Read The Taming of the Shrew Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
53
heark’ning still
continues to wait for his opportunity
54
haply
perhaps
56
lie
lodge
57
pass
settle
59
scriv’ner
scribe authorized to draw up legal contracts
61
pittance
sustenance, food
62
hie
hurry
66
like
soon, likely
70
mess
dish, basic meal
77
has
he has
78
tokens
signals
79
moralize
explain
86
command
service
89
counterfeit assurance
invalid legal settlement
assurance
pledge
cum … solum
“with the sole right to print” (Latin), a copyright phrase found in the title pages of books but here applied to the idea of marriage and reproduction
91
sufficient
right amount/ competent
92
that … for
what you want
99
against you come
in anticipation of your arrival
appendix
appendage (i.e. Bianca; also continues the printing metaphor)
102
Hap
happen
roundly … her
approach her plainly, without further ado (may also have sexual connotations)
103
go hard
be unfortunate (plays on the sense of “get erect”)
2
goodly
splendidly
7
list
please
8
Or ere
before
14
rush-candle
candle dipped in tallow wax, which gave a dim light
24
go thy ways
well-done/carry on
field
battle
25
bowl should run
refers to the game of bowls in which balls are rolled toward a central ball
26
against the bias
against its natural course (the
bias
is the weight in the ball that enables it to be bowled in a curve)
28
Where away?
Where are you going?
30
fresher
more blooming
32
spangle
shine, adorn
36
A
he
40
whom
to whom
47
green
young, fresh (also alludes to the optical effect of looking at and then away from the sun)
54
encounter
greeting
62
father
father-in-law
64
this
this time
65
esteem
reputation
67
beseem
befit
70
honest
virtuous, noble (ironically plays on the sense of “truthful”)
73
pleasant
jovial
break a jest
play a joke
77
jealous
suspicious
78
put … heart
encouraged me
79
Have to
now for/here’s to
80
untoward
stubborn, perverse
4
o’your back
behind you (i.e. I’ll see you safely into the church)
8
father’s
i.e. Baptista’s house
bears
lies
10
You … but
i.e. I insist that
11
command
authorize, ascertain
12
cheer is toward
entertainment is in place
23
frivolous circumstances
trivial matters
26
from Padua
i.e. where we are right now (some editors emend to “from Mantua,” or “to Padua”)
32
cozen
cheat
33
under my countenance
by pretending to be me
35
good shipping
happy fortune, a good journey (perhaps also “good sex”)
36
undone
ruined
37
crack-hemp
rogue who deserves to be hanged (literally, who causes the hempen rope to strain)
38
choose
do as I choose/have a choice when it comes to being hanged
51
offer
attempt
53
fine
richly dressed
54
copatain
high-crowned
61
’cerns it you
does it concern you
62
maintain
afford
63
Bergamo
town near Milan
76
forthcoming
available to stand trial
80
cony-catched
tricked
86
dotard
old fool
87
hailed
dragged about/greeted
89
spoiled
ruined
98
counterfeit supposes
false appearances
eyne
eyes
99
packing
plotting, conspiracy
with a witness
that’s for certain
103
changed
plays on the meaning of
cambio
(“change”)
105
state
situation/status
115
go to
exclamation of mild impatience and dismissal
117
sound
probe
119
cake is dough
i.e. I’ve failed
120
Out … all
with no hope of anything
129
once
at some time
banquet
fruit, sweetmeats and wine, served after the main meal
1
long
after a long time
3
scapes
escapes
overblown
now past
5
kindness
kinship/good will
8
with
on
9
close
fill
10
great good cheer
presumably the main wedding feast at Baptista’s
16
fears
is frightened of/frightens
17
Then … afeard
i.e. I can assure you I am not frightened
18
sensible
perceptive
20
He … round
i.e. you attribute your own feelings to others—you, Petruchio, are afraid of
your
wife
21
Roundly
boldly, soundly
23
Thus … him
that’s how I understand him (Petruchio picks up on
roundly
and
conceive
to make a joke about pregnancy)
25
conceives her tale
interprets her remark/is impregnated (tale puns on “tail”—i.e. vagina)
26
mended
retorted/rectified
32
mean
average/poor
34
mean … you
moderate compared to you
35
To her
attack her (a cry used to urge on animals in hunting or fighting)
37
marks
coins, each worth two thirds of a pound
put her down
outdo her (Hortensio plays on the sense of “have sex with her”)
38
office
role/sexual duty
41
butt
lock horns/thrust sexually
42
butt
bottom
hasty-witted body
quick-witted person
43
head and horn
a horned head (i.e. that of a cuckold; horn plays on the sense of “penis/hunting horn”)
47
Have at you
be prepared for
bitter
shrewd, keen
48
bird
prey
shift my bush
fly to another bush to hide in (plays on the idea of pubic hair)
49
bow
refers to fowling—hunting sitting birds with bow and arrow (with phallic connotations)
51
prevented
thwarted
52
hit
shot with an arrow/ penetrated sexually
53
health
toast
54
slipped
unleashed
56
currish
ignoble/dog-like
58
deer
puns on “dear”
does … bay
turns on you and holds you off with its horns/denies you sex
60
gird
taunt
62
galled
scratched, irritated
63
glance away from
bounce off
65
good sadness
all seriousness
66
veriest
truest
67
assurance
proof
75
of
on
84
be your half
put up half your bet
89
How?
What?
97
needs
necessarily
110
The … mine
then I have the worst luck
111
by my holidame
by Our Lady/by all that I hold holy
114
conferring
chatting
116
Swinge
thrash
121
awful
worthy of respect
right
rightful
122
what not
everything
123
fair befall thee
good luck to you
127
as … been
as if the former Kate had never existed
136
pass
state of affairs
137
foolish
stupid (Lucentio shifts the sense to “fond, doting”)
141
laying
betting
148
Unknit
relax
unkind
harsh/unnatural
151
meads
meadows
152
Confounds thy fame
destroys your reputation
153
meet
appropriate
154
moved
angered
155
ill-seeming
ugly
161
painful
grueling
162
watch
be awake during
169
peevish
stubborn, perverse
170
honest
virtuous, upright
172
graceless
sinful
173
simple
foolish
175
sway
authority, influence
176
bound
i.e. by duty/in marriage
178
Unapt
not designed
179
soft
gentle, fragile
conditions
constitutions/qualities
181
unable
incapable
182
big
strong/contentious/determined/proud
183
haply
perhaps
184
bandy
exchange
187
That … be
seeming to be that
188
vail your stomachs
lower your pride/surrender your inclinations
boot
use
191
do him ease
give him pleasure/ease his burden
193
go thy ways
well-done
ha’t
have it (win the wager)