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Shakespeare Glossary: M

MACE: staff carried by a sergeant.

MACHINE: bodily frame.

MACULATE: stained, polluted.

MAD-BRED: produced by madness.

MADE-UP: accomplished (Tim.5.1.103).

MADRIGAL: short lyrical poem.

MAGNIFICO: the chief magistrate at Venice.

MAGOT-PIE: a magpie.

MAHU: name of a daemon.

MAID-PALE: white-complexioned.

MAIL: covered as with a coat of mail.

MAIN-COURSE: a sea-term for the mainsail.

MAINLY: forcible, violently.

MAINTENANCE: bearing, demeanour.

MAKE: to do up, bar.

MALKIN: untidy servant-woman, slut.

MALLECHO: mischief.

MALMSEY: a sweet fortified wine originally made in Greece.

MALMSEY-BUTT: a cask of sweet wine containing the heads of two hogs.

MALMSEY-NOSE: red-nosed.

MALT-HORSE: heavy kind of horse - used as a term of abuse.

MAMMERING: wavering, hesitating.

MAMMETS: a doll or puppet; woman's breasts.

MAMMOCK: to break into fragments.

MAN: to tame a hawk.

MANAGE: management.

MANDRAGORA: mandrake, the poisonous plant.

MANDRAKE: poisonous plant known for its narcotic properties.

MANE: used to describe the crests of waves.

MANKIND: having a masculine nature.

MAN-QUELLER: murderer.

MANTLE (1): vegetable coating on the surface of stagnant water.

MANTLE (2):  vb. to cover, envelope.

MAPPERY: map-making.

MARBLE (1): metamorphic rock formed by alteration of limestone or dolomite.

MARBLE (2): hard-hearted.

MARCANTANT: corruption of 'merchant'.

MARCHES: frontiers, borders.

MARCHPANE: a kind of sweet biscuit made of almond-paste.

MARGENT: margin; edge, border.

MARISH: marsh, swamp.

MARL: clay, earth.

MARMOSET: small monkey.

MARRY (1): vb. to join closely.

MARRY (2): name of the Blessed Virgin used as an oath.

MARRY TRAP: an oath.

MARSHALSEA: prison in Southwark.

MART: meeting of people to exchange goods; traffic; bargain.

MARTLEMAS: the Feast of St. Martin.

MARTLET: swallow or house-martin.

MASTERDOM: absolute control.

MATCH: an appointment.

MATE: to confound, dismay.

MEACOCK: tame, cowardly.

MEALED: mingled.

MEAN: instrument used to promote an end.

MEAN: the tenor part in a harmony.

MEAN: opportunity, power.

MEASURE: distance of a fencer from his opponent; limit; moderation; metre; dance; to judge; to tread.

MEAZEL: a leper, spoken in contempt of a mean person.

MEDAL: a portrait in a locket.

MEDICINE: a physician.

MEED: reward, hire.

MEHERCLE: by Hercules.

MEINY: retinue.

MELL: to mix, to meddle.

MEMORISE: to cause to be remembered.

MEPHISTOPHILUS: the name of a familiar spirit.

MERCATANTE: a foreign trader.

MERELY: simply, absolutely.

MESS: a company of four.

METAPHYSICAL: supernatural.

METE-YARD: measuring-wand.

MEW UP: to confine.

MICHER: a truant.

MICKLE: much.

MILK-LIVERED: cowardly.

MILKY: timid, weak.

MILL-SIXPENCE: a milled sixpence.

MIMIC: burlesque actor.

MINCE: to do any thing affectedly.

MINCING: affected.

MIRTH: fun; object of merriment.

MISCREATE: illegitimate.

MISDOUBT: to suspect.

MISERY: avarice.

MISPRISE: to despise.

MISPRISION: mistake.

MISSIVE: messenger.

MISTEMPERED: angry.

MISTHINK: to think ill of.

MISTRESS: the jack in bowling.

MOBLED: muffled.

MODERN: commonplace.

MODULE: a model, image.

MOE: and more. Of frequent occurrence.

MOIETY: a portion; small part, lesser portion.

MOME: a stupid person.

MOMENTANY: momentary.

MONTHS-MIND: a monthly commemoration of the dead.

MOOD: anger.

MOON-CALF: a nick-name applied to Caliban.

MOONISH: inconstant.

MOP: nod.

MORISCO: a Moor.

MORRIS-PIKE: Moorish-pike.

MORT: death; sound of the horn signalling the slaughter of game.

MORT-DU-VINAIGRE: a ridiculous oath.

MORTAL: fatal, deadly.

MORTIFIED: ascetic.

MOSE: a doubtful word, applied to some disease.

MOTION: solicitation.

MOTION: a puppet.

MOTIVE: one who moves.

MOTLEY: or the many-coloured coat of a fool.

MOTLEY-MINDED: foolish.

MOUSE-HUNT: a weasel.

MOW: to make grimaces.

MOY: imaginary name of a coin in Hen. V.

MUCH: approximately.

MUNITION: military stores.

MURE: a wall.

MURRAIN: plague.

MUSCADEL: strong sweet wine.

MUSET: a gap in a fence or shrub

MUST: a scramble.

MUTINE: to mutiny.

MUTINE: a mutineer.

MYRMIDON: from the warlike race of Thessaly.