English Archaic vocabulary

summative preparation

Adieu

good-bye; farewell

Alas, alack

expresses sorrow

Anon

soon, immediately after

art

are

attend

to wait upon; to pay attention

cousin, coz

any close relative

dost, doth

do, does

ere

before

e’er

ever

fair

beautiful

fie

a curse

hark

listen

hast, hath

have, has

hence

from here, from this place

ho

an exclamation that calls to attention, mocks, or celebrates (like modern ‘yo’)

hither

to or towards this place

knave

a common person; a villain (peasant)

list

listen

morrow

day

nay

no

ne’er

never

o’er

over

oft

often

passing

surprisingly, exceedingly

perchance

maybe

perforce

of necessity

prithee

I pray of thee; please

resolve

to answer; to reply

sirrah

a person of lower class

thee, thy, thou

you, your, yours

thence

from there, from that place

‘tis

it is

troth

belief

‘twere, ‘twas

it were, it was

want

lack of

wench

a female person, varies in tone from tenderness to contempt and insult

whence

from where

wherefore

why

woo

to seek to gain one’s affection or confidence

yea

yes