Extracts from Shakespeare's Words

M.

mace (n.) staff of office, official sceptre CE IV.iii.27 [Dromio of Syracuse to Antipholus of Syracuse, of the officer] he that sets up his rest to do more exploits with his mace than a morris-pike

Machiavel (n.) master of intrigue, political schemer MW III.i.93 [Host to all] Am I a Machiavel?

machination (n.) plotting, intrigue, scheming KL I.ii.112 [Gloucester to Edmund] Machinations, hollowness &ldots; and all ruinous disorders follow us; KL V.i.46

machine (n.) 1 body, human frame Ham II.ii.123 [Hamlet's salutation in his letter to Ophelia] Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst this machine is to him 2 show, entertainment; or: device TNK III.v.112 [Schoolmaster to Theseus] I &ldots; Do here present this machine, or this frame

maculate (adj.) impure, spotted, stained TNK V.i.145 [Emilia praying to Diana] [who] never yet Beheld thing maculate; LL I.ii.88

maculation (n.) stain, sport, defilement TC IV.iv.63 [Troilus to Cressida] there's no maculation in thy heart [i.e. of faithlessness]

mad (adj.) 1 wild, uncontrollable, excitable, high-spirited TNK II.i.180 [Emilia to Woman] Men are mad things; Cor IV.ii.9; 1H4 II.i.75; LL II.i.243; MW I.iv.64; TNK III.v.24 2 wild, faithless, inconstant Oth IV.iii.26 [Desdemona to Emilia, of her mother's maid] he she loved proved mad 3 angry, furious, beside oneself 3H6 I.iv.89 [Queen to York] Thou shouldst be mad 4 strange, bizarre, weird TNK III.iii.22 [Arcite to Palamon] Is't not mad lodging, Here in the wild woods

mad (v.) 1 madden, exasperate, infuriate R2 V.v.61 [Richard alone] This music mads me; CE IV.iv.124, V.i.84; KL IV.ii.43; Tit III.i.104 2 madden, excite, provoke AW V.iii.213 [Bertram to King, of Diana] Madding my eagerness with her restraint

madam (n.) high-ranking lady H5 III.v.28 [Dauphin to all] Our madams mock at us; H8 I.i.23

mad-bred (adj.) produced by madness 2H6 III.i.354 [York to himself, of the crown] Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw

madcap (n.) mad-brained fellow, lunatic KJ I.i.84 [King John to Queen Eleanor, of the Bastard] what a madcap hath heaven lent us here!; TG II.v.7

madcap (adj.) reckless, impulsive, wildly behaved 1H4 IV.i.95 [Hotspur to Vernon] The nimble-footed madcap Prince of Wales; LL II.i.201; TS II.i.281

madded (adj.) maddened Cym IV.ii.313 [Innogen alone, as if to Pisanio] All curses madded Hecuba gave the Greeks &ldots; be darted on thee!

madding (n.) maddening, incensing, provocation Cym II.ii.37 [Iachimo to himself, of Innogen's stolen bracelet] this will witness outwardly &ldots; To th' madding of her lord

madding (adj.) 1 becoming mad, frenzied 2H6 III.ii.117 [Queen to King, of Ascanius] When he to madding Dido would unfold His father's acts 2 driving one mad, provoking madness Sonn 119.8 How have mine eyes out of their spheres been fitted In the distraction of this madding fever?

made (adj.) 1 resolved, framed, decided KL IV.vii.9 [Kent to Cordelia] Yet to be known shortens my made intent 2 with success assured, with fortune made MND IV.ii.17 [Snug to all] If our sport had gone forward, we had all been made men; TNK III.v.77 [First Countryman to all] We are made, boys!; TNK III.v.75, 157

made up, made-up (adj.) 1 accomplished, consummate, out-and-out Tim V.i.96 [Timon to Poet and Painter, of a knave] Yet remain assured That he's a made-up villain 2 finished off, put together R3 I.i.21 [Richard alone, of himself] sent before my time Into this breathing world, scarce half made up

madonna (n.) my lady, madam TN I.v.52 [Feste to Olivia] Good madonna, give me leave to prove you a fool

madrigal (n.) song, pleasant tune PassP XIX.8 [Pilgrim] By shallow rivers, by whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals

maggot-pie (n.) magpie Mac III.iv.124 [Macbeth to Lady Macbeth] Augurs and understood relations have By maggot-pies &ldots; brought forth The secret'st man of blood

magic (n.) special power Ham III.ii.268 [Third Player, as Lucianus, addressing his drug] Thy natural magic and dire property

magistrate (n.) member of the government, leader of the community 2H6 IV.ii.18 [Holland to Bevis] should we be magistrates; 1H6 I.iii.57

magnanimious (adj.) of great spirit, nobly valiant AW III.vi.61 [Bertram to Parolles] be magnanimious in the enterprise

magnanimity (n.) greatness of spirit, nobleness of heart 3H6 V.iv.41 [Prince to all, of the effect of the Queen's words on a coward] Infuse his breast with magnanimity

magnanimous (adj.) valiant, heroic, courageous H5 III.vi.6 [Fluellen to Gower] The Duke of Exeter is as magnanimous as Agamemnon; 2H4 III.ii.158

magnificent (adj.) grand, stately, majestic LL I.i.188 [King to Berowne, Dumaine, and Longaville] A letter from the magnificent Armado

magnifico (n.) Venetian leader MV III.ii.280 [Salerio to Bassanio, of Shylock] the magnificoes Of greatest port have all persuaded with him

maid (n.) 1 human, mortal [woman] Tem I.ii.428 [Ferdinand to Miranda] My prime request ... is ... If you be maid or no?; Tem I.ii.429 2 virgin, unmarried woman TN V.i.260 [Sebastian to Olivia] You are betrothed both to a maid and man; AY III.ii.208; TNK V.iv.33 3 handmaid, servant, attendant Tem III.i.84 [Miranda to Ferdinand] I am your wife, if you will marry me. If not, I'll die your maid [or: sense 2] 4 young fish MM I.ii.92 [Pompey to Mistress Overdone, of a Prisoner] there's a woman with maid by him

maiden (adj.) 1 unblemished, unstained, not put to use KJ IV.ii.252 [Hubert to King John] This hand of mine Is yet a maiden and an innocent hand 2 befitting chastity H8 IV.ii.169 [Katherine to Patience] strew me over With maiden flowers; Luc 408 3 untried, untested, uninitiated [in battle] 1H6 IV.vii.38 [Pucelle to all, as if to John Talbot] Thou maiden youth, be vanquished by a maid 4 without bloodshed TC IV.v.87 [Achilles to Aeneas] A maiden battle, then?

maidenhead (n.) 1 virginity TS III.ii.224 [Petruchio to all, of Katherina] Carouse full measure to her maidenhead; 2H4 II.ii.74; H8 II.iii.23; RJ I.i.24; TC IV.ii.23; TNK IV.i.112 2 opening stage, first step 1H4 IV.i.59 [Hotspur to all] If that the devil and mischance look big Upon the maidenhead of our affairs

maidhood (n.) maidenhood Oth I.i.173 [Brabantio to Roderigo] Is there not charms By which the property of youth and maidhood May be abused? [F; Q manhood]

maid-pale (adj.) fragile as a young girl, delicate R2 III.iii.98 [King Richard to his opponents, of the effect of future battles on England] Change the complexion of her maid-pale peace To scarlet indignation

mail (n.) 1 armour, chain mail, piece of armour TC III.iii.152 [Ulysses to Achilles, of past honour] Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail In monumental mockery; E3 I.ii.29 see BODY-ARMOUR, p.48 2 wallet, pouch, travel bag LL III.i.71 [Costard to Armado, of cures for his cut shin] No egma, no riddle, no l'envoy, no salve in the mail

mail up (v.) wrap up, envelop, encase 2H6 II.iv.31 [Duchess to Gloucester] Methinks I should not thus be led along, Mailed up in shame

mailed (adj.) mail-clad, armoured 1H4 IV.i.116 [Hotspur to all] The mailed Mars shall on his altar sit

maim (n.) wound, injury, mutilation 2H6 II.iii.41 [Queen to all, of Gloucester] That bears so shrewd a maim; Cor IV.v.89 maim (v.) make powerless, undermine, subvert H8 III.ii.312 [Surrey to Wolsey, of Wolsey becoming a legate] by which power You maimed the jurisdiction of all bishops

maimed (adj.) incomplete, deficient, wanting Ham V.i.215 [Hamlet to Horatio] with such maimed rites

main (n.) 1 open sea, ocean KJ II.i.26 [Austria to Arthur, of England] hedged in with the main; MV V.i.97; Oth II.i.3, 39; R3 I.iv.20; Sonn 80.8 2 mainland KL III.i.6 [Gentleman to disguised Kent, of Lear] Bids the wind ... swell the curled waters 'bove the main 3 central part, chief part Ham IV.iv.15 [Hamlet to Captain, of his army] Goes it against the main of Poland 4 main concern, chief point 2H6 I.i.206 [Salisbury to York and Warwick] let's make haste away, and look unto the main; Ham II.ii.56 5 broad expanse, open view Sonn 60.5 Nativity once in the main of light, Crawls to maturity 6 strength, force, full might TC II.iii.259 [Ulysses to all] Tomorrow We must with all our main of power stand fast; Oth II.i.13 7 [gambling] stake, bet, throw 1H4 IV.i.47 [Hotspur to all] Were it good &ldots; To set so rich a main On the nice hazard of one doubtful hour? [also: army]

main (adj.) 1 very great, major, considerable TNK II.i.117 [Palamon to Arcite] 'Tis a main goodness, cousin, that our fortunes Were twinned together; 2H6 I.i.208; H8 II.ii.6, III.ii.215, IV.i.31; TNK II.i.117 2 leading, chief, pre-eminent AC I.ii.192 [Antony to Enobarbus, of Pompey] who, high in name and power, Higher than both in blood and life, stands up For the main soldier 3 firm, strong, solid JC II.i.196 [Cassius to all, of Caesar's belief in superstition] Quite from the main opinion he held once Of fantasy

main (v.) maim, cripple 2H6 IV.ii.153 [Cade to Dick, of the sale of Maine] thereby is England mained and fain to go with a staff

main-course (n.) principal sail of a ship, mainsail Tem I.i.35 [Boatswain to Mariners] Bring her to try with main-course  see SHIPS, p.397

mainly (adv.) 1 greatly, very much, mightily 1H4 II.iv.195 [Falstaff to all, of the robbers] These four came all afront, and mainly thrust at me; Ham IV.vii.9; TC IV.iv.84 2 entirely, completely, totally KL IV.vii.65 [Lear to Cordelia] I am mainly ignorant What place this is; TNK V.ii.8

mainport (n.) [unclear meaning] tribute, offering Cym V.iv.16 [Posthumus alone, of making satisfaction] If of my freedom 'tis the mainport [F maine part]

mainsail (n.) see SHIPS, p.397

maintain (v.) 1 defend, justify, support Sonn 121.13 [of rumour-mongers] Unless this general evil they maintain; LL V.ii.881; TNK III.i.53 2 afford, stand the cost of TS V.i.67 [Tranio as Lucentio to Vincentio, of his attire] I thank my good father, I am able to maintain it

main-top (n.) top of a ship's mainmast Cym IV.ii.320 [Innogen alone, of how she believes Pisanio to have caused Posthumus' death] From this most bravest vessel of the world Struck the main-top!  see SHIPS, p.397

majestical (adj.) 1 majestic, regal, kingly 1H6 IV.vii.39 [Pucelle to all, of John Talbot] with a proud majestical high scorn; Ham I.i.144; LL V.ii.102 2 grand, stately LL V.i.11 [Holofernes to Nathaniel, of Armado] his gait [is] majestical

major (n.) major premiss, proposition 1H4 II.iv.481 [Falstaff to Prince Hal] I deny your major

MONEY

Money terms can be grouped into three main categories: English, foreign, and terms expressive of tiny amounts. The pre-1971 pound (£) consisted of 20 shillings (s), with each shilling consisting of 12 pence (d), and each penny consisting of two halfpennies or four farthings. In Shakespeare’s day, coins of several different intermediate denominations were in circulation. References to foreign coins were usually notional, suggestive of large amounts or small amounts, rather than conveying any precise value; the equivalent English values of the time, which are added below, are at best approximate. The terms which express the idea of a tiny amount are given with a quotation to illustrate the sense.

English

Small value amounts

Large value amounts

Foreign

Tiny amounts

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