King Lear

²⁷³wat’rish well-watered (with rivers)/wet, feeble

²⁷⁴unprized unvalued (may play on a sense of “priceless”)

²⁷⁵though unkind though they are cruel (or “lacking in natural familial affection”)

²⁷⁶where somewhere, place

²⁸⁰grace favor (with connotations of “divinely sanctioned mercy”)

²⁸⁰benison blessing

²⁸³washèd i.e. wet with tears

²⁸⁶as … named by their true names

²⁸⁷your professèd bosoms i.e. the love you claim to have for him

²⁸⁷commit entrust; perhaps with connotations of “confine (to prison)”

²⁸⁹prefer advance, promote

²⁹²study concern, endeavor

²⁹⁴At fortune’s alms as a charitable gift from fortune

²⁹⁴scanted stinted, withheld/slighted, neglected

²⁹⁵are … wanted deserve to be deprived of the love you have failed to show (to others)

²⁹⁶plighted cunning secret cunning/deceitful promises

²⁹⁷Who … derides those who hide their faults will in the end be shamed and mocked

³⁰⁰nearly closely

³⁰⁷grossly obviously

³⁰⁸ever always

³⁰⁹slenderly slightly

³¹⁰The … rash even at his best and healthiest he was impulsive

³¹¹look expect

³¹²long-engrafted condition long-implanted tendencies

³¹²therewithal in addition to that

³¹³choleric irascible, hot-tempered, impulsive/bilious; one of the four “humors” or temperaments thought to be related to an excess of bile in the constitution

³¹⁵unconstant starts unpredictable fits

³¹⁷compliment etiquette, ceremony

³¹⁸sit together i.e. get together, confer

³¹⁹carry maintain, manage

³¹⁹disposition frame of mind

³²⁰last surrender recent yielding (of authority)

³²⁰offend harm

³²²i’th’heat immediately

Act 1 Scene 2

^1.2Location: the Earl of Gloucester’s residence

²Wherefore why

³Stand in endure/stand still under

⁴curiosity scruples, fussiness

⁴nations i.e. society

⁵moonshines months

⁶Lag of behind (i.e. younger than)

⁶base illegitimate (also low/unworthy/dishonorable)

⁷dimensions physical proportions

⁷compact composed

⁸generous noble

⁸true well-proportioned/authentic, true to his father’s likeness

⁹honest madam’s issue a legitimate child

¹¹Who i.e. we bastards who

¹¹take require/receive

¹²More … quality a more complex creation and more vigorous disposition

¹⁴fops weak fools

¹⁵Got conceived

¹⁸As the same as

¹⁹speed succeed

²⁰invention scheme

²¹to th’legitimate advance to (or “take over”) the place of the legitimate son; editors sometimes emend this to “top the legitimate”

²³choler anger

²³parted departed

²⁴Prescribed restricted, limited

²⁵exhibition an allowance, maintenance

²⁶gad spur of the moment

²⁸up away

³²terrible dispatch fearful and hasty stowing away

³⁷for as for

³⁸o’erlooking reading

⁴⁴essay or taste test

⁴⁵policy … age policy of revering the old (policy also suggests the “strategic cunning” of the elderly)

⁴⁶the … times i.e. our youth, our prime

⁴⁶fortunes inheritance

⁴⁷relish savor, enjoy

⁴⁷idle useless

⁴⁸fond foolish

⁴⁹sways rules

⁴⁹as … suffered only insofar as it is allowed to do so

⁵⁸casement window

⁵⁸closet private room

⁵⁹character handwriting

⁶⁰matter subject matter

⁶¹in … that given the contents

⁶¹fain willingly

⁶⁷at perfect age being mature

⁶⁷declined old/ill

⁷²sirrah sir (used to social inferiors and children)

⁷²apprehend arrest

⁷³Abominable often, popularly, "inhuman, unnatural" (from the incorrect belief that the word was derived from the Latin ab homine, i.e. “away from man”)

⁷⁷run … course proceed securely

⁷⁷where whereas

⁷⁷proceed perhaps with legal connotations (in keeping with apprehend and testimony)

⁸⁰pawn down pledge

⁸¹feel test, feel out

⁸²pretence intention, purpose

⁸⁴meet suitable

⁸⁵auricular assurance i.e. by hearing for yourself

⁸⁶have your satisfaction resolve yourself of any doubt

⁸⁹wind … him insinuate yourself into his confidence for me

⁸⁹frame devise, arrange

⁹⁰unstate … resolution give up my rank and wealth to be resolved on this matter

⁹²presently immediately

⁹²convey manage, undertake

⁹³withal therewith

⁹⁴late recent

⁹⁵wisdom of nature human reason/natural science

⁹⁶scourged punished

⁹⁶sequent effects subsequent events