As You Like It: 40 words to know before you read it
The 40 words William Shakespeare uses again and again in As You Like It that are outside the 4,000 most common in English. Learn them first and the opening chapters read much more easily. Each comes with its pronunciation and a sentence from the book.
thou/ˈðaʊ/121× in the book
… and, as thou sayst, charged my brother …
thee/ˈði/90× in the book
Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me, which thou shalt find I will most kindly requite.
fool/ˈfuɫ/46× in the book
Though Nature hath given us wit to flout at Fortune, hath not Fortune sent in this fool to cut off the argument?
shepherd/ˈʃɛpɝd/28× in the book
Alas, poor shepherd, searching of thy wound,
doth/ˈdɔθ/20× in the book
I would we could do so, for her benefits are mightily misplaced, and the bountiful blind woman doth most mistake in her gifts to women.
lord/ˈɫɔɹd/16× in the book
… the old Duke is banished by his younger brother the new Duke, and three or four loving lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him, whose lands and revenues enrich the new Duke …
wrestle/ˈɹɛsəɫ/16× in the book
’Twill be a good way, and tomorrow the wrestling is.
prithee15× in the book
Marry, I prithee do, to make sport withal …
hither/ˈhɪðɝ/14× in the book
… out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you withal, that either you might stay him from his intendment …
till/ˈtɪɫ/14× in the book
Wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat till this other had pulled out thy tongue for saying so.
beard/ˈbɪɹd/14× in the book
Stand you both forth now: stroke your chins, and swear by your beards that I am a knave.
withal13× in the book
… I prithee do, to make sport withal; but love no man in good earnest …
pity/ˈpɪti/13× in the book
The more pity that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly.
honour/ˈɑnɝ/12× in the book
Your brother is but young and tender, and for your love I would be loath to foil him, as I must for my own honour if he come in.
ding/ˈdɪŋ/12× in the book
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding.
banish/ˈbænɪʃ/12× in the book
That is, the old Duke is banished by his younger brother the new Duke, and three or four loving lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him …
mistress/ˈmɪstɹəs/12× in the book
Dear Celia, I show more mirth than I am mistress of, and would you yet I were merrier?
weep/ˈwip/10× in the book
I speak but brotherly of him, but should I anatomize him to thee as he is, I must blush and weep, and thou must look pale and wonder.
grace/ˈɡɹeɪs/9× in the book
… for if thou dost him any slight disgrace, or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practise against thee by poison …
folly/ˈfɑɫi/9× in the book
If thou rememb’rest not the slightest folly
colour/ˈkəɫɝ/8× in the book
Of what colour?
vers/ˈvɝs/8× in the book
This is the very false gallop of verses.
melancholy/ˈmɛɫənˌkɑɫi/8× in the book
The melancholy Jaques grieves at that,
chide/ˈtʃaɪd/8× in the book
And churlish chiding of the winter’s wind,
unto/ˈəntu/8× in the book
With bills on their necks: “Be it known unto all men by these presents.”
foul/ˈfaʊɫ/8× in the book
Cleanse the foul body of th’ infected world,
merry/ˈmɛɹi/8× in the book
They say he is already in the Forest of Arden, and a many merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood of England.
sooner/ˈsunɝ/7× in the book
Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.
motley/ˈmɑtɫi/7× in the book
A motley fool.
courtier/ˈkɔɹtiɝ/7× in the book
O worthy fool!—One that hath been a courtier,
counterfeit/ˈkaʊntɝˌfɪt/7× in the book
Now counterfeit to swoon; why, now fall down;
scorn/ˈskɔɹn/7× in the book
That is the way to make her scorn you still.
wrestler/ˈɹɛsəɫɝ/7× in the book
Was not Charles, the Duke’s wrestler, here to speak with me?
crown/ˈkɹaʊn/7× in the book
… Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand crowns, and …
whither/ˈhwɪðɝ/6× in the book
… wit, whither wander you?
troth/ˈtɹoʊθ/6× in the book
By my troth, thou sayest true.
quarrel/ˈkwɔɹəɫ/6× in the book
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
villain/ˈvɪɫən/6× in the book
Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain?
disposition/ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/6× in the book
I am given, sir, secretly to understand that your younger brother Orlando hath a disposition to come in disguised against me to try a fall.
weary/ˈwɪɹi/6× in the book
O Jupiter, how weary are my spirits!
Pronunciation: ipa-dict (MIT), from Wiktionary.
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