The Merchant of Venice

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The Merchant of Venice Page 24

by William Shakespeare


  81 satisfaction compensation

  82 lights settles

  87 cast away lost, shipwrecked

  94 fourscore eighty

  96 at a sitting in one go

  97 divers several

  98 break fail to keep the bond/go bankrupt

  101 of from

  103 Out upon her! expression of frustration and condemnation

  104 Leah Shylock’s wife

  105 wilderness i.e. large number

  106 undone ruined

  107 fee purchase, hire, secure

  108 officer constable/ bailiff

  bespeak engage

  before i.e. before the date of Antonio’s bond

  110 what whatever

  merchandise business dealings

  will want

  1 tarry wait, delay

  2 in choosing if you choose

  3 forbear desist, have patience

  6 quality way

  8 And … thought i.e. a modest young woman can think but not speak what she feels

  10 venture take a chance (i.e. with the caskets)

  11 forsworn will have broken my promise

  12 So that (i.e. forsworn)

  So as a result

  miss me i.e. choose incorrectly

  15 o’erlooked bewitched

  17 would i.e. should

  18 naughty wicked

  19 bars obstacles

  20 though … yours i.e. although I am truly yours (by desire), I am not so legitimately

  Prove it if it turn out to be

  22 peise delay (literally by weighing down)

  23 eke eke out, extend

  24 stay prevent/dissuade

  election choice

  26 rack torture instrument that stretched the limbs, used to elicit confessions from those suspected of treason

  29 mistrust worry, doubt

  30 fear fearful, doubtful about

  enjoying with sexual connotations

  32 as as between

  34 enforcèd compelled

  36 confess and live plays on “confess and be hanged” (proverbial)

  40 deliverance i.e. from death

  41 let me to allow me (to deal with)

  44 aloof to one side

  46 swan-like end swans were thought to sing as they died

  51 flourish trumpet fanfare

  53 dulcet sweet

  56 presence dignity/noble demeanor

  57 Alcides i.e. Hercules, who rescued Hesione from a sea-monster and was rewarded by her father, the king of Troy, with a pair of magnificent horses, rather than the maiden’s love

  58 howling grieving

  59 stand for represent

  60 Dardanian Trojan

  61 blearèd visages tear-stained faces

  62 issue outcome

  63 Live thou if you live

  64 fray assault/din

  65 fancy love

  66 Or either

  67 begot conceived

  71 the cradle its infancy/the eyes

  72 knell funeral bell

  75 themselves i.e. like what they seem

  76 still always

  78 gracious charming

  80 sober brow i.e. solemn clergyman

  81 approve support

  text passage from the Bible

  82 grossness flagrant/coarse nature

  83 simple small/basic

  assumes acquires

  84 his its

  87 Mars god of war

  88 searched probed surgically

  livers … milk the liver was thought to be the seat of courage; a coward’s would be pale from lack of blood

  89 excrement facial hair

  90 redoubted dreaded/revered

  beauty … weight cosmetics and hair were bought by the ounce

  93 lightest most frivolous/least heavy

  94 crispèd tightly curled

  95 wanton playful/wild/lascivious

  96 fairness beauty/brightness

  97 dowry … sepulchre i.e. a wig made of a dead woman’s hair

  99 guilèd deceptive

  101 Indian i.e. dark-skinned (the Elizabethans preferred fair complexions)

  103 gaudy excessively showy/bright

  104 Midas Phrygian king whose wish for everything he touched to turn to gold was granted only too literally

  105 thee i.e. the silver casket

  drudge lackey, because used in business transactions

  110 fleet change/pass swiftly

  111 As such as

  rash-embraced recklessly adopted

  114 measure moderation

  rain pour (but could be “rein”)

  scant limit

  116 surfeit overindulge and become ill

  118 counterfeit image

  demigod i.e. the painter, or creator of this perfect image

  119 eyes i.e. the eyes of the portrait

  120 Or whether or

  balls of mine i.e. my eyeballs

  121 severed parted

  122 bar barrier (i.e. breath)

  123 sunder separate

  126 Faster more tightly

  128 it i.e. the first painted eye

  129 unfurnished unfinished, unpartnered

  130 substance subject (i.e. Portia)

  shadow image, reflection

  133 continent summation/container

  135 Chance as fair guess as fortunately

  143 by note i.e. as directed by the scroll

  note invoice/account

  144 prize contest

  148 his for him

  151 confirmed, signed, ratified language of commerce

  158 account estimate/financial reckoning

  159 livings possessions, livelihood

  160 account calculation

  sum essence/financial amount

  161 term in gross express overall, wholesale

  162 unpractisèd inexperienced/innocent

  170 converted changed (also a legal term for wrongfully appropriating someone else’s property for one’s own use)

  But just

  176 presage indicate

  177 vantage opportunity/superior position

  exclaim on accuse/denounce

  179 blood blood/passion

  180 confusion agitation

  powers faculties

  184 something i.e. small utterance

  blent blended

  185 wild wilderness (i.e. confused sound, hubbub)

  save except

  186 expressed articulated, comprehensible

  188 be bold presume, feel certainty

  190 That who

  194 wish none require no more/want to detract from any of my joy

  196 faith (love) promise

  197 Even exactly

  198 so provided

  201 maid waiting-woman

  202 intermission delay/respite (in loving)

  204 stood depended

  205 falls turns out

  207 roof i.e. of the mouth

  208 last endure (puns on at last)

  213 so provided

  215 faith in truth/fidelity

  217 play … boy bet who has the first son

  218 stake down put the money down in advance

  219 sport game/sex

  stake down i.e. with a non-erect penis

  220 infidel i.e. Jessica

  223 youth newness

  new interest recently acquired authority

  225 very true

  235 Commends him sends his regards

  236 ope open

  240 estate circumstances

  241 cheer welcome

  yond yonder, that

  243 royal kingly, magnificent

  247 shrewd ominous/grievous

  250 constitution mood

  251 constant consistent, stable

  252 leave your permission

  half yourself i.e. as his wife; the witnessed betrothal was nearly as binding as marriage

  262 Rating reckoning, estimating

  264 state estate, wealth

 
266 engaged pledged

  267 mere total

  269 as like

  272 hit success

  274 Barbary Barbary Coast, North Africa

  275 dreadful fear-inspiring

  276 merchant-marring capable of damaging a merchant ship

  278 should appear i.e. appears

  279 present ready

  discharge pay

  280 He i.e. Shylock

  282 confound destroy

  284 impeach call into question

  freedom civil liberty

  286 magnificoes foremost noblemen in Venice

  287 port dignity/social standing

  persuaded entreated

  288 envious malicious

  plea legal claim

  289 forfeiture penalty

  291 Chus a name found in Genesis 10:6, spelled “Cush”

  296 hard with badly for

  299 best-conditioned best-natured

  300 courtesies good services

  306 deface obliterate

  318 hence (go) from here

  319 cheer appearance/welcome

  320 dear expensively (sense then shifts to “deeply”)

  323 estate condition/status

  326 Notwithstanding nevertheless

  use your pleasure enjoy yourself/do what you wish

  328 Dispatch settle

  332 ’twixt us twain between us two

  1 look see

  2 gratis for no interest

  10 naughty wicked

  fond foolish

  11 abroad out of the jail/outside

  15 dull-eyed easily deceived/stupid

  20 kept dwelt

  22 bootless pointless

  25 made moan complained, lamented (about debts to Shylock)

  28 grant allow

  hold stand firm

  30 commodity (commercial) privileges

  strangers outsiders (including Jews)

  33 Since that since

  35 bated me diminished me/made me lose weight

  2 conceit understanding

  3 godlike amity divine friendship

  5 to whom i.e. Antonio

  6 relief financial aid

  7 lover friend

  9 customary … you ordinary generosity would make you

  12 waste spend/while away

  14 needs of necessity

  like similar, comparable

  15 lineaments characteristics/physical features

  17 bosom lover intimate friend

  20 semblance image

  my soul i.e. Bassanio

  25 husbandry domestic administration

  manage management

  33 deny refuse

  imposition command

  38 people i.e. household servants

  47 honest-true truthful and reliable

  50 render give

  52 look what whatever

  53 imagined all imaginable

  54 traject crossing place/ferry

  common public

  55 trades i.e. crosses

  62 habit clothing

  63 accomplishèd equipped

  64 that we lack i.e. penises (they will be disguised as men)

  hold offer and maintain

  65 accoutred dressed

  67 braver bolder/more splendid

  grace elegance/attitude

  68 between … voice i.e. with an adolescent boy’s reedy breaking voice

  69 mincing dainty

  70 frays fights

  71 quaint ingenious

  74 do withal help it

  76 puny petty/inexperienced

  78 Above more than

  79 raw unrefined

  Jacks fellows

  81 turn to become (Portia puns on the sense of “become sexually available to”)

  84 device plan

  87 measure cover/count out

  2 promise assure

  fear you fear for you

  3 plain honest

  agitation agitated thoughts (possible malapropism for “cogitation”)

  6 bastard mixed/illegitimate

  neither nevertheless

  8 got begot, conceived

  13 Scylla … Charybdis Odysseus had to navigate between these two dangerous points (the monster Scylla and whirlpool Charybdis)

  fall into with sexual connotations

  14 gone ruined

  15 I … husband “the unbelieving wife is made acceptable to God by being united to her Christian husband” (1 Corinthians 7:14)

  17 We … enow there were enough of us Christians

  18 by alongside/off

  19 raise … hogs because Christians eat pork (unlike Jews)

  21 money any price

  25 get … corners i.e. for sex

  27 are have fallen

  32 getting … belly making the negro pregnant

  Moor African (woman)

  34 much of concern

  more than reason greater than is reasonable (i.e. pregnant); more puns on Moor

  35 less … for i.e. Lancelet does not think much of the woman’s morals (possibly he gets confused in his attempt to play on Moor/more/less)

  honest chaste

  38 grace virtue, quality

  40 them i.e. the servants (but Lancelet takes the sense of “diners”)

  41 stomachs appetites

  42 wit-snapper wisecracker

  44 ‘cover’ lay the table (Lancelet goes on to play on the sense of “cover one’s head with a hat”)

  46 my duty i.e. as a servant, who would remove his hat in the presence of superiors

  47 quarrelling with occasion i.e. taking the opportunity for quibbling

  50 fellows fellow servants

  52 For as for

  table i.e. food

  53 covered i.e. on a covered serving dish

  54 humours and conceits whims and fancies

  55 discretion judgment

  suited adapted as appropriate

  58 A many many

  stand … place have higher positions of employment

  59 Garnished provided with a good supply of words/dressed

  60 Defy the matter confuse the meaning

  cheerest thou are you feeling

  63 Past all expressing beyond words

  meet suitable

  68 In reason it stands to reason

  70 lay bet, stake

  72 Pawned pledged

  rude unrefined

  73 fellow equal

  74 Even just

  75 of in

  78 stomach appetite/inclination

  81 digest consider/endure/swallow

  82 set you forth praise you/serve you up

  3 answer face/defend yourself against

  6 From of

  dram tiny amount

  8 qualify diminish, moderate

  9 stands obdurate remains inflexible

  11 envy’s malice’s

  14 tyranny cruelty

  17 our the royal plural

  19 but … fashion only persist in this form/contrivance

  20 last … act i.e. eleventh hour, final moment

  21 remorse pity

  strange surprisingly

  22 strange unnatural/foreign

  25 loose revoke, abandon

  27 moiety portion/half

  30 royal merchant merchant prince

  32 brassy bosoms hard hearts

  33 Turks and Tartars both considered pitiless infidels

  35 gentle puns on “gentile”

  36 possessed notified

  38 due debt

  39 danger damage

  40 charter deed of privilege

  42 carrion loathsome/putrefying

  44 humour mood, inclination

  answered explained satisfactorily

  47 baned poisoned

  48 love who love

  50 i’th’nose with a nasal twang

  51 affection inclination

  55 he one person

  gaping i.e. roasted with its mouth open

  56 Why he another person

 
necessary useful (for catching rats and mice)

  61 lodged deep-rooted

  certain definite, fixed

  62 follow pursue

  63 losing i.e. involving loss (for Antonio)

  65 current course, flow

  71 think realize

  73 main flood sea at high tide

  bate lessen

  74 use question dispute

  77 wag sway

  78 fretted chafed

  79 hard difficult (puns on the sense of “tough, firm”)

  80 than more than

  83 conveniency convenience

  88 draw collect/receive

  89 rend’ring yielding/giving back

  90 no wrong i.e. nothing illegal

  93 parts actions/duties

  98 viands food (as you eat)

  104 stand for represent/uphold

  109 stays without waits outside

  116 tainted diseased

  wether sheep (specifically, castrated ram)

  117 Meetest most fitting

  126 keen sharp/eager

  127 hangman’s i.e. executioner’s

  keenness sharpness/eagerness/ severity

  130 inexecrable unmovable/accursed

  131 thy life the fact that you are alive

  accused chastised

  133 Pythagoras ancient Greek philosopher whose doctrine supported the transmigration of souls

  135 currish mean-spirited/snarling (like a dog)

  137 fell savage

  fleet leave, fly off

  138 unhallowed unholy

  dam mother

  141 rail rant

  142 but offend’st merely harm

  143 Repair restore

  148 hard close

  155 in loving visitation on a friendly visit

  159 furnished equipped

  161 importunity urging

  163 reverend respected, worthy

  165 whose trial the testing of whom

  166 publish make known

  commendation recommendation/praise

  172 difference dispute

  173 present question current argument

  174 throughly thoroughly

  180 rule proper discipline

  181 impugn call into question

  182 danger (power to) harm

  184 confess acknowledge

  188 strained forced, artificial; also perhaps filtered/distilled (setting up rain imagery)

  190 is twice blest bestows a double blessing

  194 shows represents

  196 dread reverence/awe

  197 sceptred sway royal government

  200 likest most like

  201 seasons modifies

  203 justice i.e. God’s justice (if He did not show mercy to humankind)

  205 render perform in return

  210 My … head! possible echo of the crowd’s acceptance of responsibility for Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:25)

  212 discharge pay

  213 tender offer

  217 must appear will be evident

  218 bears down truth overwhelms integrity

  219 Wrest once for once, forcibly subject

  224 for as

  precedent i.e. on which future lawsuits can be based

  227 Daniel in the Apocryphal story, Daniel judges Susannah correctly, despite his youth and the false witness of the Elders

 

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