GLOSSARY

This Glossary is designed to include all words found in Poetaster which are obsolete, archaic, dialectal, or rare; current words used in obsolete, archaic, or exceptional senses; and, so far as practicable, archaic or peculiar phrases. Current words in current senses have been occasionally included, in order to facilitate the interpretation of obscure or otherwise difficult passages. A single reference to act, scene, and line has usually been deemed sufficient, except in the case of words rare or of doubtful meaning, where every occurrence has been recorded. When a word now in good use has been employed by Jonson in an obsolete or rare sense, and again in a modern sense, the Glossary usually cites only the unfamiliar usage. Etymologies have in general been given only for one of two objects: 1) to call attention to Jonson's habit of using words of Latin origin in their original sense; 2) to show ground for peculiar interpretation. Verbs have been distinguished as transitive or intransitive only in special cases.

A dagger preceding a word indicates that the word is obsolete; preceding a definition, that the word is obsolete in the particular sense required. Parallel lines before a word show that it has never become naturalized in English. Other signs and abbreviations are those common in the dictionaries.

The words disgorged by Crispinus-Marston in Act 5, being fully discussed in the notes, are here indicated by asterisks.

A

Accommodate, v. †To fit, or †A', pron. He. 3. 2. 19; 3. 4. 102. make acceptable, to. (An obs. and

†A', prep. Of. I. I. 14. Abated, pp. [a. OF. abatre, abattre to overthrow, f. a to, battre to beat.] Subdued; put an end to. E. 31.

rare constr. is to accommodate a

thing to a person. NED.) 3.4. 303.

Accost, v. To approach, draw near to. Arch. 2. 2. 91. Cf. note. Action, n. 1) A hostile engage

Abiect, n. †A base, degraded, or ment; fight. 3. 4. 109. worthless thing. 1. 3. 59.

Absolue, v. [ad. Lat. absolvere to loosen, free.] †To clear off or discharge liabilities. 3. 4. 70. Abstracted, pp. adj. †Abstruse; difficult. A.D. 194. Acceptiue, adj.

Willing to re

ceive or accept. 3. 4. 95.

2) Acting of plays. 3. 4. 211. 3) (a) General conduct;

acting. 1. 2. 62.

(b)

+Admirable, adv. Wonderfully; remarkably. 3. 4. 260.

Admir'd, pp. adj. Wondered at. Arch. 5. 1. 138.

Admittance, n.

†Admission, in

the sense of concession. 4. 8. 29.

2) †Phr., Approue in: to concur Ah me! Arch. 4. 9. 48; 95. (Cf. in, approve of. 2. 2. 9.

B

Bastoun, n. cudgel or club. 5. 3. 624. Cf. note. Bawd, n. In general sense, a gobetween, pander. 4. 3. 117.

Baston or baton, a

Back-face, n. A face looking backward: e. g., of Janus, the face thought of as turned backward or away. Nonce word? I. 2. 147. Back-side, n. †The rear of a 4. 2. I; 5. 3. 400. dwelling. 2. I. 13.

Baffull, v. (A form of baffle.) †To disgrace; confound. A.D. 146. Balke, v. To disappoint. I. 2. 228.

Balsamum, n. 1) Balsam, a valued gum. 2. I. 60.

2) A term of endearment. 2. I. 72.

Be, v. pl. Are. Obs. exc. dial.

Because, conj. †In order that; so that. 4. 7. 29, 33.

Behauiours, n. pl. Deportment. 2. I. 167. +Beholding, adj. Under obligation, indebted. 1. 2. 162. Belike, adv. Arch. or dial.

Probably; possibly. I. 2. 187. †Bescumber, v. To void excre

A neckband, or collar. ment upon. 5. 3. 314.

Band, n. 5. 3. 197. Cf. note.

Ban-dog, n. A dog needing to be chained up; a watch-dog. Often applied, as here, to the sergeants of the Counter, or debtors' prison. 3. 4. 4. Cf. note.

Bane, n. Fatal mischief; woe. Now poet. 5. 2. 68.

||Barathrum, n. [Lat., adapted from Gr. Bápa@pov.] A pit or gulf. 3. 4. 298. Cf. note. Barmy, adj. Full of barm, or froth. (Phr., Barmy-froth.) 5. 3. 294, 511, 515. Cf. note.

Base, n. A plaited skirt, of cloth, velvet, or rich brocade, appended to the doublet, and reaching from the waist to the knee, common in the Tudor period. NED. 3. I. 74.

Base, adj. 1) Low in the social scale; plebeian. Arch. 3. 4. 110? 4. 5. 20; 4. 7. 42 (this in both senses).

+Bespawle, v. To bespatter with saliva. 5. 3. 297. †Best-best, adj. excellent. 5. 3. 473.

Superlatively

†Better cheape, adv. phr. At a lower price. This expression is built upon the obs. N. Cheap, meaning originally 'bargaining, barter,' etc. Good cheap therefore means 'on advantageous terms, at a low price.' 1. 2. 209.

Betwixt, prep. Between. Arch. and poet. 2. I. 59.

3.

Bin, pp. Obs. form of been. 5.
376.
Blaunch't, pp. adj. Obs. form of
Blanched. 4. 8. 17.

Blaz'd, pp. Described, portrayed-as if heraldically blazoned. 5. 3. 363.

Blazond, pp. Blazoned; clearly painted or described. I. 2. 57.

Block, n. Orig. a form or mould for shaping a hat; here = kind, 2) Low in the moral scale. Pas- style. Arch. 4. 5. 158. Cf. note.

sim.

Bodies, n. pl. (The 16th and

Bastinado, v. To beat, as with 17th cent. spelling of Bodice.) Fora stick. Arch. 5. 3. 400.

merly. An inner garment for the

upper part of the body, quilted and strengthened with whalebone (worn chiefly by women, but also by men); a corset, stays; freq. called a pair of bodies (bodice) 'a pair of stays.' NED., s. v. Bodice. 2. I. 70.

addressed, as in Shaks., 'bully Bot-
tom,' 'bully doctor.' Obs. exc. arch.
NED. 5. 3. 160.
†Bumrowle, n.

of bustle. 2. 1. 70.
Burst, pp. adj.

Bodkin, n. A long hairpin. 3. broken. 3. 5. 23.

1. 52, 58.

Bumroll, a sort
Cf. note.

+Shattered;

Buskin, n. 1) A covering for

Booth, n. A temporary or make- the foot and leg reaching to the shift dwelling. I. 2. 90.

calf, or to the knee; a half-boot.

Bountie, n. †Kindness; benefi- NED. (a) of the tragedian. I. I. cence. 4. 6. 62, 63.

18; 5. 3. 266. (b) For ordinary

Braue, adj. 1) Worthy, excel- wear. 3. 4. 292. lent, 'fine.' Arch. I. 2. 207.

2) Buskins: a nickname for a

2) Of high rank? Fine and ele- 'tribune,' or city magistrate. 5. 3. gant? Arch. 2. I. 145.

Bribe, v. (a) To obtain by hire or reward; (b) to extort; steal. 4. 8. 28.

Briefe, adj. †Phr., Be briefe: be expeditious, quick. 1. 1. 8.

Bring knowne, v. phr. To make acquainted. Arch. 3. 1. 251-2. Brize, n. (Obs. form of Breeze.) A gad-fly. 3. 1. 261. Cf. note. Broker, n. A retailer (obs.); esp. a second hand dealer, pawnbroker. 2. 2. 236. Cf. note.

Brooke, v. To endure; tolerate. Obs. or arch. 4. 3. 91.

Bruit, n. Rumor, tidings. Arch.

5. 2. 73.

90.

By, prep. †Of; concerning; against. 3. 4. 314; 5. 3. 72, 109. By-course, n. An irregular or disreputable course of action.

| 81.

с

I. 2.

Caduceus, n. The herald's wand carried by Mercury, pictured with two serpents twined about it. 4. 4. 14. Cf. note.

Caitiue, adj. (A form of Caitiff.) Worthless; vile. 5. 3. 458.

Cam'rade, n. [ad. Sp. camarada, orig. 'chamberful', then 'chamber

Buffon, n. A buffoon; wag; mate'; F. camarade, camerade.] railer. A.D. 176.

Comrade, here with something of

Buffon, adj. Addicted to low the earlier sense of chamber-mate, raillery. Arch. 5. 3. 382. tent-fellow, and so associate and equal. I. 2. 37. Cantharides, n.

Pl. of can

Bully, n. A term of endearment and familiarity, orig. applied to either sex: sweetheart, darling. tharis, a beetle known as the SpanLater applied to men only, imply-ish fly. The term here means a ing friendly admiration: good biting scoundrel. 5. 3. 436. friend, fine fellow, 'gallant.' Often prefixed as a sort of title to the name or designation of the person

note.

Cf.

Cargo, n. A term of contempt or opprobrium. 5. 3. 459.

one

Carrier, n. A messenger; who fetches and carries. I. 2. 173. Case, n. 1) An animal's skin or hide. 5. 3. 651.

+Cheape, adv. A derivative of the obs. n. Cheap, meaning 'bargain.' Cf. note. I. 2. 209.

Check, v. To rebuke; censure.

2) A pair; brace. 5. 3. 396. Arch. or dial. 3. 5. III.

Cf. note.

+Cheu❜rill, adj. Of the nature of

3) Phr., In case: in condition. cheverel-leather; yielding, elastic. Obs. or arch.

I. 3. 13.

Cast, v. To vomit. Arch. and dial. I. I. IO.

Catamite, n. [ad. Lat. Catamitus, f. Ganymedes, the name of Jove's cup-bearer.] A boy kept for unnatural purposes. NED. 45.66. Catch-pole, n. [a. med. Lat. cacepollus, lit. chase-fowl.] A sheriff's officer, esp. one who arrests for debt. Obs.? 3.4. 18. Cf. note. Cates, n. pl. Choice dainties. 4. 5. 41.

viands,

Censure, n. [ad. Lat. censura, censorship, judgment.] Judgment, opinion, criticism. Arch. 1. 2. 259; 3. 5. 123, et passim.

Centum viri, n. pl.

Members

3. 52.

I. 2. 137. Cf. note.

Chide, v. †Phr., Chide at: to scold. 2. 2. 60.

Chiefe, n. The head or principal part of the escutcheon, occupying the upper third part of the shield ... NED. Cf.

note.

2. I. 102.

Clarified, pp. adj. Clear, refined; esp. high-pitched, thin. 4. 5. 5. Clarke, n. Obs. form of Clerk.

Character, n. A sign, an eviof dence, esp. Arch. 2. 2. 32.

4. 3. 122. moral qualities.

Charme, n. [ad. Lat. carmen, a song.] A chorus, a singing in concert. Arch. 2. 2. 216.

Cheape, adj. Of slight value or account; phr., Make cheape: to bring into contempt. I. 2. 46.

Clem, v. tr. To starve. Obs. exc. dial. I. 2. 194 Clog, n. A weight attached to the leg or neck to impede motion or prevent escape. 4. 2. 60.

Close, adj. Hidden or secluded. 4. 9. 47; 5. 3. 122.