Shakespeare Translator: 100 Words And Phrases Invented By William Shakespeare
Even if you only read the Sparknotes’ versions of Shakespeare plays, there is a very good chance that you will recognize words and phrases that William Shakespeare coined. Here are one hundred words and phrases that Shakespeare created which you may recognize or even use in your day to day vocabulary. It’s our little Shakespeare translator.
1. Auspicious
(adj) conducive to success
2. Baseless
(adj) groundless; without foundation
3. Barefaced
(adj) shameless; blatant
4. Castigate
(v) reprimand someone severely
5. Clangor
(n) a continuous loud banging sound
6. Dexterously
(n) skill or ease in performance
7. Dwindle
(v) diminish gradually in size or strength
8. Multitudinous
(adj) very numerous
9. Sanctimonious
(adj) making a show of being morally superior to others
10. Watchdog
(n) a person in a group whose function is to monitor the practices of companies or other institutions
11. It’s Greek to me
(phrase) I can’t understand it at all
12. Fair play
(n) respect for the rules
13. All that glitters isn’t gold
(proverb) the attractive external appearance of something that does not match its true nature
14. Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve
(phrase) making one’s feeling apparent
15. Break the ice
(phrase) do or say something to relieve tension or to get the conversation going
16. A laughing stock
(n) a person subjected to ridicule
17. Too much of a good thing
(phrase) a large amount of a useful thing can be harmful in excess
18. In a pickle
(phrase) to be in a difficult situation
19. Wild goose chase
(n) a foolish and hopeless pursuit of something unattainable
20. Green-eyed monster
(n) personified jealousy
21. Seen better days
(phrase) to be or to look particularly shabby
22. Off with his head
(phrase) mildly reproaching someone
23. Forever and a day
(phrase) seemingly endless or long time
24. Good riddance
(phrase) express relief at being free of something troublesome
25. Lie low
(phrase) to keep out sight; avoid attention
26. As good luck would have it
(phrase) something that happened due to good or bad luck
27. Love is blind
(phrase) looking past things because of affections for the person
28. Heart of gold
(adj) very kind and good in nature
29. Kill with kindness
(phrase) to cause discomfort by treating someone extremely kind or helpful
30. As merry as the day is long
(phrase) carefree, lively, and full of fun
31. Bated breath
(phrase) eager, anxious, or so frightened that you’re almost holding your breath
32. Be-all and end-all
(adj) someone considered to be a perfect specimen
33. Brave new world
(phrase) ironically refer to a new and hopeful period in history resulting from major changes in society
34. Refuse to budge an inch
(phrase) standing firm; not backing down
35. Crack of doom
(phrase) a thunder peal announcing the Day of Judgement
36. A dish fit for the gods
(phrase) food is of an exemplary quality
37. Devil incarnate
(phrase) used to describe someone else’s opinions
38. Faint-hearted
(adj) lacking courage; timid
39. For goodness’ sake
(phrase) used to express impatience or annoyance
40. Foregone conclusion
(phrase) a result that can be predicted with certainty
41. Full circle
(phrase) returns to the beginning or origin
42. Knock, knock! Who’s there?
(phrase) tracing back to the scene in Macbeth, the knocking sound crystallizes the guilt of murder
43. Addiction
(n) addicted to a thing or activity
44. Cold-blooded
(adj) without emotion or pity
45. Assassination
(n) act of murder of another
46. Bedazzled
(v) greatly impress someone with brilliance
47. Belongings
(n) one’s moveable possessions
48. Eventful
(adj) marked by interesting or exciting events
49. Fashionable
(adj) influenced by current trends or popular style
50. Swagger
(v) walk or behave confidently
51. Eyeball
(v) to look or stare closely
53. Hot-blooded
(adj) lustful; passionate
54. Inaudible
(adj) unable to hear
55. Ladybird
(n) referring to the Virgin Mary
56. Manager
(n) person in charge of administering all or part of an organization
57. Pageantry
(n) elaborate display or ceremony
58. Scuffle
(n) short confused fight
59. Uncomfortable
(adj) feeling unease or awkwardness or slight pain and discomfort
60. Accessible
(adj) a place to be reached or entered
61. Batty
(adj) crazy; insane
62. Birth-place
(n) place where the person was born
63. Bloodstained
(adj) marked or covered with blood
64. Brisky
(adj) lively energetic
65. Bump
(n) a light blow or jolting collision
66. Buzzer
(n) something that makes a buzzing noise and is used for signaling
67. Catlike
(adj) resembling a cat in appearance or action
68. Chopped
(v) cut through the base of something
69. Churchlike
(adj) resembling or appropriate to a church
70. Control
(n) power to influence or direct people’s behavior
71. Countless
(adj) too many to be counted
72. Dauntless
(adj) showing fearlessness and determination
73. Day’s work
(phrase) the amount of work during one day prescribed
74. Defeat
(v) win or victory
75. Distrustful
(adj) feeling or showing distrust of someone or something
76. Domineering
(v) assert one’s will over another in an arrogant way
77. Enfranchisement
(n) the giving of a right or a privilege
78. Expertness
(n) a person wise of experience
79. Fanged
(adj) something possessing fangs
80. Featureless
(adj) lacking distinctive attributes or aspects
81. Fixture
(n) a piece of equipment that is fixed in position in a building
82. Foul-mouthed
(adj) using a great deal of bad language
83. Homely
(adj) unattractive in appearance
84. Impartial
(adj) treating all rivals equally; fair and just
85. Informal
(adj) a relaxed or friendly manner or nature
86. Jaded
(adj) tired; bored
87. Leakey
(n) family of anthropologists whose work revealed that humans probably first evolved from Africa
88. Manager
(n) person in charge of controlling/administering all or part of a company
89. Misquote
(v) quoting something inaccurately
90. Money’s worth
(n) as much as a person deserves because of money he/she paid
91. Obscene
(adj) something offensive or disgusting by accepted standards of morality and decency
92. Outbreak
(n) the sudden or violent start of something unwelcome
92. Overview
(n) a general review or summary
93. Posture
(v) behave un way that is intended to impress or mislead others
94. Radiance
(n) light or heat as emitted or reflected by something
95. Shooting star
(n) a small, rapidly moving meteor burning up on entering the earth’s atmosphere
96. Title page
(n) page a the beginning or a book giving it’s title
97. To gossip
(v) to engage in gossip
98. Worn out
(adj) extremely tired; exhausted
99. Yelping
(v) utter a short sharp cry
100. Zany
(adj) amusingly unconventional 
