The Merchant of Venice
Page 25
judgement i.e. make judgment
240 tenure legal conditions, terms of the bond
254 Hath … to fully supports
262 balance scales
265 by nearby
on your charge at your responsibility/expense
266 stop staunch
272 armed i.e. prepared/fortified
276 still always (usually)
use practice
282 process course, manner
283 me … death favorably of me when I am dead
285 love i.e. loving friend
289 with … heart most willingly/literally, with my heart
291 Which who
295 deliver free
302 else otherwise
304 Would I wish
Barabbas a thief released by Pontius Pilate instead of Jesus at the people’s request
306 trifle waste
pursue proceed with
319 confiscate confiscated
321 Mark take note
330 Soft! Wait a moment!
331 all only/complete
337 just exact (plays on the sense of “fair, lawful”)
338 substance amount/weight
340 scruple tiny amount
341 estimation … hair by a hair’s breadth/weight
344 on the hip at a disadvantage (wrestling term)
346 principal original capital sum, i.e. three thousand ducats
349 merely only/absolute
352 barely i.e. at the very least
355 good good fortune
356 stay remain
question to argue the case
360 alien foreigner
363 contrive scheme
364 seize take legal possession of
365 privy coffer private treasury
366 in at
367 gainst … voice despite any other appeals
369 proceeding course of action
373 danger damage/penalty
rehearsed related
374 Down i.e. on your knees
377 cord rope
378 charge cost
381 For as for
383 humbleness remorse (on Shylock’s part)
drive convert
384 for … Antonio i.e. the state’s portion of the goods may be reduced to a fine, but not Antonio’s half
390 halter hangman’s noose
391 So if it please
392 quit cancel, release (Shylock) from
393 so provided that
394 use (legal) trust
398 presently immediately
400 possessed possessed of
401 son i.e. son-in-law
403 late lately
412 ten more i.e. twelve, the number in a jury
413 font place of Christian baptism
415 of for
417 meet fitting, necessary
418 your … not you don’t have time to stay
419 gratify show gratitude to/reward
423 in lieu whereof in exchange for which
425 cope give in recompense (for)
430 account consider (plays on the sense of “financial reckoning”)
432 know remember (a private joke on the sense of “have sex with”)
434 attempt tempt/persuade
437 pardon me i.e. excuse my insistence
438 press urge (plays on the sense of “enjoy sexually”)
yield plays on the sense of “submit sexually”
440 love friendship (plays on the sense of “marital love”)
442 in out of
446 mind to desire for
448 dearest most expensive
451 liberal free/over-generous
470 Fly hasten
1 Inquire … out find out where the Jew’s house is
deed i.e. the document stating Shylock will leave his possessions to Jessica and Lorenzo
3 be i.e. arrive
5 you … o’erta’en i.e. I’m glad I caught you
6 advice reflection
17 old plenty of
19 outface defy/contradict/shame
outswear outdo in swearing
4 Troilus separated from his lover, Cressida (Cressid), by the Trojan War, he was subsequently abandoned by her
8 Thisbe at their meeting place Pyramus discovered his lover Thisbe’s cloak, dropped in fright at the sight of a lion; his mistaken belief that she had been killed led to both their suicides
o’ertrip skip over
9 ere himself before the lion itself
12 Dido Queen of Carthage who fell in love with, and was abandoned by, Aeneas
willow willow leaves; symbol of grief for lost love
13 wild unruly/cruel
waft wafted (i.e. beckoned)
16 Medea lover of Jason; she helped him gain the golden fleece and restored the health of his father, Aeson
17 renew rejuvenate/revive
19 steal run stealthily from/rob
20 unthrift extravagant
27 shrew troublemaker, ill-tempered woman
28 love lover
29 out-night you i.e. outdo you in our game of references to the night
did if
30 footing footfall
36 doth stray about is distracted by
37 holy crosses shrines by the road
46 Sola imitation of the sound of a messenger’s horn/a hunting cry
Wo ha, ho! falconer’s call to the hawk
50 hollowing shouting/urging on of dogs in the hunt
53 post messenger
54 horn messenger’s instrument/cornucopia, i.e. plentiful supply
56 in go in
expect await
58 signify make known
60 music i.e. musicians
air plays on sense of “melody”
64 Become suit
touches skillful playing (by plucking or fingering instruments)
65 floor of heaven i.e. sky
66 patens shallow, circular dishes (on which communion bread is placed)
67 orb heavenly body (planet, star)
68 motion movement (heavenly bodies were thought to be surrounded by hollow spheres; as they rotated they produced beautiful music)
69 Still choiring continually singing in chorus
young-eyed with eternally clear sight
cherubins cherubim, angels
71 muddy … decay i.e. clay-like mortal clothing (flesh)
72 grossly physically, coarsely
close it in i.e. enclose the soul
73 Diana Roman goddess of the moon
77 spirits mental faculties/feelings
attentive i.e. preoccupied
78 wanton unrestrained, wild, boisterous
79 race company/herd
unhandled untamed
80 Fetching performing
bounds leaps
81 hot condition passionate nature
blood spirit
82 but only
perchance by chance/perhaps
83 air melody
84 mutual stand general pause
86 the poet i.e. Ovid
87 feign depict/invent
Orpheus legendary Greek poet and musician who could charm all of nature with his music
drew drew in, attracted
floods rivers
88 stockish unfeeling/ stupid
92 stratagems schemes/bloody acts
spoils destruction, pillaging
93 motions inner promptings
dull dark/lifeless
94 affections feelings/disposition
Erebus place of darkness between earth and the classical underworld
98 naughty wicked
102 by nearby
his i.e. the substitute’s
state dignity/sovereignty
104 main of waters sea
106 respect consideration of circumstance
110 attended paid attention to/heard
114 season occasion
seasoned improved/flavored
116 Endymion shepherd with whom th
e moon goddess fell in love; she granted him eternal sleep so she could visit him
124 speed succeed/hasten
words i.e. prayers
127 before ahead of them
132 tucket trumpet call
138 should … Antipodes would experience day at the same time as the other side of the world
139 in … sun i.e. at night (since Portia is like a second sun)
140 be light be promiscuous
141 heavy sad (plays on the sense of “weighty”)
143 sort arrange
148 bound imprisoned/indebted/legally bound
149 acquitted of repaid for/freed from
152 scant cut short
breathing i.e. verbal
155 gelt gelded, castrated
for my part as far as I’m concerned
156 at to
159 posy verse or motto inscribed on a ring
166 Though i.e. if
167 respective careful, considerate
173 scrubbèd undersized
175 prating chattering
178 slightly easily
180 riveted bolted
185 masters possesses
187 mad enraged
208 conceive understand
212 virtue power
214 contain retain
217 If that if
pleased wanted, attempted
218 wanted (so) lacking
modesty restraint
219 urge request persistently
ceremony sacred token
223 civil doctor doctor of civil law
226 suffered let
227 held up i.e. saved
232 it i.e. honor
233 candles … night i.e. stars
239 liberal generous
242 Know recognize/have sex with
243 Argus monster with a hundred eyes
245 honour good name/chaste reputation
yet still
247 be well advised take care
249 take catch
250 mar ruin
pen i.e. penis
251 th’unhappy the unlucky/miserable/trouble-causing
258 doubly sees himself sees himself reflected twice
259 double dual/deceitful
260 of credit worth believing
266 quite miscarried entirely come to harm
268 advisedly deliberately
269 surety guarantor
274 lay with slept with
277 lieu of exchange for
279 fair good, unmuddied (i.e. without needing repair)
280 cuckolds men with unfaithful wives
281 grossly coarsely/foolishly
287 e’en just
292 richly i.e. laden with expensive goods
295 dumb speechless
302 living livelihood
304 road harbor
311 manna during the Exodus, the food God provided for the Israelites in the desert
314 you … full your curiosity will not be content until further details are revealed
316 charge … inter’gatories examine us under formal questioning
318 inter’gatory question
319 sworn on under oath to answer truthfully
320 stay wait
323 couching in bed
325 sore greatly
ring gold band (plays on the sense of “vagina”)