Shakespearean Language
Write down a sentence that features each of the following words.
alack | expression of alarm
Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
Than twenty of their swords: look thou but sweet,
And I am proof against their enmity.
– Romeo and Juliet
anon | soon
See this dispatch’d with all the haste thou canst:
Anon I’ll give thee more instructions.
– The Taming of the Shrew
art | are
Thou art a fool.
– The Taming of the Shrew
avaunt | go away
Avaunt, you cullions!
– Henry V
belike | perhaps
O then, belike, you fancy riches more
– The Taming of the Shrew
beseech | beg
Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way
To the house of Signior Baptista Minola?
– The Taming of the Shrew
betwixt | between
Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,
And each doth good turns now unto the other:
– Sonnet 47
cozen | deceive
Lay hands on the villain: I believe a’ means to
cozen somebody in this city under my countenance.
– The Taming of the Shrew
dost | do
Dost thou not laugh?
– Romeo and Juliet
doth | do
Why does the world report that Kate doth limp?
– The Taming of the Shrew
durst | dare
You that durst swear at your mistress Bianca
Loved none in the world so well as Lucentio.
– The Taming of the Shrew
ere |before
And to ‘t they go like lightning, for, ere I
Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain.
– Romeo and Juliet
fain | pleased
I would forget it fain,
But oh, it presses to my memory,
Like damnèd guilty deeds to sinners’ minds.
– Romeo and Juliet
fie | outrage, disagreement
Fie, fie! unknit that threatening unkind brow.
– The Taming of the Shrew.
fool | jester
And paint your face and use you like a fool.
– The Taming of the Shrew.
forsooth | in truth
No shame but mine: I must, forsooth, be forced
To give my hand opposed against my heart
– The Taming of the Shrew
haply | perhaps, by happenstance
And I have thrust myself into this maze,
Haply to wive and thrive as best I may
– The Taming of the Shrew
hark | listen
Hark, Tranio! thou may’st hear Minerva speak.
– The Taming of the Shrew
hath | has
Persuade him that he hath been lunatic
– The Taming of the Shrew
hence | be gone
O, let us hence; I stand on sudden haste.
– Romeo and Juliet
hitther | to or towards this place
Well, bring our lady hither to our sight
– The Taming of the Shrew
ho | hey
What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!
– Romeo and Juliet.
liege | lord
God’s will! my liege, would you and I alone, Without more help, could fight this royal battle!
– Henry V
mark | listen, pay attention
Stand by and mark the manner of his teaching.
– The Taming of the Shrew
methinks | I think
Methinks he looks as though he were in love
– The Taming of the Shrew
morrow | morning
Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.
– The Taming of the Shrew
prithee | please
Prithee, Kate, let’s stand aside and see the end of this controversy.
– The Taming of the Shrew
saucy | sassy
You are a saucy boy: is’t so, indeed?
– Romeo and Juliet
sirrah | used to address a male below your social status
Sirrah, come hither: ’tis no time to jest
– The Taming of the Shrew
soft | be quiet
Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen
– The Taming of the Shrew
swain | a country youth, lover or suitor
Too light for such a swain as you to catch;
And yet as heavy as my weight should be.
– The Taming of the Shrew
thee | you
And let it not displease thee, good Bianca,
For I will love thee ne’er the less, my girl.
– The Taming of the Shrew
thither | to there
My father’s bears more toward the market-place;
Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir.
– The Taming of the Shrew
thou | you
Thou art a fool
– The Taming of the Shrew
thy | your
Give me thy hand, Kate: I will unto Venice,
To buy apparel ’gainst the wedding-day.
– The Taming of the Shrew
whence | from what place
Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence?
– The Taming of the Shrew
zounds | expression of surprise
Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not serve God if the devil bid you…I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs.
– Othello
SHAKESPEAREAN INSULTS
Visit this page that generates Shakespearean insults. Write down ten insults and using a dictionary and search engines, write down a modern translation of the line.
Write a Conversation
Write an argument between two people, using Shakespearean language, during which they trade insults. You can use the Shakespearean Insult Generator and this list of Shakespearean insults.