The Merchant of Venice (Dover Thrift Editions)

  23 notwithstanding nevertheless

  26 assured shifts sense to "guaranteed against risks"

  27 bethink me consider it

  29 habitation i.e. the body of a pig

  30 Nazarite someone from Nazareth, i.e. Jesus

  32 following forth

  36 publican tax collector

  38 low simplicity humble naivete/foolishness

  39 gratis for nothing (i.e. without charging interest)

  40 usance lending money at interest

  41 upon the hip at a disadvantage (wrestling term)

  42 fat until fat

  43 our sacred nation i.e. the Jewish people

  rails rants/is abusive (about) 44 there ... congregate i.e. on the Rialto

  45 thrift profit

  46 tribe i.e. one of the twelve tribes of Israel, from which all Jews were descended 49 debating ... store considering my supply of ready money

  51 gross total

  53 Tubal name found in Genesis 10:2

  54 furnish supply

  soft wait a moment

  55 Rest you fair form of greeting ("may you remain well")

  56 Your ... mouths i.e. we were just talking about you

  58 excess i.e. interest

  59 ripe wants pressing needs

  60 possessed notified of

  61 would want

  65 bond contract/pledge

  67 advantage interest

  68 use employ (puns on the sense of "interest")

  69 Jacob ... sheep with his mother's help, Jacob tricked his father into making him heir; fleeing his brother Esau's wrath, he went to work for his uncle Laban (Genesis 27 and 30) 70 from descended from

  Abram Abraham

  71 wrought brought about, arranged

  72 third possessor i.e. of the birthright (after Abraham and Isaac) 75 Mark pay attention to

  76 were compromised had reached agreement

  77 eanlings newborn lambs

  pied spotted with another color 78 fall as become

  hire wages

  rank lustful/in heat 80 generation procreation

  82 peeled ... wands stripped the bark off particular sticks

  83 in ... kind while the sheep were engaged in their natural act (i.e. breeding) 84 stuck ... ewes refers to the idea that what the mother sees during conception influences the appearance of the offspring

  fulsome lustful 85 eaning lambing

  86 Fall drop, give birth to

  87 thrive profit

  89 venture enterprise

  served served God

  91 fashioned arranged, created

  92 inserted introduced, brought up

  good i.e. justifiable 100 goodly wholesome-looking

  104 beholding indebted

  106 rated berated, reproached (puns on rate)

  109 sufferance endurance

  111 gaberdine loose cloak or coat

  112 use employment (puns on sense of "financial interest")

  114 Go to expression of impatient dismissal

  116 void discharge, empty

  rheum spittle

  117 foot kick

  spurn despise/reject/strike

  stranger cur unknown dog 118 suit request

  122 bondman's key serf's tone

  123 bated subdued

  128 like likely

  132 A ... metal an unnatural increase of money--i.e. interest

  barren unable to reproduce naturally

  of from 134 break i.e. fail to repay the sum

  better more willing 139 doit small coin (i.e. tiny amount)

  141 kind kindness/natural behavior

  142 were would be (indeed)

  144 notary person authorized to draw up contracts

  145 single particular/bond that specifies that a sum of money must be paid on an appointed day 148 condition contract

  149 nominated for named as

  equal exact

  155 dwell remain/exist

  necessity need

  161 suspect i.e. to doubt

  163 break his day miss the appointed date (for repayment)

  164 exaction enforcement

  166 estimable valuable

  169 so so be it

  172 forthwith at once

  173 direction instruction

  174 purse bag up

  175 See attend

  fearful fear-inducing

  176 unthrifty profligate/careless

  knave scoundrel/servant

  presently soon 178 Hie hurry

  gentle courteous (may pun on "gentile") 179 kind agreeable/generous/natural

  tawny dark-skinned/of yellowish-brown skin

  Moor person of either African or Middle Eastern origin

  Flourish fanfare 2 livery uniform/badge

  burnished shining like polished metal 3 near bred closely related

  5 Phoebus Roman sun god

  6 make incision i.e. to let blood

  7 reddest suggestive of courage and vigor

  8 aspect face

  9 feared frightened

  10 clime land

  11 hue color/appearance

  14 nice scrupulous/whimsical

  direction guidance 17 scanted limited

  18 hedged protected/confined

  wit wisdom

  19 His as his

  20 then would then have

  fair i.e. fair a chance (puns on the sense of "fair-skinned/attractive") 22 For of gaining/hoping for

  25 scimitar short, curved sword

  26 Sophy ruler (shah) of Persia

  27 fields battles

  of from/against

  Solyman Suleiman, sultan who fought against Persia 28 o'erstare outstare

  33 Hercules Greek hero

  Lichas Hercules' companion 36 Alcides another name for Hercules

  44 advised warned

  45 Nor will not break my word, i.e. speak to a woman

  47 hazard risk/choice/fortune

  Clown a rustic, and/or comic character

  Lancelet i.e. "little lance" (type of spear/penis); Sir Lancelot was famous for adultery with King Arthur's wife; a "lance" was also a surgeon's instrument for piercing an abscess 1 serve allow

  3 Gobbo hunchback (Italian)

  5 start advantage

  7 with thy heels firmly (plays on literal sense)

  8 courageous purposeful/forceful/lusty

  pack depart

  Fia! Via! i.e. away (Italian) 9 For the heavens i.e. in heaven's name

  12 honest honorable (sense then shifts to "chaste")

  13 something somewhat/some thing (i.e. vagina)

  14 smack have a taste for/taste literally/have sex with

  grow to become one with/tend toward/become erect

  taste preference/literal taste 19 God ... mark i.e. excuse my language

  20 saving your reverence i.e. begging your pardon

  22 incarnation slip for "incarnate" (ironic, given that the Incarnation refers to the making of Christ into flesh) 28 true-begotten honestly conceived (Lancelet means "real, true") 29 sand-blind half-blind (from "sam-blind," but Lancelet thinks "as if with sand in the eyes")

  high-gravel-blind completely blind 30 confusions (appropriate) malapropism for "conclusions"--i.e. "experiment"

  35 of no hand i.e. neither left or right

  indirectly along a winding route (perhaps plays on the sense of "moral crookedness") 37 sonties saints

  hit get right, find

  41 raise the waters provoke tears

  43 master gentleman or professional tradesperson

  45 well to live well-to-do/managing satisfactorily/healthy

  46 a he

  48 friend and Lancelet Old Gobbo's polite way of rejecting the title "master" for Lancelet 49 ergo "therefore" (Latin)

  51 an't if it

  53 father respectful form of address for an old man

  54 Sisters Three three Fates, goddesses who spin, measure, and cut the thread of a person's life 59 hovel-post doorpost of a hovel

  66 of the knowin
g to recognize

  67 it ... child reversal of the proverb "it is a wise child that knows its own father"

  74 your boy ... be comic paraphrase of the Gloria from the Book of Common Prayer: "As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be"

  80 Margery sometimes used as slang term for a whore, or vagina

  83 fill-horse carthorse ("fills" were the shafts of a cart)

  86 backward inward (i.e. is shorter)

  of on

  89 agree get on

  91 set ... rest staked all

  92 rest pause, stop

  93 very thorough

  94 halter hangman's noose

  tell count

  95 finger ... ribs Lancelet reverses ribs and finger

  96 Give me give for me/give (me is emphatic)

  97 rare splendid

  liveries uniforms (for servants) 99 Jew i.e. villain

  100 hasted hastened

  101 farthest latest

  103 anon shortly

  106 Gramercy many thanks

  aught anything

  108 poor shifts sense from "unfortunate/humble" to "penniless"

  110 infection malapropism for "affection" (i.e. desire)

  115 scarce scarcely

  cater-cousins good friends, close 118 frutify malapropism for "certify"

  121 impertinent malapropism for "pertinent"

  126 defect malapropism for "effect" (i.e. meaning, purport)

  129 preferred recommended/promoted

  132 old proverb "the grace of God is gear enough" (i.e. sufficient)

  parted divided 136 inquire ... out find out where my house is

  138 guarded ornamented by braid trimmings

  141 table part of the palm

  book i.e. Bible (on which oaths are sworn) 142 simple ordinary/unremarkable

  line of life the life-line on the palm supposedly records the length and nature of a person's life 143 trifle insignificant amount

  144 simple humble

  coming-in income (puns on the sense of "having sex") 145 scape escape

  146 edge ... feather-bed perhaps refers to the dangers of marriage (i.e. a wife's infidelity) 147 scapes escapes/adventures/wrongdoings

  148 gear matter

  the i.e. a

  151 bestowed stowed away (on the ship bound for Belmont)

  152 feast lay on a feast for

  154 herein in this matter

  160 obtained it i.e. been granted your request

  164 rude raucous/coarse

  165 Parts qualities

  become suit

  167 show appear

  168 liberal licentious

  take pain make an effort 169 allay diminish

  modesty restraint/ propriety 170 skipping frivolous

  171 misconstered misconstrued, misunderstood

  174 habit demeanor/behavior/clothing

  175 but only

  177 saying being said

  180 studied ... ostent practiced in a solemn appearance

  181 grandam grandmother

  183 bar exclude

  gauge assess

  188 purpose intend

  Jessica probably a form of "Iscah," daughter of Abraham's brother, Haran (Genesis 11:29) 10 exhibit express (malapropism for "inhibit," i.e. restrain) 12 get beget, conceive

  18 manners behavior/character

  19 strife i.e. internal conflict, turmoil

  1 in during

  5 spoke ... of discussed/hired

  6 vile degrading/worthless

  quaintly skillfully

  ordered arranged 9 furnish us prepare

  10 An if

  this i.e. the letter's seal 11 seem to signify i.e. tell you something

  12 hand handwriting

  fair hand attractive handwriting (sense then shifts to "beautiful pale hand") 16 By your leave with your permission (to go)

  18 sup have supper

  22 Go i.e. come

  23 masque theatrical entertainment, usually involving music and dancing 24 of with

  28 some about an

  31 must needs must

  directed instructed/described 36 gentle puns on "gentile"

  37 foot step/path

  38 she i.e. misfortune

  39 she i.e. Jessica

  issue child

  faithless pagan/dishonest 2 of between

  3 gormandize eat excessively

  5 rend apparel out wear out your clothes

  9 wont accustomed

  12 bid forth invited out

  13 wherefore why

  15 upon i.e. at the expense of

  16 prodigal wastefully extravagant

  17 to after

  right loath very reluctant

  18 ill harm/trouble

  19 tonight last night

  20 expect await

  21 reproach malapropism for "approach"; Shylock responds to what Lancelet has actually said 25 nose fell a-bleeding considered to be a bad omen

  Black ... th'afternoon a deliberately nonsensical series of details; Lancelet pokes fun at superstitious attitudes such as Shylock's

  Black Monday Easter Monday 30 wry-necked played with the musician's head twisted away from the instrument 31 casements windows

  33 varnished faces i.e. wearing masks

  34 stop shut

  35 fopp'ry foolishness

  36 Jacob's staff in the Bible, the only possession Jacob started out with 37 mind of inclination for

  forth away from home 41 for despite

  43 a Jewes eye proverbial phrase for something very valuable; also plays on Jessica (a "Jewess") eyeing Lorenzo 44 Hagar's offspring Abraham's Egyptian concubine Hagar gave birth to Ishmael; both mother and son were outcast at Abraham's wife Sarah's request 46 patch fool, clown

  47 profit progress

  48 Drones non-workers (literally, bees whose only role is to impregnate the queen)

  hive live (in a hive) 54 Fast ... find keep possessions securely and they'll always be found quickly (proverbial) 56 crossed thwarted

  1 penthouse projecting roof of a building

  2 make a stand i.e. wait

  3 His ... past i.e. he is almost late

  4 marvel surprising

  out-dwells his hour i.e. is late 5 ever always

  run ... clock i.e. are early 6 Venus' pigeons doves that draw Venus' chariot

  8 obliged contracted, pledged

  unforfeited unbroken 9 ever always

  holds holds true

  10 that with which

  11 untread retrace

  12 measures paces

  unbated fire undiminished keenness 15 younger younger son, as the prodigal was (sometimes emended to "younker," fashionable youth) 16 scarfed bark ship decorated with flags

  puts from leaves 17 strumpet lascivious/wild/changeable

  19 over-withered ribs over-weathered ship's timbers (i.e. damaged by waves) 20 rent torn

  beggared made destitute

  22 your I beg your

  abode delay

  25 watch wait/keep watch

  26 father father-in-law

  28 tongue i.e. voice

  36 exchange change (into boy's clothes)

  38 pretty clever, artful

  39 Cupid Roman god of love

  42 hold ... to stand and observe/illuminate

  43 sooth truth

  light immoral/evident/luminous 44 office of discovery i.e. torchbearing, because it involves revealing things 47 garnish outfit/trimming (some editors emend "lovely" to "lowly") 49 close secretive/concealing

  play the runaway i.e. pass quickly 50 stayed for awaited

  51 make fast i.e. shut securely, lock

  gild equip, adorn (literally, cover with gold) 53 gentle dear one/gentile

  54 Beshrew curse

  56 true reliable

  57 true constant

  65 stay wait

  66 is come about i.e. has changed (favorably for sailing) trains retinues

  1 discover reveal

  2 several various, individual
>
  4 who which

  5 Who whoever

  8 dull not bright/blunt

  blunt forthright/unrefined 12 withal with it

  14 back over

  20 dross rubbish/residue from melted metal

  21 nor neither

  22 virgin hue possibly because silver is the color of the moon, ruled over by Diana, goddess of chastity 25 weigh weigh up, assess

  even fair/impartial 26 rated valued/estimated

  estimation reputation/value 30 disabling belittling

  36 graved engraved

  40 mortal breathing i.e. living

  41 Hyrcanian deserts Persian region south of the Caspian Sea known for its wildness

  desert deserted/isolated place

  vasty vast 44 watery kingdom i.e. the sea

  ambitious head i.e. waves 46 spirits courageous men

  49 like likely

  50 base unworthy (puns on lead as a base metal)

  gross inferior/coarse/ earthly 51 rib enclose (as ribs do the internal organs)

  cerecloth winding-sheet, shroud

  obscure concealed/dark 52 immured enclosed

  53 undervalued to less in value compared with

  tried tested 55 set fixed, like a jewel

  56 angel Archangel Michael who appeared on a coin known as an "angel"

  57 insculped engraved

  61 form image

  64 carrion loathsome/skeletal/putrefying

  Death death's head, skull 69 But only

  72 in judgement old i.e. wise

  73 inscrolled inscribed on a scroll

  78 tedious lengthy

  part depart

  80 complexion temperament/skin color

  4 raised roused, woke up

  12 passion passionate outcry

  13 outrageous excessively fierce

  19 double ducats twice the value of single ducats

  20 stones jewels

  24 stones plays on the sense of "testicles"

  25 look be sure

  day i.e. date on which the loan is to be repaid 28 reasoned talked

  29 narrow ... English i.e. the English Channel

  30 miscarried came to harm/was destroyed

  31 fraught laden

  32 upon of

  40 Slubber spoil/rush

  41 stay wait (for)

  riping ripening

  42 for as for

  43 of i.e. concerned with

  45 ostents displays

  46 become you be appropriate to you/dignify you

  47 there i.e. then

  49 affection wondrous sensible emotion extraordinarily evident

  51 he ... him i.e. Bassanio is all he lives for

  53 quicken revive/lighten

  embraced heaviness adopted sadness Servitor servant

  1 straight straight away

  2 Aragon region of northeastern Spain

  3 election choice

  presently at once

  9 enjoined bound

  10 unfold reveal

  12 Of i.e. to choose

  18 addressed me prepared myself

  Fortune good luck 25 By to signify

  fool foolish

  show appearance 26 fond foolish

  27 pries peers closely

  martlet swift/house-martin 28 in i.e. in a place exposed to

  29 force turbulence/violence

  road pathway

  casualty mischance 31 jump agree

  37 cozen cheat

  40 estates, degrees status, rank

  offices official roles 41 clear innocent, pure

  42 purchased obtained

  43 cover ... bare i.e. keep their hats on (social inferiors removed their hats in the presence of their superiors) 45 gleaned stripped, culled