow
BAWDprocurer
BAYthe space between the main timbers of the roof
BEADSMANone who bids bedes, that is, prays prayers
for another
BEARING-CLOTHa rich cloth in which children were wrapt at
their christening
BEATto flutter as a falcon, to meditate, consider
earnestly
BEAVERthe lower part of a helmet
BEETLEa mallet
BEINGdwelling
BEINGsince, inasmuch as
BE-METEto measure
BE-MOILEDdaubed with dirt
BENDINGstooping under a weight
BENVENUTO(Italian), welcome
BERGOMASKa rustic dance
BESHREWevil befal
BESTRAUGHTdistraught, distracted
BETEEMto pour out
BETIDhappened
BEZONIANa beggarly fellow
BIDINGabiding-place
BIGGENa night-cap
BILBERRYthe whortleberry
BILBOa sword, from Bilboa, a town in Spain where
they were made
BILBOESfetters or stocks
BILLa bill-hook, a weapon
BINbeen, are
BIRD-BOLTa bolt to be shot from a crossbow at birds
BIRDINGpart. hawking at partridges
BISSONblind
BLANKthe white mark in the middle of a target;
hence, metaphorically, that which is aimed at
BLENCHto start aside, flinch
BLENTblended
BLOOD-BOLTEREDsmeared with blood
BLOWto inflate
BOARDto make advances to; accost
BOBa blow, metaph. a sarcasm
BOBto strike, metaph. to ridicule, or to obtain
by raillery
BODGEto botch, bungle
BODIKINa corrupt word used as an oath. 'Od's Bodikin,'
God's little Body
BOITIER VERTgreen box
BOLDto embolden
BOLLENswollen
BOLTEDsifted, refined
BOLTERa sieve
BOLTING-HUTCHa hutch in which meal was sifted
BOMBARDa barrel, a drunkard
BOMBASTpadding
BONA-ROBAa harlot
BONDthat to which one is bound
BOOKa paper of conditions
BOOThelp, use
BOOTto help, to avail
BOOTLESSwithout boot or advantage, useless
BOOTSbots, a kind of worm
BOREcalibre of a gun; hence, metaph. size, weight,
importance
BOSKYcovered with underwood
BOSOMwish, heart's desire
BOTSworms which infest horses
BOURNa boundary
A brook
BRACEarmour for the arm, state of defence
BRACHa hound bitch
BRAIDdeceitful
BRAVEhandsome, well-dressed
BRAVEboast
BRAVERYfinery
Boastfulness
BRAWLa kind of dance
BREASTvoice
BREATHEto exercise
BREATHINGexercising
BREECHINGliable to be whipt
BREED-BATEa breeder of debate, a fomenter of quarrels
BREESEthe gadfly
BRIBE-BUCKa buck given away in presents
BRINGto attend one on a journey
BROCKa badger, a term of contempt
BROKEto act as a procurer
BROKENhaving lost some teeth by age
BROKEN MUSICthe music of stringed instruments
BROKERan agent
BROTHERHOODtrading company
BROWNISTa sectary, a follower of Brown, the founder
of the Independents
BRUITnoise, report, rumour
BRUITto noise abroad
BRUSHrude assault
BUCKsuds or lye for washing clothes in
BUCK-BASKETthe basket in which clothes are carried to the
wash
BUCKINGwashing
BUCK-WASHINGwashing in lye
BUGa bugbear, a spectre
BULLY-ROOKa bragging cheater
BURGONETa kind of helmet
BURSTto break
BUSKYbushy
BUTT-SHAFTa light arrow for shooting at a target
BUXOMobedient
BY'RLAKINby our little Lady: an oath
CADDISworsted galloon, so called because it resembles
the caddis-worm
CADEa cask or barrel
CAGEa prison
CAIN-COLOUREDred (applied to hair)
CAITIFFa captive, a slave; hence, a witch
CALCULATEprophesy
CALIVERa hand-gun
CALLETa trull
CALLINGappellation
CALMqualm
CANto know, be skillful in
CANAKINa little can
CANARYa wine brought from the Canary Islands
CANDLE-WASTERSpersons who sit up all night to drink
CANKERa caterpillar
The dog-rose
CANSTICKa candlestick
CANTLEa slice, corner
CANTONa canto
CANVASto sift: hence, metaphorically, to prove
CAPABLEsubject to
Intelligent
Capable of inheriting
Ample, capacious
CAPITULATEmake a combined force
CAPOCCHIAa simpleton
CAPRICIOcaprice
CAPRICIOUSlascivious
CAPTIOUScapacious
CARACKa large ship of burden
CARBONADOmeat scotched for broiling
CARBONADOto scotch for broiling
CARDthe taper on which the points of the compass
are marked under the mariner's needle
CAREIREthe curvetting of a horse
CARKANETa necklace
CARLa churl
CARLOTa churl
CASTILIANa native of Castile; used as a cant term
CASTILIANO VULGOa cant term, meaning, apparently, to use discreet
language
CATAIANa native of Cathay, a cant word
CATLINGcat-gut
CAUTELdeceit
CAUTELOUSinsidious
CAVALEROa cavalier, gentleman
CAVIAREthe roe of sturgeon pickled; metaph. a delicacy
not appreciated by the vulgar
CEASEdecease
CEASEput off, made to cease
CENSUREjudgment
CENSUREto judge, criticise
CENTURYa hundred of anything, whether men, prayers, or
anything else
CEREMONYa ceremonial vestment, religious rite, or
anything ceremonial
CERTEScertainly
CESSrate, reckoning
CHACEa term at tennis
CHAMBERa species of great gun
CHAMBERERan effeminate man
CHANSONa song
CHARACTaffected quality
CHARACTERa letter, handwriting
CHARACTERto carve or engrave
CHARACTERYhandwriting
That which is written
CHAREa turn of work
CHARGE-HOUSEa free-school
CHARLES' WAINthe constellation called also Ursa Major, or
the Great Bear
CHARNECOa species of sweet wine
CHAUDRONentrails
CHEATERfor escheator, an officer who collected the
fines to be paid into the Exchequer
A decoy
CHEQUEa technical term in falconry; when a falcon
flies at a bird which is not her proper game she
is said to cheque at it
CHEQUESperhaps intended for ethics
CHEERfortune, countenance
CHERRY-PITa game played with cherrystones
CHEVERILkid leather
CHEWITcough
CHILDINGpregnant
CH'ILLvulgar for 'I will.'
CHIRURGEONLYin a manner becoming a surgeon
CHOPINa high shoe or clog
CHRISTENDOMthe state of being a Christian
CHRISTOMclothed with a chrisom, the white garment
which used to be put on newly-baptized children
CHUCKchicken, a term of endearment
CHUFFa coarse blunt clown
CINQUE PACEa kind of dance
CIPHERto decipher
CIRCUMSTANCEan argument
CITALrecital
CITEto incite
CITTERNa guitar
CLACK-DISHa beggar's dish
CLAP I' THE CLOUTto shoot an arrow into the bull's eye of the target
CLAWto flatter
CLEPEto call
CLIFFclef, the key in music
CLINGto starve
CLINQUANTglittering
CLIPto embrace, enclose
CLOUTthe mark in the middle of a target
COASTto advance
COBLOAFa big loaf
COCKa cockboat
COCKa euphemism for God
COCK-AND-PIEan oath
COCKLEtares or darnel
COCKNEYa cook
COCK-SHUT-TIMEthe twilight, when cocks and hens go to roost
COGto cheat, dissemble
COGNIZANCEbadge, token
COIGNprojecting corner stone
COILtumult, turmoil
COLLECTIONdrawing a conclusion
COLLIEDblackened. Othello;
COLOURpretence
COLOURABLEspecious
COLTto defraud, befool
CO-MARTa joint bargain
COMBINATEbetrothed
COMBINEto bind
COMMODITYinterest, profit
COMMONTYused ludicrously for comedy
COMPACTcompacted, composed
COMPARATIVEdrawing comparisons
COMPARATIVErival
COMPAREcomparison
COMPASSIONATEmoving comparison
COMPETITORone who seeks the same thing, an associate in
any object
COMPLEMENTaccomplishment
COMPLEXIONpassion
COMPOSEto agree
COMPOSTIONcomposition
COMPTIBLEtractable
CONto learn by heart
To acknowledge
CONCEITconception, opinion, fancy
CONCUPYconcubine
CONDITIONtemper, quality
CONDOLEMENTgrief
CONDUCTescort
CONFECTto make up into sweetmeats
CONFOUNDto consume, destroy
Coriolanus;
CONJECTconjecture
CONSIGNto sign a common bond, to confederate
CONSORTcompany
CONSORTto accompany
CONSTANCYconsistency
CONSTANTsettled, determined
CONSTANTLYfirmly
CONSTERto construe
CONTEMPTIBLEcontemptuous
CONTINENTthat which contains anything
That which is contained
CONTINUATEuninterrupted
CONTRACTIONthe marriage contract
CONTRARYto oppose
CONTRIVEto conspire
to wear away
CONTROLto confute
CONVENTto convene, summon
to be convenient
CONVERTto change
CONVERTITEa convert
CONVEYto manage
To filch
CONVEYANCEtheft, fraud
CONVICTconvicted
CONVICTEDoverpowered, vanquished
A doubtful word
CONVINCEto conquer, subdue
CONVIVEto feast together
CONVOYescort
CONY-CATCHto cheat
CONY-CATCHINGpoaching, pilfering
COOLING CARDused metaphorically for an insurmountable obstacle
COPATAIN HATa high-crowned hat
COPEto reward, to give in return
COPYtheme
CORAGIOcourage!
CORAMan ignorant mistake for Quorum
CORANTOlively dance
CORINTHa cant term for a brothel
CORINTHIANa wencher
CORKYdry like cork
CORNUTOa cuckold
COROLLARYa surplus
CORPORALcorporeal, bodily
CORPORAL
OF THE FIELDan aide-de-camp
CORRIVALrival
COSTARDthe head
COSTER-MONGERpeddling, mercenary
COTEa cottage
COTEto quote, instance
COTEto come alongside, overtake
COT-QUEANan effeminate man, molly-coddle
COUCHINGScrouchings
COUNT CONFECTa nobleman composed of affectation
COUNTENANCEfair shew
COUNTERFEITportrait
A piece of base coin
COUNTERPOINTa counterpane
COUNTERVAILto counterpoise, outweigh
COUNTRYbelonging to one's country
COUNTYcount, earl
COUPLEMENTunion
COURT HOLY-WATERflattery
COVENTa convent
COVERto lay the table for dinner
COWISHcowardly
COWL-STAFFthe staff on which a vessel is supported
between two men
COX MY PASSIONan oath, a euphemism for 'God's Passion.'
COYto stroke, fondle
to condescend with difficulty
COYSTRILa kestrel, a cowardly kind of hawk
COZENto cheat
COZENAGEcheating
COZENERa cheater
COZIERa tailor
CRACKto boast
CRACKa loud noise, clap
A forward boy
CRACKERboaster
CRACK-HEMPa gallows-bird
CRANKa winding passage
CRANKINGwinding
CRANTSgarlands. A doubtful word
CRAREa ship of burden
CRAVENa dunghill cock
CREATEformed, compounded
CREDENTcreditable
Credible
Credulous
CREDITreport
CRESCIVEincreasing
CRESTLESSnot entitled to bear arms, lowborn
CRISPcurled, winding
CROSSa piece of money, so called because the coin
was formerly stamped with a cross
CROW-KEEPERone who scares crows
CROWNERa coroner
CROWNETa coronet
CRYthe yelping of hounds
A pack of hounds
A company, use contemptuously
CRY AIMto encourage
CUEthe last words of an actor's speech, which
is the signal for the next actor to begin
CUISSESpieces of armour to cover the thighs
CULLIONa base fellow
CUNNINGskill
CUNNINGskilful
CURBto bend, truckle
CURRENTSoccurrences
CURST
CURSTNESSshrewishness
CURTAILa cur
CURTALa docked horse
CURTAL-AXEa cutlass
CUSTALORUMa ludicrous mistake for Custos Rotulorum
CUSTARD-COFFINthe crust of a custard-pudding
CUSTOMERa common woman
CUTa cheat
'To draw cuts' is to draw lots
CYPRESSa kind of crape
DAFFto befool
To put off; this seems to be a corruption of 'doff.'
DAMNto condemn
DANGERreach, control, power
DANSKERa Dane
DAREto challenge
DARKLINGin the dark
DARRAIGNto set in array
DAUBto disguise
DAUBERYimposition
DAY-WOMANa dairy-maid
DEARdire
That which has to do with the affections
Piteous
Important
DEARNlonely
DEBOSHEDdebauched, drunken
DECKto bedew. This is probably a form of the verb
'to dag,' now a provincial word
DECKa pack of cards
DECLINEto enumerate, as in going through the cases of
a noun
DECLINEDfallen
DEEMdoom, judgment
DEFEATto undo, destroy
DEFEATdestruction
DEFEATUREdisfigurement
DEFENCEart of fencing
DEFENDto forbid
DEFENSIBLEhaving the power to defend
DEFTLYdexterously
DEFYrenounce
DEGREESa step
DELAYto let slip by delaying
DEMERITmerit, desert
DEMURELYsolemnly
DENAYdenial
DENIERthe 12th part of a French sol coin
DENOTEMENTmarking
Note or manifestation
DENYto refuse
DEPARTdeparture
DEPARTto part
DEPARTINGparting, separation
DEPENDto be in service
DERIVEDborn, descended
DEROGATEdegraded
DESCANTa variation upon a melody, hence,
metaphorically, a comment on a given theme
DESIGNto draw up articles
DESPATCHto deprive, bereave
DESPERATEdetermined, bold
DETECTto charge, blame
DETERMINEto conclude
DICHoptative mood, perhaps contracted for 'do it.'
DIETfood regulated by the rules of medicine
DIETto have one's food regulated by the rules of
medicine
DIFFUSEDconfused
DIGRESSINGtransgressing, going out of the right way
DIGRESSIONtransgression
DIG-YOU-GOOD-DENgive you good evening
DILDOthe chorus or burden of a song
DINTstroke
DIRECTIONjudgment, skill
DISABLEto disparage
DISAPPOINTEDunprepared
DISCASEto undress
DISCONTENTa malcontent
DISCOURSEpower of reasoning
DISDAINEDdisdainful
DISLIMNto disfigure, transform
DISMEa tenth or tithe
DISPARKto destroy a park
DISPONGEto squeeze out as from a sponge
DISPOSEdisposal
DISPOSEto conspire
DISPOSITIONmaintenance
DISPUTABLEdisputatious
DISPUTEto argue, examine
DISSEMBLYused ridiculously for assembly
DISTASTEto corrupt
DISTEMPEREDdiscontented
DISTRACTIONa detached troop or company of soldiers
DISTRAUGHTdistracted, mad
DIVERTEDturned from the natural course
DIVISIONa phrase or passage in a melody
DIVULGEDpublished, spoken of
DOFFto do off, strip
To put off with an excuse
DOLTa small Dutch coin
DOLEportion dealt
Grief, lamentation
DONto do on, put on
DONE'done to death,' put to death
DOTANTone who dotes, a dotard
DOUTto do out, quench
DOWLASa kind of coarse sacking
DOWLEthe swirl of a feather
DOWN-GYVEDhanging down like gyves or fetters
DRABa harlot
DRABBINGwhoring
DRAUGHTa privy
DRAWNhaving his sword drawn
DRAWNdrunk, having taken a good draught
DRIBBLINGweak
DRIVEto rush impetuously
DROLLERYa puppet-show
DRUMBLEto dawdle
DRYthirsty
DUC-DAMEperhaps the Latin duc-ad-me, bring him to me
DUDGEONa dagger
DULLsoothing
DULLARDa dull person
DUMPcomplaint
DUPto do up, Lift up
EAGERsour
Harsh
Biting
EANLINGa yeanling, a lamb
EARto plough
ECHEto eke out
EFTready, convenient
EISELvinegar
ELDold age
EMBOSSEDswollen into protuberances
Covered with foam
EMBOWELLEDdisembowelled, emptied
EMBRASUREembrace
EMINENCEexalted station
EMPERYempire
EMULATIONjealousy, mutiny
EMULOUSjealous
ENCAVEto place oneself in a cave
END'Still an end,' continually for ever
ENFEOFFto place in possession in fee simple
ENGINEa machine of war
ENGLUTto swallow speedily
ENGROSSto make gross or fat
ENGROSSMENTimmoderate acquisition
ENKINDLEto make keen
ENMEWto shut up, as a hawk is shut up in a mew
ENSCONCEto cover as with a fort
ENSEAMEDfat, rank
ENSHIELDhidden
ENTERTAINencounter
Experience
ENTERTAINMENTtreatment
A disposition to entertain a proposal
Service
ENTREATMENTSinterviews
EPHESIANa toper, a cant term
EQUIPAGEattendance
EREWHILEa short time since
ESCOTto pay a man's reckoning, to maintain
ESPERANCEhope, used as a war-cry
ESPIALa scout or spy
ESTIMATIONconjecture
ESTRIDGEostridge
ETERNEeternal
EVENcoequal
EVENto equal
EXAMINEto question
EXCREMENTthat which grows outwardly from the body
and has no sensation like the hair or nails
Any outward show
EXECUTORan executioner
EXEMPTexcluded
EXERCISEa religious service
EXHALEto hale or draw out
to draw the sword
EXHIBITIONallowance, pension
EXIGENTdeath, ending
EXIONridiculously used for 'action.'
EXPECTexpectation
EXPEDIENCEexpedition, undertaking
Haste
EXPEDIENTexpeditious, swift
EXPIATEcompleted
EXPOSTULATEto expound, discuss
EXPOSTUREexposure
EXPRESSto reveal
EXPULSEto expel
EXSUFFICATEthat which has been hissed off, contemptible
EXTENDto seize
EXTENTa seizure
EXTERNoutward
EXTIRPto extirpate
EXTRACTINGdistracting
EXTRAUGHTpart. extracted, descended
EXTRAVAGANTforeign, wandering
EXTREMESextravagance of conduct
Extremities
EYASa nestling hawk
EYAS-MUSKETa nestling of the musket or merlin, the smallest
species of British hawk
EYEa glance, oeillad
EYEa shade of colour, as in shot silk
EYNEeyes
FACINOROUSwicked
FACTguilt
FACTIOUSinstant, importunate
FACULTYessential virtue or power
FADGEto suit
FADINGa kind of ending to a song
FAINglad
FAINgladly
FAIRbeauty
FAITORa traitor
FAllto let fall
FALLOWfawn-coloured
FALSEfalsehood
FALSINGdeceptive
FAMILIARa familiar spirit
FANCY
FANCY-FREEuntouched by love
FANGto seize in the teeth
FANTASTICa fantastical person
FAPdrunk
FARfarther
FARCEDstuffed
FARDELa burden
FARTUOUSused ridiculously for ' virtuous.'
FASTassuredly, unalterably
FATdull
FAVOURcountenance
Complexion
Quality
FEARthe object of fear
FEARto affright
FEARFULsubject to fear, timorous
FEATdexterous
FEATto make fine
FEATERcomp. degree. more neatly
FEATLYnimbly, daintily
FEATUREbeauty
FEDERARYconfederate
FEEDERagent, servant
FEE-GRIEFa grief held, as it were, in fee-simple, or the
peculiar property of him who possesses it
FEEREa companion, husband
FEHEMENTLYused ridiculously for 'vehemently.'
FELLthe hide
FENCEart or skill in defence
FEODARYone who holds an estate by suit or service to
a superior lord; hence one who acts under the
direction of another
FESTERto rankle, grow virulent
FESTINATELYquickly
FETfetched
FICOa fig
FIELDEDin the field of battle
FIGto insult
FIGHTSclothes hung round a ship to conceal the men
from the enemy
FILEa list or catalogue
FILEto defile
To smooth or polish
To make even
FILL-HORSEshaft-horse
FILLSthe shafts
FILTHa whore
FINEend
FINEto make fine or specious
FINELESSendless
FIRAGOridiculously used for 'Virago.'
FIRE-DRAKEWill o' the Wisp
FIRE-NEWwith the glitter of novelty on, like newly-
forged metal
FIRKto chastise
FITa canto or division of a song