The Taming of the Shrew Study Guide

Glossary of Terms

assurance

often meant to signify "legal guarantee"

belike

perhaps

cambio

Italian for "change" or "exchange"

countenance

face, or identity

demicannon

large cannon

dower

that part of a man's estate that passes to his wife's ownership should he die

froward

perverse

gamut

musical scale

habiliments

clothes

halt

signifies very often in the play to "move slowly"

mead

meadow

mean

often used to signify "plain"

pantaloon

a foolish old man

plash

pool

spleen

mood or temper (as the spleen was considered to be the source of anger and laughter)

stale

laughingstock

third-borough

constable