Authors: William Shakespeare
190
Lo
look
197
bark
sailing ship
198
Olympus-high
as high as Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek gods
199
to die
my time to die
203
Succeeds
can follow
209
stops
arrests/chokes here at this very moment/in my heart or throat
213
set down
loosen
220
prattle
chatter
out of fashion
contrary to my usual manner/unfashionably dote behave foolishly/indulge
221
comforts
happiness
222
coffers
boxes, trunks
223
master
ship’s captain
225
challenge
claim, require
229
base
lowborn/unworthy
230
list
listen to
232
directly
completely
234
thus
i.e. on the lips
235
Mark me
note, recollect but only
237
prating
chattering discreet discerning, prudent
239
dull
sluggish
act of sport
sex
240
a game
sexual play/a new quarry
241
favour
appearance sympathy similarity
243
required conveniences
necessary correspondences (or “advantages”)
244
heave the gorge
retch
245
disrelish
find distasteful
247
pregnant
evident position proposition, assertion
248
eminent…degree
i.e. first in line eminent high/conspicuous degree step
249
voluble
inconstant/glib conscionable ruled by conscience
250
humane
courteous/kindly seeming appearance
251
compass
achievement salt lecherous
252
slipper
slippery subtle cunning
253
occasion
opportunity stamp coin
254
advantages
opportunities true genuine/honest
257
folly
foolishness/lewdness green young/inexperienced after out for pestilent poisonous/confounded complete perfect, consummate
260
condition
disposition
261
Blessed fig’s-end!
exclamation of dismissive contempt fig’s-end vagina
261
The…grapes
i.e. she’s as mortal (and open to desire) as the next person
263
pudding
sausage/penis paddle stroke/play with her fingers
266
index
table of contents/preface (plays on the sense of the pointing “forefinger”) obscure hidden
269
mutabilities
changes, signs of sexual fickleness
270
hard
close main may contribute to the language of hands and fingers with a play on the French
main
(“hand”)
271
exercise
action/sexual act incorporate carnal, united in one body
272
Watch you
remain alert, be on the lookout
273
for…you
I’ll bestow on you the leading role in carrying out our plan/I’ll give you instructions about what to do
275
tainting his discipline
casting aspersions on his military skill
277
minister
provide
279
choler
anger haply perhaps/with any luck
281
these
i.e. the people whose…again i.e. who will not be appeased
283
displanting
uprooting, supplanting
284
prefer
promote, advance
286
prosperity
success
287
I…opportunity
it will bring about any opportunity for me
288
warrant
assure
289
his
i.e. Othello’s
292
apt
likely/appropriate of great credit very believable
293
howbeit…not
although I cannot bear him
296
dear
beloved, precious (with grim play on the sense of “costly”)
297
peradventure
perhaps/probably
298
accountant
accountable
299
diet
feed
300
For that
because
301
leaped into
plays on the sense of “mounted sexually” seat official place/saddle/(wife’s) vagina
308
poor…Venice
i.e. Rodorigo trace follow
309
For
on account of stand…on continues to respond to my incitements (suggestive of urging dogs on in a hunt)
310
on the hip
at a disadvantage
311
right garb
way I plan/most effective manner
312
night-cap
wife/(wife’s) vagina; Iago suspects Cassio of having sex with Emilia
314
egregiously
monstrously, shamefully
315
practising upon
scheming against
316
’Tis here
i.e. the plan exists/the plan is in my head
3
mere perdition
total destruction
4
triumph
public celebration of victory
5
addition
rank/occupation
7
nuptial
marriage
8
offices
kitchens, pantries
9
told
counted, struck
2
stop
restraint
3
outsport discretion
make merry beyond the bounds of prudence
8
with your earliest
at your earliest convenience
10
the…ensue
i.e. though married, Othello and Desdemona have yet to consummate their union
15
cast
dismissed
17
wanton
sportive/amorous/lascivious Jove the supreme Roman god was known for his amorous encounters with beautiful women
18
exquisite
accomplished, perfect
19
full of game
sexually sportive, lustful
20
delicate
charming/ dainty/elegant
21
sounds a parley
issues a summons (literally, to military negotiations)
23
alarum
call to arms
26
stoup
cup, tankard without outside brace pair
27
gallants
fine young men disposed to pleasure fain gladly have a measure i.e. drink a toast
30
unhappy
unfortunate
34
craftily qualified
skillfully diluted innovation alteration/ revolution
35
infortunate
unfortunate, unlucky
40
it dislikes me
it displeases me/I do it reluctantly
43
offence
aggression, readiness to take offense
44
my…dog
the overindulged lapdog of a young lady sick lovesick
46
caroused
drunk as a toast
47
Potations pottle-deep
half-gallon draughts watch remain alert, be on the lookout (for a chance to provoke Cassio)
48
swelling
proud
49
That… distance
who are very conscious of protecting their honors (and thus quick to take offense)
50
elements
essence, typical constituents
51
flustered
made drunkenly excitable
52
watch
are awake
53
action
deed/fight
55
approve
prove, bear out
56
stream
current
57
rouse
large quantity of drink
60
cannikin
small drinking vessel
63
span
brief period (literally, span of the hand)
67
most…potting
big drinkers
68
swag-bellied
with a belly that sags heavily
72
drinks you
drinks (you is emphatic)
73
Almain
German
74
pottle
half-gallon drinking vessel
76
do you justice
i.e. match you in the amount you drink
78
King Stephen
twelfth-century king of England and-a a
79
crown
gold coin of varying value in different countries
80
held
considered
81
lown
loon, rascal, base person
85
auld
old
94
quality
rank
106
th’platform
the terrace on which guns were mounted and where the night watch stood guard set the watch mount the guard
110
just equinox
exact equal equinox moment when day and night are of equal length
111
pity of
a pity about
117
watch…set
remain awake during two revolutions of the clock (horologe)
127
hazard…second
risk as important a place as lieutenant
128
ingraft
engrained
136
knave
rogue/servant, low-ranking person
137
twiggen bottle
wicker basket (i.e. Rodorigo’s body will be crisscrossed with wounds and bruises)
141
hold
hold back
143
mazzard
head
149
masters
sirs
150
bell
town alarm bell Diablo devil (Spanish)
151
rise
rise up/riot
152
ashamed
filled with shame/dishonored
157
place
(your) official positions
160
turned Turks
converted to Islam/betrayed ourselves that…Ottomites attack each other, which the heaven-sent storm prevented the Turks from doing to us; may also allude to Islamic prohibitions against alcohol/internecine strife
163
carve
i.e. with his sword
164
light
of small value he dies i.e. I’ll kill him
165
dreadful
inspiring dread and terror
166
From her propriety
out of its rightful ordered state
167
grieving
distress, sorrow
168
love
loyal affection for me
170
quarter
conduct toward one another terms speech/relations with one another
171
Devesting them
undressing themselves
172
unwitted men
deprived men of their senses
173
tilting
thrusting
175
peevish odds
senseless quarrel/headstrong conflict
176
would
wish