Solyman Suleiman, sultan who fought against Persia
28 o’erstare outstare
33 Hercules Greek hero
Lichas Hercules’ companion
36 Alcides another name for Hercules
44 advised warned
45 Nor will not break my word, i.e. speak to a woman
47 hazard risk/choice/fortune
Clown a rustic, and/or comic character
Lancelet i.e. “little lance” (type of spear/penis); Sir Lancelot was famous for adultery with King Arthur’s wife; a “lance” was also a surgeon’s instrument for piercing an abscess
1 serve allow
3 Gobbo hunchback (Italian)
5 start advantage
7 with thy heels firmly (plays on literal sense)
8 courageous purposeful/forceful/lusty
pack depart
Fia! Via! i.e. away (Italian)
9 For the heavens i.e. in heaven’s name
12 honest honorable (sense then shifts to “chaste”)
13 something somewhat/some thing (i.e. vagina)
14 smack have a taste for/taste literally/have sex with
grow to become one with/tend toward/become erect
taste preference/literal taste
19 God … mark i.e. excuse my language
20 saving your reverence i.e. begging your pardon
22 incarnation slip for “incarnate” (ironic, given that the Incarnation refers to the making of Christ into flesh)
28 true-begotten honestly conceived (Lancelet means “real, true”)
29 sand-blind half-blind (from “sam-blind,” but Lancelet thinks “as if with sand in the eyes”)
high-gravel-blind completely blind
30 confusions (appropriate) malapropism for “conclusions”—i.e. “experiment”
35 of no hand i.e. neither left or right
indirectly along a winding route (perhaps plays on the sense of “moral crookedness”)
37 sonties saints
hit get right, find
41 raise the waters provoke tears
43 master gentleman or professional tradesperson
45 well to live well-to-do/managing satisfactorily/healthy
46 a he
48 friend and Lancelet Old Gobbo’s polite way of rejecting the title “master” for Lancelet
49 ergo “therefore” (Latin)
51 an’t if it
53 father respectful form of address for an old man
54 Sisters Three three Fates, goddesses who spin, measure, and cut the thread of a person’s life
59 hovel-post doorpost of a hovel
66 of the knowing to recognize
67 it … child reversal of the proverb “it is a wise child that knows its own father”
74 your boy … be comic paraphrase of the Gloria from the Book of Common Prayer: “As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be”
80 Margery sometimes used as slang term for a whore, or vagina
83 fill-horse carthorse (“fills” were the shafts of a cart)
86 backward inward (i.e. is shorter)
of on
89 agree get on
91 set … rest staked all
92 rest pause, stop
93 very thorough
94 halter hangman’s noose
tell count
95 finger … ribs Lancelet reverses ribs and finger
96 Give me give for me/give (me is emphatic)
97 rare splendid
liveries uniforms (for servants)
99 Jew i.e. villain
100 hasted hastened
101 farthest latest
103 anon shortly
106 Gramercy many thanks
aught anything
108 poor shifts sense from “unfortunate/humble” to “penniless”
110 infection malapropism for “affection” (i.e. desire)
115 scarce scarcely
cater-cousins good friends, close
118 frutify malapropism for “certify”
121 impertinent malapropism for “pertinent”
126 defect malapropism for “effect” (i.e. meaning, purport)
129 preferred recommended/promoted
132 old proverb “the grace of God is gear enough” (i.e. sufficient)
parted divided
136 inquire … out find out where my house is
138 guarded ornamented by braid trimmings
141 table part of the palm
book i.e. Bible (on which oaths are sworn)
142 simple ordinary/unremarkable
line of life the life-line on the palm supposedly records the length and nature of a person’s life
143 trifle insignificant amount
144 simple humble
coming-in income (puns on the sense of “having sex”)
145 scape escape
146 edge … feather-bed perhaps refers to the dangers of marriage (i.e. a wife’s infidelity)
147 scapes escapes/adventures/wrongdoings
148 gear matter
the i.e. a
151 bestowed stowed away (on the ship bound for Belmont)
152 feast lay on a feast for
154 herein in this matter
160 obtained it i.e. been granted your request
164 rude raucous/coarse
165 Parts qualities
become suit
167 show appear
168 liberal licentious
169 allay diminish
modesty restraint/ propriety
170 skipping frivolous
171 misconstered misconstrued, misunderstood
174 habit demeanor/behavior/clothing
175 but only
177 saying being said
180 studied … ostent practiced in a solemn appearance
181 grandam grandmother
183 bar exclude
gauge assess
188 purpose intend
Jessica probably a form of “Iscah,” daughter of Abraham’s brother, Haran (Genesis 11:29)
10 exhibit express (malapropism for “inhibit,” i.e. restrain)
12 get beget, conceive
18 manners behavior/character
19 strife i.e. internal conflict, turmoil
1 in during
5 spoke … of discussed/hired
6 vile degrading/worthless
quaintly skillfully
ordered arranged
9 furnish us prepare
10 An if
this i.e. the letter’s seal
11 seem to signify i.e. tell you something
12 hand handwriting
fair hand attractive handwriting (sense then shifts to “beautiful pale hand”)
16 By your leave with your permission (to go)
18 sup have supper
22 Go i.e. come
23 masque theatrical entertainment, usually involving music and dancing
24 of with
28 some about an
31 must needs must
directed instructed/described
36 gentle puns on “gentile”
37 foot step/path
38 she i.e. misfortune
39 she i.e. Jessica
issue child
faithless pagan/dishonest
2 of between
3 gormandize eat excessively
5 rend apparel out wear out your clothes
9 wont accustomed
12 bid forth invited out
13 wherefore why
15 upon i.e. at the expense of
16 prodigal wastefully extravagant
17 to after
right loath very reluctant
18 ill harm/trouble
19 tonight last night
20 expect await
21 reproach malapropism for “approach”; Shylock responds to what Lancelet has actually said
25 nose fell a-bleeding considered to be a bad omen
Black … th’aftern
oon a deliberately nonsensical series of details; Lancelet pokes fun at superstitious attitudes such as Shylock’s
Black Monday Easter Monday
30 wry-necked played with the musician’s head twisted away from the instrument
31 casements windows
33 varnished faces i.e. wearing masks
34 stop shut
35 fopp’ry foolishness
36 Jacob’s staff in the Bible, the only possession Jacob started out with
37 mind of inclination for
forth away from home
41 for despite
43 a Jewès eye proverbial phrase for something very valuable; also plays on Jessica (a “Jewess”) eyeing Lorenzo
44 Hagar’s offspring Abraham’s Egyptian concubine Hagar gave birth to Ishmael; both mother and son were outcast at Abraham’s wife Sarah’s request
46 patch fool, clown
47 profit progress
48 Drones non-workers (literally, bees whose only role is to impregnate the queen)
hive live (in a hive)
54 Fast … find keep possessions securely and they’ll always be found quickly (proverbial)
56 crossed thwarted
1 penthouse projecting roof of a building
2 make a stand i.e. wait
3 His … past i.e. he is almost late
4 marvel surprising
out-dwells his hour i.e. is late
5 ever always
run … clock i.e. are early
6 Venus’ pigeons doves that draw Venus’ chariot
8 obligèd contracted, pledged
unforfeited unbroken
9 ever always
holds holds true
10 that with which
11 untread retrace
12 measures paces
unbated fire undiminished keenness
15 younger younger son, as the prodigal was (sometimes emended to “younker,” fashionable youth)
16 scarfèd bark ship decorated with flags
puts from leaves
17 strumpet lascivious/wild/changeable
19 over-withered ribs over-weathered ship’s timbers (i.e. damaged by waves)
20 rent torn
beggared made destitute
22 your I beg your
abode delay
25 watch wait/keep watch
26 father father-in-law
28 tongue i.e. voice
36 exchange change (into boy’s clothes)
38 pretty clever, artful
39 Cupid Roman god of love
42 hold … to stand and observe/illuminate
43 sooth truth
light immoral/evident/luminous
44 office of discovery i.e. torchbearing, because it involves revealing things
47 garnish outfit/trimming (some editors emend “lovely” to “lowly”)
49 close secretive/concealing
play the runaway i.e. pass quickly
50 stayed for awaited
51 make fast i.e. shut securely, lock
gild equip, adorn (literally, cover with gold)
53 gentle dear one/gentile
54 Beshrew curse
56 true reliable
57 true constant
65 stay wait
66 is come about i.e. has changed (favorably for sailing)
trains retinues
1 discover reveal
2 several various, individual
4 who which
5 Who whoever
8 dull not bright/blunt
blunt forthright/unrefined
12 withal with it
14 back over
20 dross rubbish/residue from melted metal
21 nor neither
22 virgin hue possibly because silver is the color of the moon, ruled over by Diana, goddess of chastity
25 weigh weigh up, assess
even fair/impartial
26 rated valued/estimated
estimation reputation/value
30 disabling belittling
36 graved engraved
40 mortal breathing i.e. living
41 Hyrcanian deserts Persian region south of the Caspian Sea known for its wildness
desert deserted/isolated place
vasty vast
44 watery kingdom i.e. the sea
ambitious head i.e. waves
46 spirits courageous men
49 like likely
50 base unworthy (puns on lead as a base metal)
gross inferior/coarse/ earthly
51 rib enclose (as ribs do the internal organs)
cerecloth winding-sheet, shroud
obscure concealed/dark
52 immured enclosed
53 undervalued to less in value compared with
trièd tested
55 set fixed, like a jewel
56 angel Archangel Michael who appeared on a coin known as an “angel”
57 insculped engraved
61 form image
64 carrion loathsome/skeletal/putrefying
Death death’s head, skull
69 But only
72 in judgement old i.e. wise
73 inscrolled inscribed on a scroll
78 tedious lengthy
part depart
80 complexion temperament/skin color
4 raised roused, woke up
12 passion passionate outcry
13 outrageous excessively fierce
19 double ducats twice the value of single ducats
20 stones jewels
24 stones plays on the sense of “testicles”
25 look be sure
day i.e. date on which the loan is to be repaid
28 reasoned talked
29 narrow … English i.e. the English Channel
30 miscarried came to harm/was destroyed
31 fraught laden
32 upon of
40 Slubber spoil/rush
41 stay wait (for)
riping ripening
42 for as for
43 of i.e. concerned with
45 ostents displays
46 become you be appropriate to you/dignify you
47 there i.e. then
49 affection wondrous sensible emotion extraordinarily evident
51 he … him i.e. Bassanio is all he lives for
53 quicken revive/lighten
embracèd heaviness adopted sadness
Servitor servant
1 straight straight away
2 Aragon region of northeastern Spain
3 election choice
presently at once
9 enjoined bound
10 unfold reveal
12 Of i.e. to choose
18 addressed me prepared myself
Fortune good luck
25 By to signify
fool foolish
show appearance
26 fond foolish
27 pries peers closely
martlet swift/house-martin
28 in i.e. in a place exposed to
29 force turbulence/violence
road pathway
casualty mischance
31 jump agree
37 cozen cheat
40 estates, degrees status, rank
offices official roles
41 clear innocent, pure
42 purchased obtained
43 cover … bare i.e. keep their hats on (social inferiors removed their hats in the presence of their superiors)
45 gleaned stripped, culled
46 seed plant germ/descendants
48 new-varnished newly adorned, polished
50 assume desert claim worth
54 schedule scroll
60 To … natures i.e. Aragon must not assess his own case now that it has been judged; or, Portia says that she cannot comment, because she is the indirect cause of the offense
63 this i.e. the silver casket
64 judgement i.e. God’s judgment
65 amiss incorrectly
66 shadows images/illusions/
reflections
68 iwis indeed
69 Silvered o’er white-haired/decorated with ornamentation indicating military or court status
71 I i.e. the fool’s head
72 sped (have) achieved your purpose/sent away with speed
74 By the time i.e. the longer
78 wroth grief/anger
80 deliberate calculating
83 wiving marrying
goes is determined
86 my lord playful response to my lady
90 sensible regreets tangible greetings (i.e. gifts)
91 To wit that is to say
commends commendations
breath speech
92 yet until now
95 costly bountiful
96 fore-spurrer one who has ridden ahead (i.e. messenger)
99 high-day holiday (i.e. elaborate)
101 post messenger
2 it … unchecked an undisputed rumor is circulating
3 lading cargo
narrow seas presumably the English Channel
4 Goodwins Goodwin Sands, off the Kent coast
flat sandbank
5 tall lofty/gallant
6 gossip old friend/chatty woman
9 knapped nibbled at
ginger old women were proverbially fond of ginger
10 slips of prolixity evasions into tedious explanation
11 crossing forestalling
plain … talk i.e. good, honest communication
14 Come … stop i.e. get to the point and finish what you’re saying
17 prove prove to be
18 betimes at once
cross thwart
24 wings (page’s) costume/flying apparatus
26 fledged ready to fly/sexually ripe
complexion temperament
27 dam mother
29 devil probably alludes to Shylock
30 flesh and blood i.e. daughter (Solanio plays on the sense of “sexual desires”)
31 Out upon it expression of irritation
carrion putrefying flesh
these years i.e. your advanced age
34 jet and ivory i.e. black and white
37 match contract
39 mart market, i.e. the Rialto
40 look to heed, remember
41 for … courtesy out of Christian charity/for a good deed in return
46 hindered me prevented me from earning
48 cooled alienated
49 heated angered
51 dimensions parts of the body
affections inclinations/emotions/love
passions powerful emotions
58 what … humility i.e. in what benevolent manner does he respond
59 his sufferance the Jew’s endurance
61 go hard but be highly unfortunate if I do not
62 better the instruction improve on the (Christian) example
65 up and down everywhere
66 of the tribe i.e. Jew
67 matched i.e. found to match them
68 Genoa northwestern coastal Italian city
73 Frankfurt site of a famous jewelry fair
curse God’s curse on the Jews
77 hearsed in a coffin