Bard Bits: Once Upon a Word

23 Jun 2020

Bard Bits: Once Upon a Word

It’s been flung about how Shakespeare created around 1,700 words, some which we still use today, such as luggage, eyeball, and alligator. Unfortunately, many of the words used in Shakespeare’s time have changed meaning over time. And some of his words simply make no sense to our modern ears.

NO SENSE

auger-hole: tiny spot

bension: blessing

bodements: omens

bruited: reported

clept: called

coign: corner

corporal agent: muscle

foison: plenty

hilding: nasty beast or wretch

incarnadine: turn red

Jill: maid, drinking utensil

make boot: take advantage

SOME SENSE

all-thing: wholly

betimes: quickly

broad words: speaking freely

buzzard: worthless person

closet: room

father: old man

firstling: first

half a soul: halfwit

hart: male deer

in a few: briefly

moe: more

mortified: deadened

FAMILIAR ENOUGH

beholding: indebted

cloudy: sullen

complexion: disposition

coz: cousin

estate: social position; condition

free hearts: true feelings

groom: servant

hurlyburly: tumult

in a few: briefly

keep counsel: keep a secret

loose: let go

make to: approach

Posted in Reflections, Shakespeare, Words and tagged archaic words, definitions, expressions

14 thoughts on “Bard Bits: Once Upon a Word”

Gary Anderson on June 23, 2020 at 7:16 am said:

I kind of like “bodements.”

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- Pam Webb on June 23, 2020 at 8:05 am said:
  
  Methinks it bodes well your choice.
  
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tref on June 23, 2020 at 11:03 am said:

“Make boot” is actually pretty cool. I think I could slip that into a conversation. RE-posted on twitter @trefology

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- Pam Webb on June 23, 2020 at 12:03 pm said:
  
  Let me know how it is received.
  
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  - tref on June 23, 2020 at 12:05 pm said:
    
    Haha I have maybe 9 followers and I don’t think they are even really followers, but I like putting stuff out there that I like. To quote Fats Waller “One never knows …”
  - Pam Webb on June 23, 2020 at 2:21 pm said:
    
    This post could be the turning point in your social media career.
  - tref on June 23, 2020 at 3:09 pm said:
    
    As Steve Martin, in The Jerk said, after seeing his name in the new phonebook, “Things are going to start happening to me right now!”
  - Pam Webb on June 23, 2020 at 2:21 pm said:
    
    BtW: I have an Instagram account and I haven’t a clue what to do with it. I don’t have a cat upload videos.
Sarah Loudin Thomas on June 23, 2020 at 11:36 am said:

I think I’m going to start using bodement!

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- Pam Webb on June 23, 2020 at 12:03 pm said:
  
  That’s two votes so far!
  
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Ste J on June 24, 2020 at 2:14 am said:

Father as old man, ha I like that. Coproral agent is so much more catchy than muscle and will hence forth be used whenever I can.

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- Pam Webb on June 24, 2020 at 7:22 am said:
  
  Some of these old are worthy of introducing into our speech in new way. Bodements—now that one is catchy.
  
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Chelsea Owens on June 24, 2020 at 11:14 pm said:

I’m also a fan of ‘bodements.’ How about we retain them all?

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- Pam Webb on June 25, 2020 at 5:57 am said:
  
  Well, that certainly has possibilities of interesting conversations.
  
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