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Full Glossary
spirit of health There are two possible meanings. First, a saved (healthy) soul, not a lost one. Second, a healing or beneficent spirit.
splenetive full of spleen, hot-tempered.
springes snares consisting of a noose attached to something under tension, as a bent tree branch.
sterling true currency (with the value of an English silver penny).
Stick fiery off stand out brightly.
stoup a drinking cup; tankard.
sun a pun on son, again indicating Hamlet's dislike of the new relationship between himself and his uncle.
suppliance of a minute a minute's pastime.
supply and profit for the fulfillment and profitable conclusion of our hope.
Switzers Swiss mercenary soldiers; in this case, acting as the royal bodyguard.
swoopstake in a clean sweep.
tarre urge.
tax him home take him to task.
Tellus' in Roman mythology, the goddess of the earth.
temple body; the temple of the soul.
tend attend, wait.
tenures titles to property.
Termagant Herod favorite characters in the old miracle plays, who were always portrayed as blustering tyrants.
thieves of mercy merciful thieves.
this is for all to sum up.
this slave's offal the entrails of a butchered animal; here, the king's guts.
thy free awe your submission even after our armies have been withdrawn.
tickle sere made to laugh easily.
timber'd made of wood that is too light.
to the manner born accustomed to it since a child.
took the fruits of followed.
total gules completely red.
toy in blood trifling youthful passion.
toys of desperation desperate fancies or impulses — referring to the impulse to jump off a high place.
traduc'd and tax'd defamed and censored.
trick something trifling.
tristful sorrowful.
the triumph of his pledge his drinking ability.
Tropically the use of a word or words in a figurative sense; figuratively, a trope being a figure of speech.
truepenny honest fellow.
tune of the time fashionable jargon.
turn the beam overbalance the scale.
turn Turk turn bad.
Twas Aeneas' tale to Dido the story of the sack of Troy as told to Queen Dido by Aeneas. (Virgil's Aeneid contains the story.)
twelve for nine In a match of twelve bouts (instead of the usual nine), Laertes will win by at least three up.
unbated not blunted.
unction ointment, salve; used for the act of annointing as in medical treatment or a religious ceremony.
Under the moon To be most effective, herbs are gathered by moonlight.
unfellowed without equal.
unfledg'd immature (literally designating a young bird without feathers and thus not able to fly).
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