Authors: William Shakespeare
100
Perdition
destruction/ damnation catch seize
114
aught
anything
126
of…Of
in my confidence during
128
purse
furrow, knit
130
conceit
imagining/idea
134
for
because
136
stops
hesitations/abrupt pauses
137
false
treacherous
138
custom
habit
139
close dilations
secret delays/hidden accusations
140
rule
control, restrain
145
seem none
not be men/not seem to be anything at all, not convince in the slightest
154
that…free
the thing that even slaves are not bound to do (i.e. speak their thoughts)
158
uncleanly
morally impure
159
leets
courts held by some manorial lords law-days days on which courts of law meet sessions sittings of the law court
160
With
together with
161
thy friend
i.e. Othello
165
vicious
wicked/faulty/blameworthy
167
jealousy
suspicious nature/anxious vigilance
169
conceits
conjectures, imagines
171
scattering
wild/random/disordered observance observations/dutiful care
177
immediate
closest
184
if
even if
188
mock…on
taunts the victim (the jealous man) that gives it life mock torment/delude/ ridicule
189
cuckold
man with an unfaithful wife
190
wronger
i.e. his wife
191
tells
counts
195
fineless
limitless
201
follow…suspicions
imitate the waxing moon by growing in suspicion/like a madman, respond to each new phase of the moon with new suspicions
203
goat
proverbially lecherous animal
205
exsufflicate
puffed-up blowed blown-up/whispered/flyblown (i.e. putrid, full of flies’ eggs)
206
inference
conclusion/ implication
210
merits
qualities/worth
211
revolt
disobedience, infidelity
221
secure
free from doubt/overconfident
223
self-bounty
inherent generosity/good nature
224
country
contains a pun on “cunt” (a similar quibble on “con” may lie within
conscience
)
225
pranks
sexual mischief
227
undone
plays on sense of “not copulated with”
233
go to
expression of dismissive contempt
235
seel
sew (as a young hawk’s eyes are for training purposes) oak a closely grained wood
239
bound
indebted (plays on sense of “tied, shackled”)
244
your love
love for you
246
grosser
larger/more lewd issues conclusions larger broader/coarser reach “stretch, aim” (verb) or “scope, range” (noun)
247
suspicion
mere conjecture
250
success
outcome
254
honest
chaste/virtuous
258
affect
like, prefer
259
clime…degree
country, race, and rank
261
will
inclination/willfulness/sexual appetite rank rebellious/corrupt/rancid, foul-smelling/lascivious
262
Foul
abhorrent/morally impure/dirty, blackened/choked with foreign matter disproportions deformities/lack of symmetry
263
in position
in this assertion
264
Distinctly
specifically
266
fall…forms
come to compare you with men of her own nationality (conceivably
country
puns on “cunt”)
267
happily
perhaps/with pleasure
275
scan
examine
276
place
official position (though
fills it up
generates a vaginal sense)
279
means
methods/intentions
280
strain his entertainment
urge his reinstatement
283
busy
overzealous/interfering
285
hold her free
consider her innocent, plays on negative sense of “sexually available”
286
government
self-control
289
quantities
dimensions, aspects
290
dealings
behavior/interaction/sexual dealings haggard wild (a haggard is an untamed female hawk)
291
jesses
straps fastened around the legs of a hawk to help keep it attached to the falconer
292
whistle…wind
set her free (a falconer dismissed a hawk with a whistle; unwanted hawks were released in the same direction as the wind was blowing)
293
prey at fortune
fend for herself, hunt randomly Haply, for perhaps, because
294
soft…conversation
pleasing sociable accomplishments
295
chamberers
fashionable men who frequent ladies’ chambers
297
abused
wronged/deceived
299
delicate
charming/pleasure-seeking
302
corner
nook/vagina
303
uses
sexual employment
304
Prerogatived
privileged, advantaged
306
forkèd plague
horned affliction (cuckolds were traditionally supposed to grow horns)
307
do quicken
are conceived
308
mocked
deceived/flouted/parodied
311
generous
noble
312
attend
await
316
pain…forehead
suggestive of the cuckold’s horns
317
watching
not sleeping
320
napkin
handkerchief
324
remembrance
love token
326
Wooed
entreated, enticed
327
conjured her
entreated her/made her swear
328
reserves
keeps
329
work ta’en out
embroidery copied
332
I nothing
I am nothing to him/I know nothing fantasy whim/desire
335
common
unremarkable/vulgar/open to use by all thing plays on the sense of “vagina”
346
to th’advantage
opportunely, taking the advantage
354
lack
miss/need
355
Be…on’t
do not admit that you know anything about it
360
holy writ
scripture
362
conceits
ideas/imaginings
363
distaste
be distasteful
364
act
action
366
poppy
opium mandragora sedative made from the root of the mandragora, or mandrake, plant
369
owed’st
owned
372
Avaunt
get away rack torture device that stretched the limbs
378
free
unconstrained, untroubled
380
wanting
missing
384
Pioneers
footsoldiers, the lowest kind of soldier
385
So
as long as
387
plumèd
wearing helmets adorned with feathers
389
trump
trumpet
390
fife
flute-like instrument, often used in military music
391
quality
essential nature
392
Pride
glory/proud magnificence pomp and circumstance splendid display and ceremony
393
mortal engines
deadly machines (i.e. cannon) rude rough, raucous
394
Jove’s dread clamours
i.e. thunder, Jove’s weapon
404
probation
proof
408
remorse
pity/penitence
410
amazed
full of terror and consternation
415
God b’wi’you
God be with you, i.e. good-bye O wretched fool Iago addresses himself
419
profit
profitable lesson
420
sith
since offence hurt (to me)/antagonism (in my
friend
)
421
shouldst be
seem to be
422
should be
ought to be
423
that
that which
428
Dian
i.e. Diana, Roman goddess of chastity and the moon
429
cords…streams
i.e. means of committing suicide, or perhaps murder
437
supervision
sight that you are gazing down on grossly blatantly/coarsely
438
topped
mounted sexually
441
prospect
point from which they might be viewed
442
bolster
share a bed/have sex
443
More
other own i.e. own eyes
444
satisfaction
proof/freedom from doubt (plays on the sense of “sexual fulfillment”)
446
prime
lecherous hot sexually excited
447
salt
lustfu wolves reputed to be libidinous, especially females in pride in heat fools idiots/lewd people gross great/coarse
449
imputation…circumstances
attribution and convincing circumstantial details
455
Pricked
spurred
456
lay
shared a bed
467
sigh
Iago moves into the present tense to give his account an air of horrible immediacy
471
foregone conclusion
event that had already occurred
472
shrewd doubt
grievous suspicion
476
yet we
as yet we
487
slave
villain
490
fond
foolish/doting/infatuated
493
hearted
fixed in the heart
494
fraught
burden
495
aspics
asps (venomous snakes)
499
Pontic sea
Black Sea
500
compulsive
onward-flowing, driven
502
Propontic
Sea of Marmora (situated between the Aegean and the Black Sea) Hellespont the Dardanelles (the strait between the Aegean and the Sea of Marmora)
505
capable
capacious
506
marble
i.e. dappled with clouds/hard and indifferent
508
engage
pledge, commit