Romeo and Juliet:  A Glossary, Part 2 

Act I, Scene iv

(Line 1, Romeo)  What shall this speech be spoke for our excuse?:  It was customary for someone in a group of revelers to make a speech to excuse their action (crashing the party.)

(Line 3, Benvolio)  proxility:  wordiness

(Line 29, Mercutio)  case:  mask

(Line 35, Romeo)  wantons:  light-hearted or playful ones

(Line 40, Mercutio)  dun's the mouse:  be quiet

(Line 41, Mercutio)  Dun:  from a game called "Dun is in the mire," a
Christmas game where a log had to be lifted up by the players.

(Line 53, Mercutio)  Queen Mab:  A fairy queen in Celtic Literature
described in the following speech.

(Line 59, Mercutio)  spinners':  spiders

(Line 61, Mercutio)  traces:  harness

(Line 65, Mercutio)  worm:  this refers to an old superstition that worms
bred in idle hands.

(Line 84, Mercutio)  ambuscadoes:  ambushes

(Line 90, Mercutio)  elf-knots:  matted knots of hair on a horse's mane or
a human's head
 
 

Act I, Scene v

(Line 2, 1st Servingman)  trencher:  wooden platter

(Line 9, 1st Servingman)  marchpane:  almond and sugar candy

(Line 14, 1st Servingman)  great chamber:  a large room in the homes of
wealthy Elizabethans

(Line 38, Capulet)  Pentecost:  a church feast in spring

(Line 56, Tybalt)  by his voice:  Tybalt recognizes Romeo's voice

(Line 68, Capulet)  a portly gentleman:  dignified

(Line 83, Capulet)  set cock-a-hoop:  start a riot

(Line 86, Capulet)  scathe:  harm

(Line 88, Capulet)  princox:  impertinent youth

(Line 99, Juliet)  pilgrim:  Romeo was probably dressed as a pilgrim

(Line 100, Juliet)  palmers:  another word for pilgrim

(Line 119, Nurse)  chinks:  money
 
 

Act 2, Prologue

(Line 1)  old desire:  Romeo's forgotten love for Rosaline

(Line 3)  fair:  Rosaline

(Line 4)  matched:  compared

(Line 10)  use to swear:  in the habit of swearing

(Line 14)  Temp'ring extremities:  changing differences
 
 

Act II, Scene i

(Line 6, Mercutio)  conjure:  call a spirit by magic

(Line 12, Mercutio)  purblind:  very blind

(Line 13, Mercutio)  Abraham Cupid:  Shakespeare may have meant Adam Cupid,
an archer in an old ballad

(Line 14, Mercutio)  King Cophetua:  a king in a ballad who is struck by
cupid's arrow and falls in love with a beggar maid

(Line 20, Mercutio)  demesnes:  regions

(Line 38, Mercutio)  pop'rin pear:  slang for male genitals
 
 

Act II, Scene ii

(Line 4, Romeo)  envious moon:  Diana, goddess of chastity

(Line 5, Romeo)  be not her maid:  hoping Juliet is unlike the virginal Diana

(Line 8, Romeo)  vestal:  virginal

(Line 33, Juliet)  wherefore:  why? (often misinterpreted as Where?)

(Line 53, Juliet)  counsel:  intimate thoughts

(Line 78, Romeo)  prorogued:  postponed

(Line 99, Juliet)  light:  unmaidenly

(Line 110, Juliet)  orb:  sphere

(Line 117, Juliet)  contract:  betrothal

(Line 143, Juliet)  thy bent of love:  purpose of love

(Line 180, Juliet)  gyves:  shackles

(Line 190, Romeo)  hap:  luck

Back to Part 1:  Prologue to Act 1, Scene 3
Forward to Part 3:  Act 2, Scene 3 to Act 3, Scene 5
Forward to Part 4:  Act 4, Scene 1 to Act 5, Scene 3
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