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Glossary (words starting with T)

t'avouch to confirm, quarantee, certify, vouch for (OED v. II 5 and 6)
t'other the other (of two) (OED A. 1)
t'other other
ta'en taken
tablebook a book of writing tablets, a notebook (OED 1)
tables notebook
tackling the rigging of a ship
tail pudendum
tailed joined on behind, annexed
taint spoil; weaken; infect; tarnish
tainted infected, corrupted
take take off: take away (off my hands)
take find (someone in a specific place)
take undertake, begin
take (of a plan, scheme) to have the intended result; to succeed, be effective, take effect, ‘come off’ (OED v. 11a)
take take possession of (my capacity for wonder)
take learn (OED v. 30)
take understand, apprehend, interpret (someone’s condition)
take make a measurement (OED v. V 32b)
take heed be careful
take licence to take the liberty of or dare to
take my leave leave you; bid you farewell
take of take after; resemble
take out withdraw, exchange; receive (OED, take, v. 87a and i)
take sense feel, perceive
take such courses follow the lines by which things run; go with the flow (originally referring to the course of a river); behave by taking the path of least resistance
take up raising of a woman's skirts for sexual activity
take up pulls (someone) to standing position
take up receive (payment)
take you in hand undertake the disciplining of you (that is: hit you till you agree with me)
take...in hand discipline, correct
taken delighted
taken made use of, appropriated; also legally entered into possession of (OED 15a and b)
taken’t taken it
takers officers who exact supplies for the sovereign (OED taker, 2c); thieves (OED taker, 2d)
takes two senses are relevant in this context: is received, appreciated, esteemed; also, achieves its objective
takes past overtakes, surpasses
taking up lifting of a woman's skirts for sexual activity; sexual possession
tale talk, information
tall well-grown; fine; valiant
tall brave, bold
tame insipid, weak (OED a. 5.a.): in this context seems to mean ‘easily achievable’
tame domestic, domesticated; familiar; insipid
tame curb, discipline
tame insipid, weak (OED a. 5.a)
tangle give out a quick succession of ringing sounds (OED v2. where the instance in The Queen's Exchange is one of only two listed)
tanners artisans who make leather out of hide by the process of tanning
tansy a pudding, omelette, or the like, flavoured with juice of tansy, a bitter-tasting but aromatic garden herb (tansy n, 3a)
tantalizing proferring something desired but preventing its ever being grasped. In classical Greek mythology, Tantalus both betrayed divine secrets and butchered his son Pelops into a meal for the gods. For these horrendous crimes Tantalus was punished by being eternally dangled, upside down, just out of reach of water and food.
tantivy (v) ride full tilt; hurry away
tape-purls loops or twists in narrow strips of material, a row of which were used to decorate the edge of lace, braid, ribbon, etc. (OED purl, n.)
tapster a person who draws ale; a keeper of a tavern
targeteer a footsoldier armed with a target or light, round shield
targets shields
tarriance delay (OED 1)
tarry wait, hold on, delay
tart sour
Tassel Gentle male falcon (tassel is an obsolete form of 'tercel')
taste test; check the wholesomeness of, act as a taster for
tauntingly insultingly, mockingly
tavern taverns normally sold wine but not food (as opposed to an ordinary, which primarily sold food), and provided lodging
tawny tanned or brownish
tax censure, accuse
taxation charging with a fault or offence; accusation; censure, reproof, blame (OED 3)
taxed accused
tedious exhausted: the witches are literally fed up with excessive amounts of food (OED 3)
tedious long, tiresome
tell say (with the sense of 'know')
tell disclose, reveal (OED v. 5a)
tell count
tell a thousand count out a thousand in payment (Haaker)
tell-troths people who tell the truth
teller money-counter(OED 2a, where this instance is cited)
telling talking, gossiping (OED tell v, 15); counting out pieces of money (OED tell v, 22a)
telling tallying, counting
tells checks or adds up
temper regulation, adjustment (OED n. 2); constitution, character (OED n. 4a); ‘The relative condition of a body in respect of warmth or coldness’ (OED n. 7); bodily constitution, condition (OED n. 8)
temper constitution, character (OED n. 4a); prevailing weather conditions; condition of the atmosphere in terms of heat, cold, etc. (OED n. 6)
temper temperament, constitution
temper (n) mental constitution, temperament (see OED n. 3)
temper (v) regulate, control, restrain
temper (n) mental balance, constitution
temperate restrained, moderate
temperately without excess, with moderation (OED adv. a); soberly (OED adv. c)
templum temple (Latin)
temporal secular
tempt try, make trial of, put to the test or proof (OED v. 1)
tempted tested; tried
tender offer, especially an offer of money (OED n2. 1b)
tender offer for formal acceptance
tender young; meek; mild
tender mild, gentle; thoughtful; sensitive
tender offer (for acceptance)
tender offer, proffer
tender value, prize, have a tender regard to (OED v2. 3)
tender solicitous
tender proffer payment
tender (n) offer
tendered offered or presented formally for acceptance
tendered offered for approval and acceptance (but with a suggestion of contractual obligation)
tendered laid down (in payment), proffered
tenderlings young people
tenders offers (for acceptance)
tending attending to, looking after (OED tend v1, 2 and 3a); relating to, concerning (OED tend v2, 9)
tenor largest bell in a peal or set of bells (OED n1. B 1)
tenters (literally) hooks (tenterhooks) or bent nails set into a frame (tenter) on which cloth is stretched to ensure that it dries evenly; something causing anxious suspense or suffering
tercel the male of any kind of falcon, especially the peregrine
term one of the four periods of the year during which London’s law courts were active
term 'each of the periods (usually three or four in the year) appointed for the sitting of certain courts of law, or for instruction and study in a university or school' (OED n. 5a) which also dictated busy periods in London in terms of business and pleasure
term times there were four terms a year when the law courts sat (functioned professionally): Michaelmas, Easter, Trinity and Hilary
termagant boistrous, overbearing, bullying
terrible terrifying, fearsome
terrible strikes fear, inspires terror
terror terribleness, with the power to incite terror
testate witness, piece of evidence (OED n1. 1)
tester sixpence
testimony evidence, proof
testimony assurance
Testing “Test” ‘Testing’
testudineous slow, like a tortoise
testy short-tempered, irritable
the old game prostitution (Brome uses this phrase in the same way in The Queen and Concubine [QC 5.2.speech1134])
the old game prostitution
the while meanwhile
thence from there
there's the devil expression of irritation or vexation (OED, devil, 20)
thick in reference to hearing: dull of perception; not quick or acute (OED 9a)
thief's mark ‘A sign, badge, brand ... imposed on a person’ (OED, mark, n1. 12a), e.g. on thieves (Ben Jonson was branded on his thumb for murder)
thin flimsy
thing contemptuous or euphemistic term for genitals (OED thing n1, 11c)
thing used to refer to someone with contempt, amusement or pity (OED thing n1, 10b)
thing a pejorative term for a woman (OED n1. 10a)
think’t think it
thither up to that time; until then; between now and then (OED 3a)
thither (go) there, to that place
thitherward towards it, in that direction
thonk thank (dialect)
though even if
Thou’lt thou wilt: you will
thraldom captivity
threat'nings threatenings: threats
three-score sixty years old
three-score sixty (years old)
threefold consisting of three parts; three times as great
threescore sixty
thresh separate grains of wheat or corn from the husks or straw
thrice three times
thrice three times (in succession)
thrift frugality, stinginess
thrift industry, labour (OED n. 1 1b); economical management, frugality (OED n. 1 3a)
thriftless wasteful, improvident, spendthrift (OED 3)
thrifty economical, provident (OED adj. 4)
thrip-sisters fellow-spinners (seemingly a Brome coinage, and otherwise unattested)
thrive be successful, prosper
thrive fare, prosper
through by means of
throughly completely, absolutely
throughly thoroughly, rigorously
thrust push or force their way through, jostle (with sexual innuendo)
thrust forced, pushed
thrusting pushing, forcing
thumb-ring ostentatiously large ring (usually bearing a signet for sealing documents); such were frequently associated with aldermen
thumper anything ‘thumping’ or strikingly big of its kind (OED 3, where the earliest example given for usage in this colloquial sense dates from 1660)
thunderer one who thunders, or causes thunder, such as Jove (Jupiter)
thwack to crowd (to a place) (OED 3b, where usage is deemed rare, but cites this example from The City Wit 2.2.)
Th’art thou art
Tib and Tom the ace and the knave of trumps in the game of gleek (OED Tib n, 2; Tom n1, 2)
Tib of the buttery goose (OED Tib, 3)
tick-tack old version of backgammon which used pegs placed in holes along the board for scoring (hence it being used as a euphemism for sex)
tickle please, amuse
tickled pleased, made eager, excited
tickling itching, tingling
tidings news, intelligence
tidings news
tie to be bound in marriage
tie A figurative usage meaning to prevent someone from speaking, to compel them to be silent, tongue-tied.
tie bond of union, obligation, hold (upon) (OED n. 8b)
tight water-tight
tight (figuratively of a person, expressing somewhat indefinite commendation) competent, capable, able, skilful; alert, smart; lively, vigorous, stout; (OED tight a, 3); often with sexual connotations
tilt compete with lances (used with sexual innuendo)
tilt to engage in a combat, for exercise or sport, in a manner where two armed men on horseback with lances ride on opposite sides of a barrier and score by attaints [hits to the body] and the number of lances broken
tilting stock a target in jousting
time enough soon enough, in good time (OED time n, 36)
time was once, formerly
timeless untimely, premature
timely in good time
timist 'a time-server'; 'one who follows or complies with the humour of the time' (OED 1, which dates such a usage as occurring till 1658); one who tries to be a man of the moment (the word seems to have been coined by Thomas Overbury in his A wife...Whereunto are added many witty characters [1613])
timorous fearful
timorsome subject to or characterized by fear; timorous, timid (OED adj. 1)
tinct to dye, to tint (OED v. 1)
tincture quality, hint, smattering (OED 5b)
tincture colouring
tincture's pigment's
Tinctured coloured, stained, tinged
tinder-box box in which materials for making fire were kept
tipstaff court officer
tire get dressed
tires (derived from attire): coverings, modes of dressing, or ornaments for a woman's head; head-dresses
tiring-house In renaissance theatres, this was the term used to describe the backstage area used for dressing, awaiting entrances and, as here, for the storing of the company's stage props, costumes and effects.
tiring-house communal dressing room (though large enough to allow for dance rehearsals)
tissue rich cloth, often interwoven with gold or silver threads
tit horse, nag: originally used to describe a small breed of horse, or an immature horse (OED n3. 1a); also used to refer to a girl or young woman (OED n3. 2a)
tit hussy, minx, jade
tit may (used as a verb); this appears to be a Brome coinage
tit a girl or young woman: often qualified as little: cf. chit; also applied indiscriminately to women of any age:(a) usually in depreciation or disapproval: esp. one of loose character, a hussy, a minx; or (b) sometimes in affection or admiration, or playful meiosis (common in 17th and 18th c.; now low slang) (OED n. 3 and 2a)
title right, claim; ‘an appellation of honour pertaining to a person of high rank’ (OED n. 5a)
tittle-tattle idle chattering
to be let to be rented out; available for rental
to bedward going to bed
to boot in addition, moreover
to boot also
to discharm in order to remove the magic, or undo the enchantment
to set my rest upon to stake, hazard, or venture all I have on; to set my final hope or trust upon; to place my whole aim or end in (OED rest n2, 7a, d); the phrase, alternatively, may be an allusion to the card game primero: to make a final gamble with the stakes kept in reserve, which were agreed upon at the beginning of the game, and upon the loss of which the game terminated (6a).
To sunder beds to sleep apart in separate rooms
to the height ‘To the highest or utmost degree; to the extremity; to the utmost’ (OED n. 19)
toast dried and toasted bread, floated on the ale as a snack or taste-treat
tobacco-merchant a tradesman who sells tobacco: tobacco is often assumed to be an essential purchase for gallants in early modern drama
together continuously, without stopping
toil (v) tire
toils traps, snares
token farthings -- either the smallest coins of the realm or tradesmen's tokens of that value, worth a quarter of a penny
token fact or event (OED 1a)
tokens "a stamped piece of metal", similar to a coin, issued by tradesmen, "who engage to take it back at its nominal value, giving goods or legal currency" in exchange
told counted
told it counted it
tone the one (of two)
tongue-tie oath of silence, of the 'cross my heart and hope to die' variety that children swear by
tonied cheated or swindled; OED cites only The Demoiselle for ‘tony’ as a verb, but notes the connection with the noun, ‘a foolish person; a simpleton’ (Tony, n1, 1), which may have its origin in Middleton and Rowley’s The Changeling (first performed by Lady Elizabeth’s Men in 1622, and revived by Queen Henrietta Maria’s Men in 1635; in 1639 it was owned by Beeston’s Boys)
tonight that is, last night
took th'affront took offence, was insulted
tooth-drawer person who extracts teeth; dentist (OED 1)
top full full to the brim
top gallant top sail (in a metaphorical sense, the peak or pinnacle)
tormentings instances of torment (OED tormenting, vbl. n.)
torn in tattered clothing, shabby
tossed disordered; disturbed, troubled.
tother the other
tother other (of two)
totter swing from the gallows (OED v. 1b)
touch injure, hurt
touch little bit, with pun on the physical sense
touch (of a wound) medically examine by feeling (OED v. 2d)
touch affect (OED v. 21)
touch touch on, represent
touch drop by; stop in briefly for a visit; to call in passing (OED 11a)
touch act or action of touching (OED n. 1a); ‘an impression upon the mind or soul; a feeling, sense’ (OED n. 13b)
touched injured or hurt in any or the least degree (OED touch v, 12b)
touching regarding
Tour out look out or around (see Richard Head, The Canting Academy (1673) in LEME)
touseth to rumple, or tumble, bed clothes (OED 2)
tousing pulling (a woman) about indelicately, or in horse-play; tussling; dishevelling (the hair, dress, etc.)
tow a bundle of fibres, often soaked in some flammable substance like pitch
towardly promising, eager to learn
towards to contribute, to go to meet (the cost of something)
towards on the way
town 'without article, after prepositions and verbs, as in, out of, to town, to leave town, etc.: i.e. the particular town under consideration, or that in or near which the speaker is at the moment; the town with which one has to do, the market-town, the chief town of the district or province, the capital; in England since c 1700 spec. said of London' (OED 4b)
town-trick a trick played on an unsuspecting country visitor to the town
towry-lowry dialect expression, possibly from Cumberland (cf. 'tirra-lirra'), meaning 'all in disorder' (OED notes this as the first usage)
toy trick, entertainment
toy (trivial) entertainment
toy whim, foolish fancy
toy trinket, plaything or entertainment
toy trinket, plaything or entertainment (in context all meanings are possible: there has just been talk of the ring on Diana’s finger; Martha with her fixation on becoming a mother interprets the word simply as a means to amuse a child; but Letoy could be referring to his play-within-the-play, which is designed both to delight and effect a cure of folly)
toy trick (OED n. 2)
toying playing, trifling, esp. amorous dalliance
toys tricks
toys foolish things, fancies, nonsense
to’t to it
trace to take one's course, make one's way; to proceed, pass, go, travel, tread (OED v. I 1)
traced followed (in the sense of tracked or pursued) but, within the terms of Brome’s metaphor about writing, there is too the sense of ‘imitated’
tract trace or track
tracts paths, routes (OED tract n3, 8); (figuratively) manners of proceeding (OED tract n3, 9)
trade occupation, business
trade course of action (OED n. I 3a)
trading sexual dealing (Williams).
trading buying and selling
traffic trade
tragedian stage-player who performs in tragedy (OED 2)
train retinue, entourage
train-scents a method of training hounds for the hunt by trailing some strongly smelling object over distances along the ground for them to follow
trains leads, brings in train, draws after
traitorling petty or contemptible traitor (OED); young traitor (this appears to be an invention of Brome’s; I have not found any examples elsewhere)
tramples stamps on; treats with contempt (OED trample v, 3b; the earliest citation is John Hall, Horae Vacivae, or, Essays. Some Occasionall Considerations [London, 1646]: ‘trample not on the imperfections of any, but modestly dissemble them’ [93])
transgress offend, disobey (a rule of conduct)
translated to change in appearance and/or function
translated transformed; changed in appearance
translated conveyed, transported
translated transformed or re-used as leftovers in another dish
transmute take out of one's self
transportable capable of being transported
transposition transference; movement from one position to another
trappings ornaments, embellishments, decorations (OED)
trash rubbish, dross
travail exertion and suffering of childbirth
travail effort, exertion
travail effort, suffering (with a possible pun on ‘travel’)
travail suffering
travail travel
travail suffer
travails efforts, travels
tread (v) step (as in a dance or measure)
tread of the male bird: to copulate with the hen (OED 8a)
treads steps on; crushes, beats down; oppresses; possibly puns on ‘tread’ meaning copulation between birds (OED tread v, 8)
treads steps on; crushes, beats down; oppresses
treat treat of: speak about; negotiate over
treat (v)
treat of speak about; negotiate over
treated negotiated, consulted with
trench encroach (OED v. 7b)
trench to approach, affect, have a bearing on (OED v. 7c)
trench on infringe upon (OED v. 7b)
trencher-fees scraps of food given in alms (OED trencher 7)
trenchers plate or piece of wood (flat or circular) on which food was served (OED II 2)
trespass rudeness
trespass (n) offence (OED n. 1); minor violation of the law (OED n. 2); crime
trespass an infringement of the law or one’s duty
tribulation affliction, distress
tributary paying tribute
tribute tax, usually paid by one state to another
trick hoax, practical joke (OED n. 2a)
trick stratagem, crafty or fraudulent device (OED n. 1a)
trick stratagem, crafty or fraudulent device (OED n. 1a), punning on ‘sexual act’ (Williams, 3: 1421)
trick stratagem, crafty or fraudulent device (OED n. 1a); hoax, practical joke (OED n. 2a); thoughtless or stupid act (OED n. 2b)
trick thoughtless or stupid act (OED n. 2b)
trickly smartly, finely
tricks stratagems, wiles (OED n. 1a); feats of dexterity (OED n. 5a)
tricks stratagems, crafty or fraudulent devices (OED trick n, 1a)
tricks ingeniously constructed toys or pieces of artifice, baubles
tried tested (sexually)
tried tested, endeavoured to seduce; have sexual experience of (Williams)
tried ascertained, found out (OED try v, 5a)
tried proved or tested by examination
trifle waste (time) in frivolity (OED v1. 5)
trifle worthless person (OED n. 2c)
trifles testicles (ironic paraphrasis)
trifles trivial things
trifling frivolous waste of time (OED vbl. n.)
trilly-bubkins used generally in alliterative collocation, such as "tricks and trillibubs"; "trilly bubkins" is a nonce diminutive (OED cites Brome's usage in this play)
trim sardonic praise: 'another fine mess'
trim sarcastic: competent, fit; clever
trim make firm, strengthen (with pun on 'cut')
trim well-equipped; competent; excellent, fine (OED adj. 1); elegantly dressed (OED adj. 2); good looking (OED adj. 2c); fine (said ironically) (OED 3)
trim fine, neat, smart (said sarcastically)
trim fine, excellent (said ironically) (OED adj. 1 and 3)
trim fine, neat, smart (clever)
trim furnish with what is necesary for a wedding; dress up
trim make firm, strong, strengthen
trim elegantly or finely dressed (OED `trim' a and adv, 2)
trim-tram track piece of nonsense or absurdity (OED 4)
trinkets trifles, usually inexpensive (paste) jewels
tripe-wife a woman who prepares and sells tripe as a business (OED 'tripe' 4, citing The City Wit 4.2)
triple tree gallows (Haaker), based on its three parts
tripping stumbling, erring
trips lively, light movements (OED I.1a)
triumphs (here) a private celebration
triumphs public celebrations, pageants, processions
trollop untidy or sluttish woman
trolly-lolly refrain of a song, expressing careless gaiety or jollity; sometimes expressing contempt
trope a figure of speech where a word or phrase is used figuratively or unusually (OED n. 1)
trot old woman, hag
troth truth
troth promise (especially of marriage)
troth in truth, truly (in this context, means something like ‘in that case’)
troth (in) truth
troth loyalty (OED n1. I 1)
troth-plight (n) solemn promise (especially of marriage, betrothal)
troth-plight (pa, pple, ppl. a.) affianced, engaged by a covenant
trothplight betrothal
trouble cause for distress, worry, vexation
troubled disturbed or afflicted, in this case by bad weather: the oldest meaning of ‘troubled’ is ‘physically agitated; of the sea, sky, etc., stormy; of water, wine, etc., stirred up so as to diffuse the sediment, made thick or muddy, turbid’ (OED ppl. a, 1)
trounce beat, flog (OED v1. 2); punish (OED v1. 3a); sue (OED v1. 3b)
trounce trouble, harass, upset
trow do you suppose?
trow I wonder?
trow has trust (in/with)
trow do you think
trow do you think?; I wonder?
trow 'do I believe it?' (OED v)
trow I wonder
trow believe
truck to exchange
truckle-bed a low bed running on castors and usually pushed beneath a higher bed when not in use, often used by servants or children
trudge walk laboriously or wearily (OED v1. 1)
true loyal, faithful
true honest
true accurate (OED adj. 4a); genuine, not counterfeit (OED adj. 5a)
true-hearted loyal
trull a low prostitute or concubine; a drab, strumpet, trollop (OED)
trumpery trifles, rubbish
trumps loud proclamations, triumphant comments (OED, trump, n1. 4)
trunk pea shooter
trunk a box for storage (in this particular context there may also be a reference to 'trunks' as an item of clothing, especially given that Cash is changing his attire to assume his character as a man-about-town)
truss be tied up (i.e. imprisoned) or hanged
truss send packing, cause to flee (OED v. 4c)
trussed tied up
trussed compactly framed or formed (Obs.)
trust confidence in or reliance on some quality or attribute of a person; credulity (if trust is misplaced)
trusty trustworthy
truth 'true religious belief or doctrine' (OED n, 10a); 'That which is true, real, or actual (in a general or abstract sense); reality; specifically in religious use, spiritual reality as the subject of revelation or object of faith (often not distinguishable from 10)' (OED n. 11a); 'The fact or facts; the actual state of the case; the matter or circumstance as it really is' (OED n. 12a)
truth truthfulness
truth honesty, virtue, integrity (OED n. 4)
truth loyalty, fidelity, steadfast allegiance (OED n. 1a); honesty, virtue, integrity (OED n. 4); true religious belief (OED n. 10a)
try put (your integrity) to the test
try prove, demonstrate (OED v. 13)
try test
try conclusions test a theory to see if it works; or test which of two opponents is the stronger (OED conclusion 8b)
try out determine, thrash out, decide, argue out, resolve (OED try v, 5a and 5c)
tuition (sexual) teaching, instruction (in carnal knowledge)
tumble perform or dance acrobatically; hence to have sexual intercourse (OED 9a)
tumblers acrobats
tumour swelling, bubble (OED 4)
tun large cask or barrel, usually for liquids, especially wine, ale, or beer (OED n. 1)
tup a male sheep or ram (here applied to a person)
turmoils disturbances, trouble
turn scheme, plan, trick
turn change in affairs, vicissitude (OED n. 18a)
turn the use here is punning on various meanings of the noun, "turn": as need, requirement, objective; "turn" as meaning strategy, trick; or, drawing on hunting and farming terminology (where the reference is to coupling beasts), it can mean a sexual romp, "the best turn in the bed", though the tone is often denigratory (OED turn, n. 30a, 21, 15c)
turn change, alter, deflect (OED v. 13)
turn head turn to confront the enemy (opposite of turn tail)
turn off to dismiss from employment
turn tail to turn away, run away, a term drawn from falconry
turned converted
turnspit boy whose office was to turn the spit in the kitchen, the lowest ranked job apart from carrying coals; also used as a term of contempt
twattle chatter, babble (OED v. 1)
tweaks whoremongers (OED n2)
twel’ twelve
twice and once repeatedly, more than just once, often (but with the overtone of "for the last time", "once and for all")
twink wink an eye (OED v. 1)
twit taunt (OED v. 1)
tympany swelling (often relating to pregnancy); figuratively may mean inflated, puffed up, bursting with (ideas or information)
tyranness female tyrant (OED)

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