ELIZABETHAN LANGUAGE TERMS

CONTEMPORARY Æ ELIZABETHAN

Listed below are some common Elizabethan terms you will come across while reading Shakespeare. Use them to help you become familiar
with the language, as a reference while reading, and as a resource for writing in your journal.

Contemporary Elizabethan Contemporary Elizabethan

Advice Counsel Misery Woe
Away Aroint Never Ne'r
Beg Pray News Tidings
Boy (used to address a male of Sirrah No Nay
inferior rank) Nothing Nought
By the Virgin Mary (a mild expletive Marry Often Oft
meaning “indeed”) Order Decree
Chase (romance, as in boy chases Woo Pay attention to Mark
girl) Plan Resolve
Come here Come hither Provided Wrought
Curse Plague Sad Heavy
Days -morrow (to the morrow) Soon Anon
Depressed Heavy Speaks Discourses
Desire Will Thank you Grammercy
Does Doth There Thither
Enemy Foe To which Whereto
Even; evening E’en Truly Verily
Farewell Adieu Wait a minute Soft
Go Hie Why Wherefore
Goodbye Fare thee well; God save thee; I shall Wish Would
see thee anon With Withal
Hello Good day; Good morrow; Well met Yes Aye
Here Hither You Thee; Thou
I think Methinks You are Thou art
If An You should Thou should'st
Ignore that Shun that You would Thou would'st
Informed Privy Your Thy
Kill Dispatch
Listen Hark; Hark now To view more Elizabethan terms visit Haney’s Pub: Elizabethan Language
Maybe Perchance Lexicon (http://members.cox.net/hapnueby/lexicon.html).

Copyright 2006 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved. ReadWriteThink.org materials may be reproduced for educational purposes.
Image ©2006 JUPITERIMAGES, and its licensors. All rights reserved.
 ELIZABETHAN LANGUAGE TERMS
ELIZABETHAN Æ CONTEMPORARY

Listed below are some common Elizabethan terms you will come across while reading Shakespeare. Use them to help you become familiar
with the language, as a reference while reading, and as a resource for writing in your journal.

Elizabethan Contemporary Elizabethan Contemporary

Adieu Farewell Perchance Maybe
An If Plague Curse
Anon Soon Pray Beg
Aroint Away Privy Informed
Aye Yes Resolve Plan
Come hither Come here Shun that Ignore that
Counsel Advice Sirrah Boy (used to address a male of
Decree Order inferior rank)
Discourses Speaks Soft Wait a minute
Dispatch Kill Thee You
Doth Does Thither There
E’en Even; evening Thou You
Fare thee well Goodbye Thou art You are
Foe Enemy Thou should'st You should
God save thee Goodbye Thou would'st You would
Good day; Good morrow Hello Thy Your
Grammercy Thank you Tidings News
Hark; Hark now Listen Verily Truly
Heavy Sad; Depressed Well met Hello
Hie Go Wherefore Why
Hither Here Whereto To which
I shall see thee anon Goodbye Will Desire
Mark Pay attention to Withal With
Marry By the Virgin Mary (a mild expletive Woe Misery
meaning “indeed”) Woo Chase (romance, as in boy chases
Methinks I think girl)
-morrow (to the morrow) Days Would Wish
Nay No Wrought Provided
Ne'r Never
Nought Nothing To view more Elizabethan terms visit Haney’s Pub: Elizabethan Language
Oft Often Lexicon (http://members.cox.net/hapnueby/lexicon.html).

Copyright 2006 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved. ReadWriteThink.org materials may be reproduced for educational purposes.
Image ©2006 JUPITERIMAGES, and its licensors. All rights reserved.