accompt (37) account
Acheron (15) Hell
adage (44) proverb
afeer'd (34) confirmed
ague (4) disease
alarm (4) trumpet-call
All . . . house (14) Even if I were to double my efforts on your behalf, it would be nothing compared with the honour you pay by visiting our house.
Angel . . . served (14) i.e. the Devil
an't (19) If
antic round (130) mad dance
aroynt! (6) begone!
auger-hole (120) the tiniest crevice
augment (27) support
augurs. . . blood (123) Prophecies have (in the past) revealed even the most well-hidden murders
authoriz'd (65) written
avouch (119) justify
bark (24) boat
became him (8) suited him
become (63) suit
before (12) on his chest
beldams (2) witches
bellman (3) man who summoned condemned prisoners
Bellona's bridegroom (55) bridegroom to the goddess of war (i.e. Macbeth).
benison (40) blessing
borne in hand . . . cross'd (79) deceived, double-crossed
both the worlds (16) earth and heaven
brinded (1) streaked
bruited (22) announced
card (16) a sea-chart
cast the water (50) examine the urine (here, used metaphorically)
chastise (27) beat off, chase away
cleave (146) fit
cleave to my consent (25) approve of my plan
cloudy messenger . . . clogs me with this answer The surly messenger refuses to report to Macbeth the news of Macduff's desertion for fear of punishment.
compassed . . . pearl (22) surrounded by the elite of Scotland
constrained things (13) conscripts
construction (12) intention
convinces . . . art (143) defeats all the attempts of (medical) skill
corporal (81) bodily, physical
corporal agent (81) physical part of myself
cours'd (21) chased
cow'd (18) caused me to cower
coz (14) cousin
crack of doom (117) Day of Judgment
detraction (123) self-accusation
dew (30) wet (with blood)
direction just (4) exact instructions
disposition . . . owe (112) my own human nature, courage
divine (71) priest
dudgeon (46) handle
effect and it (47) the result and the plan
Enemy of Man (68) the Devil
English epicures (8) the self-indulgent English
enow (56) enough
equivocator (9) liar
estate of things (40) the physical frame of the universe
eternal jewel (67) immortal soul
excite . . . man (4) raise the dead
expectation (10) invitation
eye (186) command
faculties (17) kingly powers
fain (28) rather
farrow (65) litter of pigs
favour (72) complexion
feast . . . ceremony (35) Banquets which are given freely are made more attractive by the "sauce" of ceremony.
fee'd (131) paid
fee-grief . . . breast (196) a personal sorrow
fell (70) terrible
fell of hair (11) the hair on my flesh
fenny (12) living in the marshes
fil'd my mind (64) defiled my guiltless conscience
fitness (53) appropriateness
flaws and starts (62) outbursts
flighty . . . with it (145) Unless acted upon immediately intentions may be overtaken by time.
foisons (88) abundance
forc'd (5) reinforced
foreign levy (25) foreign invasion
gentle weal (75) noble commonwealth
germens (59) seeds
gild (55) paint them with golden blood
gin (35) trap
gins his reflection (25) starts to turn in its seasonal course.
go off (2) perish
golden round (28) the crown (kingship)
goose (12) cowardly
Gorgon (71) hideous monster than turns beholders to stone
gouts (46) drops
grafted (51) embedded
Graymalkin, Paddock (8) grey cat, toad; both "familiars" or witches' assistants
half a soul (82) a half-wit
harbinger (45) forerunner
harp'd (74) guessed
haunt (8) regularly visit
Hecate (52) goddess of witchcraft
hie thee hither (25) come here quickly
holp (23) helped
hose (14) trousers
howlet (17) young owl
husbandry in heaven (4) the gods are economical with their starlight
I doubt (66) I am concerned
impress (95) force
in compt . . . audit (26) on your account, to be assessed by you
incarnadine (61) make red
interdiction (107) accusation
interim (155) meanwhile
intrenchant (9) uncuttable
jealousies (29) suspicions
juggling fiends (19) deceiving devils (or Fates)
just . . . event (14) righteous criticism awaits the outcome
jutty . . . vantage (6) eaves, convenient corner
kerns, Gallowglasses (13) light infantry, heavy infantry.
lapp'd in proof (55) covered in armor.
latch (195) catch
lave our honours . . . streams (33) show ourselves to be honourable by washing ourselves in acts of flattery
lees (93) dregs
lime (34) bird lime (a sticky substance for trapping birds)
line the rebel . . . vantage (112) secretly give aid to the rebels.
list (70) tournament
lodg'd (55) beaten down
lose the dues (12) miss the reward
love . . . love (11) As king, I must always acknowledge my subjects' love even though doing so is a burden to me. But I must tell you that in taking trouble for me, you win God's thanks.
loved mansionry (5) favorite building
made a shift to cast him (40) with effort I overpowered the drink
magot-pies (124) magpies
marry (4) indeed
mated (75) amazed
maws (72) appetites
metaphysical (29) supernatural
mettle (74) courage
minions of their race (15) best of their breed
minutely (18) every minute
mortal custom (100) usual lifespan
mounch'd (4) munched
napkins (6) handkerchiefs
near in blood . . . bloody (142) close relations are more likely to be suspected of murder
oblivious (43) that brings oblivion
old (2) frequent
ornament of life (42) the crown
pains (151) service to me
palter (20) toy with
parricide (31) murder of a parent
particular addition (99) a specific title
pauser (109) restraining force of
pendent (7) hanging
penthouse lid (20) eyelid.
physic (47) medicine
practice (55) medical expertise
prate (58) prattle
probation (79) approval
procreant cradle (7) nest
protest me (104) claim that I am
purpose . . . purveyor (21) intended to arrive before him
quarry . . . deer (206) carnage of these dead creatures
rancours (66) bitterness
ravin (28) eat up
rebuked (55) mocked
receipt . . . limbeck (68) container for an alchemist's solution; here, Macbeth's plan
recoil in an imperial charge (20) recoil (like a cannon) when under royal orders (from Macbeth)
rendered (22) surrendered
rhubarb . . . drug (55) purgatives
rich East to boot (37) all the wealth of the Orient as well
roofed (35) surmounted
runyon (6) hag
savage (69) bold
scotch'd (13) injured
scruples (127) doubts
second course (38) that is, at the banquet of life
security (32) overconfidence
sere (23) dry
shoal (6) sandbank
shoughs, water-rugs (93) rough-coated dogs
sightless couriers (23) invisible winds
Sinel (71) Macbeth's father.
skirr (35) scour
sleights (26) charms
sooth (40) truthfully
spacious plenty (71) at will
speculation (94) eyesight
stamp (153) coin
sticking-place (61) its limit
straight (11) straightaway
suborn'd (24) bribed
summer-seeming (86) youthful
surcease (4) death
surfeited (5) drunk
sway (9) command
swelling act . . . theme (128) the developing royal drama
taking-off (20) murder
Tarquin (46) murderous king of Rome
temple-haunting martlet (4) bird that nests in church porches
their charge (6) that is, Duncan
this great King (131) possibly a reference to James I (the king in Shakespeare's audience)
to friend (10) auspicious
trains (118) tricks
trammel up (3) obstruct, prevent
travelling lamp (7) the sun
treatise (12) tale
trifled (4) made trivial
trifles (125) trivial gifts
two delinquents (12) that is, the guards of Duncan's chamber
undivulg'd pretence (129) undisclosed plot of treason
unshrinking station (8) unyielding position
upbraid . . . faith-breach (18) rebuke his broken promises
utterance (71) utmost
vault (94) wine cellar, punning on grave
verities (8) true predictions
vizards (34) masks
want the thought (8) help thinking
wants (142) requires
warrant in that theft (143) this kind of stealing (away) is justified
wassail (65) entertainment
which is not us'd for you (44) which you are not used to
with Him above . . . work (33) with God's help
yesty (53) frothing
