A

abide: bear, tolerate

accommodate: Ind room for
abuse: deceive, treat badly
necomplishment: desirable personal qualty of sen
address: speech (Il)
adjust: arrange, settle (Il)
admire: regard with approval (V.")
admittance: admission
advance i: friendly approach (V): v promote
to a better job (II)
affectation: false pretence
afluence: wealth
agitation: excitement, upset
air v: make warm and dry (used about beds)
alack: exclamation of regret
alderman: elected town official next
in rank to the mayor
alehouse: small inn
alight: step out of a vehicle

allurement: enticement, seductiveness

amiss adv: wrongly, improperly
antique: old fashioned (II)
appoint: equip (II)
apprehension: fear
approbation: approval
apt: inclined, ready
arbitrary: capricious, acting unreasonably
ardour: passionate eagerness
ascribe to: attribute to, believe to be the cause
assiduity: persistent attention
assurance: self-confidence
astray: out of the right way, in a lost state
asunder: apart, separated
at a loss: perplexed
atone: make amends, compensate
attachment: lasting affection
auction: sale at which goods are sold to the buyer
who offers the highest price
ay (archaic and dialect): yes

bagatelle: trifle, unimportant matter

bandbox: box for millinery
and beauty alds

banter vt: make fun of

bar: part of the inn where drinks are served
barmaid: woman who serves drinks at an inn
barn: farm bullding for storing grain
barrister: lawyer who is qualified
to represent a client in court
bashful: shy, timid
batter: beat with heavy blows
bauble: trinket of little value
bawl: shout loudly
bear witness to: testify to
beat: strike bushes to rouse game (1.2)
beckon: summon by gesture
bellows pl: instrument for producing an air current
which will make a fire burn more brightly
bellyful n: as much food as one can eat
beset: pester, bother
besiege: surround with an army
bewitch: put a charm on, attract strongly
bler: wooden frame on which a dead body
is carried to the grave
bill us caress as two doves do
bill of fares menu, list of dishes avallable
In a restaurant

bitters pl: medicinal liquid prepared

from bitter herbs
blade: smart young man
blank n: empty space in a line
of writing or print
bless me!: exclamation of surprise
block: wooden mould shaped like a human head
and used for hat-making
blockhead: stupid person
blunder: stupid mistake
bobbin: spool used in lace-making
boggy: wet and marshy
bolster: large pillow
booby: clumsy fellow
booted: wearing high riding boots
bouncing: boisterously healthy
brag: boast
brass: impudence (III)
bravo: exclamation of approval
brazen: impudent
break loose: burst out without restraint
break the ice: make a first meeting with a
stranger less awkward and formal
breed ns family, race; v bring up, educate
bring forth: produce

bring to justice: bring due punishment

by the law on
bring up: introduce to notice (IL)
brisk: lively, quick
broil: grill, cook over hot coals
brute: stupid person
budge: move
bully: one who acts in a threatening, noisy manner
bustard: large, swift-running wild bird
bustle: run about busily
but: only
by jingo: a mild oath
by the by: by the way, incidentally

cant n: slang (III); v use affected language

with little meaning
cantankerous: cross, bad-tempered
carry off: take away as one's own, win
casket: small decorated box, usually for keeping jewellery
catch at: snatch at, seize quickly
censure: criticise severely
character: good reputation (IV)

charge: object of one's care

charmer: attractive person
chimney-piece: shelf above the fireplace
chit: young girl
chop-house: cheap eating-house
circumspection: prudence
cit (archaic slang): townsman, not a gentieman
(term of contempt)
clap: put down roughly
colt: young horse
come (in) to one's own: inherit one's estate
comet: star with an irregular orbit,
usually with a luminous tail
common n: track of uncultivated open land
which belongs to the community as a whole
communicative: willing to talk
company: visitors (I. 1)
compassion: pity
competence: sufficient financial
means (V.1)
composition: artificial mixture (I.1)
comprehend: understand
concatenation: linked sequence
concur: agree
conduce: help to bring about, contribute
confer: talk together

confound: euphemism for 'damn"

(an oath)
confusion: euphemism for "damnation Can
connexion: close relationship (V 3)
oath) (III) ; embarrassment (V. 1)
connoisseur: person who is well-informed about
a subject and a good judge of it
constancy: faithfulness
constraint: loss of liberty
consumptive: suffering from tuberculosis
contrivance: secret scheme
coquet vi (archaic): flirt with
counterfeit: imitate
court: pay attentions to with a view to marriage
coxcomb: vain young man
crack: break open with a blow
cracker: colourful tubular package filled
with small gifts, which explodes when pulled at both ends
crawl: move slowly and painfully
cream: best part (IV)
creditable: respectable, trustworthy
creep: move very slowly
cross-grained: bad-tempered
crown: obsolete silver coin, worth one
quarter of a pound
crumple: crease, crush together
Cry up:praise
cub: impudent boy
curate: clergyman who helps a rector or a vicar
with parish work
curb: restrain, check
curtsey (only used for women): bow by.
bending at the knees

dancing-master: teacher of dancing

dash vt: discourage
debate v: question, argue about
dedication: inscription in a book expressing the
author's admiration for or gratitude to a named
person whom the author wishes to honour
delusion: false belief, error (III); act of
deceiving oneself (V. 3)
demure: affectedly modest
deny vt: reject, refuse (III)
design: intend, destine
desire: invite politely (1. 2)
desist: stop doing something
desperate: (of a person) despairing, In a state of
great anxlety; (of a situation) extremely serious
detain: keep, hold back
dictate: order, demand
ding: hit with a loud noise; 80 on repeating
in a loud voice
direct v: indicate
discernment: good judgment,
ability to see facts clearly
disconcert: disturb, make uneasy
discover (archaic): reveal (IV)
disparity: inequality
dispatch n: specd (IV)
dissembler: deceiver, hypocrite
dissimulation: false pretence
distracted: mad
do execution: use one's weapons with
destructive effect; conquer (Epilogue 1)
doom: condemn
dose: quantity of medicine taken at one time
drab: low-class woman
draught: dose of Ilquid medicine
drill: military exercise
drinkables pl: beverages, drinks
dub: give a name to
due n: something that belongs
to someone by right
dunce: stupld person

eatables pl: food

ecod (archaic): by God (an oath)

egad: euphemism for 'God' (an oath)

encroach: trespass upon the property

or rights of another

endure: tolerate

engage: promise, guarantee (V. 3)

engaging: attractive

epilogue: concluding section of a play,

novel, and so on

exasperate: make angry

exciseman: official who collects taxes on

certain goods, such as alcohol and

tobacco, and also watches out for smugglers

expedient n: sultable means

explicit: distinctly stated

facetious: trying to be funny

fain (archaic): gladly
fall out with: quarrel with

fan: pleated half-circle of silk, lace of similar

pretty material, waved by ladies to coot their faces
fancy n: liking, taste for (11):
v be inclined to believe
fatigue: tire out
fee: payment for professional services,
for instance those of a doctor or a lawyer
fib (slang) : lie
fidget: move about restlessly
fine: excellent
finery: expensive clothing or furnishings
Maxen: made of the fibres of flax,
the plant used in making linen
fleece: cheat by overcharging
fly off: run away, elope
fondle: caress, touch lovingly
foppery: foolish affectation
force: vigour
forward adj: bold; v promote, help (II)
fret oneself: worry
frippery: unnecessary cheap finery
fruitless: useless

garnet: red semi-precious stone

gauze: thin dress materlal

gazer: one looking fixedly, an admirer

genteel: refined, well-mannered (now

mostly used ironically)

gibbet: gallows
girdle: belt

give joy to: cogratulate

glance: quick look

graceless (archaic): wicked (V. 2)

gravity: seriousness

gridiron: iron frame for cooking over an open fire groundless: unjustifled, without cause

grumble: mutter, complain continuously

in a low volce

gulnea: obsolete gold coln with

a nominal value of one pound and one shilling

gun-room: small room in

which guns are kept

guts pl: viscera, the internal organs of the abdomen

hag: disagreeable old woman

hangman: executioner, one whose job is to
hang !: euphemism for 'damn' (an oath)
put to death condemned criminals
hard by: near by
haul: pull along
hazel: light brown
heathenish: pagan
highwayman: robber who attacks travellers
on the highway (main road between two towns)
hire: engage for employment
hit upon: discover
hold out (against): resist
horse doctor: veterinary surgeon
(horse-pond: pond for watering horses
hypocrisy: pretence to be better than one is

ill-looking: evil-looking
ill-nature: unkindness
impair: damage, weaken

implore: beg carnestly

importunate: persistent in an annoying way
imprudent: unwise, rash
impute to: attribute to, blame
inclination: disposition of mind, natural liking
incontinently (archaic): at once
indigent: poor
inducement: motive
infernal (colloquial): unpleasant, abominable
inoculation: introduction of the smallpox virus into the
blood in order to give protection against the discase
inscribe: dedicate
instrumental: helpful
insufferable: not to be tolerated, very bad
intrepidity: fearlessness
intrude: enter uninvited or unwelcome

jig: lively dance

jolt: sudden violent shaking movement
jorum (archaic): large drinking bowl
just: justified (11)
justice of the peace: town magistrate (law
officer) who deals with smaller offences

kennel: building for sheltering dogs, especially foxhounds

knowing: cunning, sly

la!: exclamation of surprise

larder: room in which food is kept
lavish: give or spend generously
law!: corruption of 'Lord!' (exclamation
of surprise or dismay)
leer: look lecherously
let into: admit to the knowledge of
levity: frivolity, lack of seriousness
lodge vt: put down firmly
longitude: imaginary distance on the
line going through the standard meridian (imaginary
circle going through both poles) and a line going
through the place to be defined
look to: take care of
low: vulgar, common
lud: corruption of 'Lord' (exclamation
of surprise or dismay)

maintain: affirm, declare to be true make shift: manage somehow malady: disease mallet: small wooden hammer

make believe: pretend

malignity: malice, hatred

marcasite: pyrite crystals or polished steel

used in the manufacture of imitation jeweller

masquerade: masked ball (often an occasion for disreputable behaviour) mawkish: stupidly sentimental mean:
intend

meedle: interfere without the right to do so meck: mild, submissive

mercenary: acting for financial gain alone

methinks (archaic): it seems to me

militia: body of soldiers to home

service only

milliner: hat-maker

mind: look carefully, observe (I1)

minuet: old-fashioned slow dance

mirth: low merriment

miser: person who is excessively fond of
money and hates spending it
mockery: contemptible imitation
modesty: humble estimate
of one's own worth
mortification: embarrassment
mortify: offend in an annoying way (I. 1);
embarrass, humiliate (V. 1)
mufT: cylindrical hand-warmer,
usually made of fur
mulberry: tree with dark purple fruit like a large raspberry
mum !: silence!
muse: think

nectar: drink of the Greek gods;

any delicious drink
nice: too clever (IV)
notorious: having a bad reputation
numskull: blockhead, stupid person

oaf: clumsy, stupid person

odds pl: the difference in the amount

of one bet against another (a betting term)
odso! (archaic): exclamation of surprise
offspring: child
ogle: look impertinently
open: frank
oppression: ill-treatment
overset: overturn, upset
own: admit (I. 1)

pacify: calm down

paltry: worthless
parish: district with its own church and clergyman
parlour: room in which visitors are entertained
partiality: liking, preference
particular: strange, odd; dimcult to please
paste: cheap imitation diamonds
pastime: entertainment (Epilogue 2)
pay one's addresses to: court with
a view to marriage
penmanship: art of good handwriting
peremptory: admitting no refusal

performance: piece of work (Dedication)

persist: continue in one's course
of action, firmly or obstinately
peruse: read
petrify: terrify
piety: strong religious feeling
pigeon: gullible fool, one who is easily deceived
pink n: highest point (1. 1)
pitch upon: choose
plaster: piece of cloth spread with
a healing substance
plead: present a client's case in a court of law
pledge vt: drink someone's health
pluck up: summon up
post: duty (II)
post-chaise: four-wheeled carriage for two
or four passengers with a
postilion, used for travelling with post-horses
post-coach: coach travelling with post-horses
potion: liquid medicine
prance: walk in a showy, ostentatious manner
pray: beg earnestly \
precaution: action taken in advance for safety
prerogative: rightful privilege
pretence: false allegation
pretension: claim (Prologue)

prevail: succeed in persuading

print: printed picture, engraving
profession: open declaration
prologue: speech introducing a play
promise: assure (I. 1)
proper: suitable, fitting
protest: declare earnestly (1. 1)
provoking: annoying, tiresome
proxy: person authorised to act
on behalf of another
pshaw!: exclamation of impatience
or scorn
pun: joke which plays on different meanings of the same
word or of two similar words
punch: drink made with wine or spirits,
hot water, sugar, spices and lemon
puppet show: play acted by wooden
puppets on strings, moved on the stage by the
puppet-master, who also speaks the words
puppy: Impudent young man
puzzle: perplex, confuse

quack: charlatan pretending to be a doctor of medicine

quagmire: wet, boggy ground
quilt: needlework consisting of two layers of cloth
with padding in between which are sewn together
in an ornamental pattern
quit: leave
quotha (archaic): indeed

rally: tease (01)

rant v: talk loudly in an empty fashion
rapture: ecstasy
rascal: rogue, dishonest fellow
rattle n: chatterbox, person who
talks too much and too fast
rattle away: chatter, talk fast
raw (of weather): cold and wet
reckoning: bill, amount
reclaim: claim as one's due
redress: compensation; return
of what is due to one

reflection: contemplative thought

refresh: give new strength to
relleve: assist; remove anxlety from
relish nt pleasure; v take pleasure in
repentance: regret for past action
replete with: full of
repose: rest
reserve: cold, restrained manner
reserved: silent and cool in manner
resolution: determination, firmness
of purpose
resolved: determined
resort v: frequent, visit habitually (II)
retrench: omit, cut out (Il)
reverie: meditation, deep thought
riddle: puzzle, mystery
ipe: fully ready (II)
rogue: rascal, mischievous, dishonest person
room: opportunity, scope (I. 1)
rub off: remove by friction
rumple: make untidy
run the gauntlet: be subjected
to unpleasant or embarassing treatment
run through: pierce through with a sword
rust: reddish brown deposit on Iron, due to exposure to damp
rustic n: countryman, peasant

sampler: rectangular plece of cloth

screen: piece of furniture consisting of
demonstrating different types of embroidery stitch
draughts of cold air
several folding upright panels, used to protect from
scurvy: mean, base
secure v: succeed in obtaining
sententious: tediously wise
set off: show in a favourable light
set out: start on a journey
shabby: poorly dressed
shallow: superficial, trivial
sheepish: shy and embarrassed
shew (archaic): show
shun: avoid
sickly: weak, often Ill
side-board: piece of dining-room furniture,
used for storage of china and cutlery
side-table: table to which food is carried
from the kitchen, to be served to guests
siege: military operation to compel a town
or fortress to surrender
signify vis matter, be Important

singular: unusual

sirrah (archaic): sir (used contemptuously)

skinful n: as much alcohol as one can drink

sloe: small black fruit of the sloe tree

slough: bog

sneer: contemptuous expression

snub: reprimand (1. 1)

soar: fly high

sole: exclusive

son of a whore: term of gross abuse

souse: pickle (soak in salt water to preserve)

spark: fashionable young man

spatter: scatter drops of moisture or mud on

speaking trumpet: a trumpet which

amplifies sound, intended to aid

a deaf person

spinster: unmarried woman

spirits pl: cheerful mood

spit: splutter in a rage (III)

sport: playful behaviour between lovers (II)

sprightly: lively, merry

spunk (colloquial): courage

spurious: false, dubious

squint: have eyes looking each in a different direction

squire: landed gentleman (one who owns land)

stable: farm building for sheltering horses

stage-coach: coach which conveys paying

nassengers along a fixed route

stake v: risk wager

stammer: speech defect consisting

of constant hesitation in speaking

stamp: class, type (IV)

stay: satisfy, calm down a

steal out: go out quietly so as not to be noticed

stick fast: be unable to move

stir: go, move about

stout: brave, resolute

strain: great effort or tension

strike: make an impression

study: try hard

stumble: trip and nearly fall

sublime: proud (V. 1)

submissive: willing to submit, humble

sullen: gloomily angry and silent

summon: call to come, call together

superfluous: unnecessary

Supper: light evening meal

swagger: walk about in a self-confident manner

take down: humiliate (V. 3)

tell tales: betray secrets
tête-a-téte (French): private conversation
between two people; love affair (I1)
thicket: dense cluster of trees or shrubs
thou (archaic 2nd person sing. subject): you
threescore: sixty
toad: hateful person (II)
toast: the most admired girl (Epilogue 1)
tolerable: quite good
topsy-turvy: upside down
torment: tease (V. 3)
trapesing: awkward, slatternly
trifle n: unimportant matter; v toy with,
treat disrespectfully
trimming: decorative addition to a dress
trip: catch one's foot while walking
trolloping: slovenly, untidy
trumpery: rubbish, worthless stuff
trundle: roll along on wheels
trunk: large suitcase

tumble: fall; fall into

bed with someone
turn out: throw out of the house
tut: exclamation of mild disapproval or
impatience
twinkling: brief moment
twitch: snatch, take away quickly (IV)
unaccountable: difficult to explain
unaffected: genuine, sincere
undone: ruined
unmannerly: rude, Ill-bred
urge: put forward as an argument
varlet (archaic): knave, deceitful person
vastly: greatly
venture: dare, risk
venture out: 80 outside the house
veracity: truthfulness
vigour: strength, force

viper: treacherous, ungrateful person

visage: face
vivacity: playful liveliness

wager: bet
warm: affectionate (Il); strenuous,
needing effort (II)
warren: network of rabbit-holes
wench: young woman, usually from
the lower classes
whelp: ill-mannered young man (I. 2)
whence (archaic and poetic): from what place
whet: sharpen, stimulate
whimsical: odd (I. 1), (12)
whip off vt: take away quickly;
vi get away quickly
whisk about: move nimbly and quickly
whither (archaic and poetic): where to
whoop: shout loudly
widgeon: kind of wild duck
wink: close and open one eye quickly to
indicate secret understanding
wit: intelligence

woodcock: marsh bird of the snipe family

work: embroider (II)
woundily (archaic): exceedingly, very
wretch: mean or miserable person
wry: expressing displeasure
zounds (archaic): corruption of
'God's wounds' (an oath)