Glossary of archaic and poetic words for writers and medieval fantasy role-players
Gazdookery and forsoothery!
I did not just curse you. This is a compiled glossary of vastly popular archaic and poetical words, made especially for role-players who wish to add flavor to their character's language. Browse and rejoice! or should I say... be fain? thou? thy? betimes? if any of these leavest thou addlepated, it's my behest of thee to cry "gadzooks!" forthwith and have you use this invaluable treasure trove of long-lost words!
Short background: I originally posted this for a fantasy role-playing server in NWN1. It grew over time...
That's it. I said "short background".
A
accoutrement n.
clothing; equipment
accourage v.
encourage
acknow v.
recognize; acknowledge; confess
acquiesce v. agree
(esp. without question or protest); submit, yield
adays adv. by
day, every day; in the daytime
addeem v. award; adjudge
addlepated adj. confused;
peculiar; mad
advesperate v. darken,
become late
afeared adj. afraid
affright v. frighten, cause
fear
affright n. fear, terror;
cause of terror
afore adv. prep.
conj. before
aforetime adv. formerly.
previously
aftercast n. a
belated cast, anything that is done too late
aftereye v. look
after
aftergame n. a
second game; second plan; an ancient game resembling to backgammon
afterthought n. second
thought
againstand v.
withstand
againward adv. back
again
agnize v.
recognize, acknowledge
agrammatist n. illiterate person
alack interj. alas
alas interj. expression
of sorrow or pity
albeit conj. although
alow adv. below
amain adv.
forcefully; at full speed
anchorite n. hermit
anent prep.
concerning, in regards to
anight adv. by night; at
nighttime
anon adv. soon
anon-rightes adv. right away
anywhen adv. at any time,
whenever
apace adv.
quickly
aright adv.
rightly; correctly
arfname n. heir
art v. are
atwain adv.
asunder; in twain
aught pron. anything
avaunt interj. go
away, leave, begone
ave n. greeting,
salutations
ay adv. yes
B
barbermonger n. a fop;
one who frequently visits the barber
Beau-Séant interj.
battle cry of the Templars ("Be noble!" or "Be glorious!")
beauteous adj.
beautiful, lovely
becalm v. calm,
soothe
bechance v. happen
to; become of
befall v. occur,
come to happen (esp. a misfortune)
befortune v. befall,
happen to
begad interj.
expression of anger ("by God!")
begone interj. go
away!, avaunt!
behest n. request,
command
behindhand adj.
backward, slow
behold v. see,
observe, look
belike adv.
probably
beforetime adv.
previously; beforehand
bemoan v. grive, lament;
complain
benight v.
obscure; overtake by darkness
bequeath v. leave
or give (personal property) by will; pass on something to another
bequest n. inheritance,
legacy; something that is bequeathed
bereft of prep.
without
beseech v. beg,
impore
besought v. past of
beseech, beseeched
beseem v. suit, befit,
becomes
beshrew v. curse,
evil befall
bespeak v. to
speak to, adress; indicate; request, ask for; order goods in advance
betake v. take;
commit; cause oneself to move
beteem v. allow;
bestow
bethink v. think
over, consider
betimes adv. soon;
early; at once
betide v. happen
betwixt adv. (also
atwixt) between
boneweary adj.
exhausted
botheration n. the act
of bothering or the state of being bothered
botheration interj.
exclamation of annoyance
bourn n.
destination, goal; boundary, limit
brethren n.
brothers
breviary n. prayer
book
by and by v. at
once; soon
C
caitiff n. coward;
slave
canakin n. small
can or cup
cap-a-pie adv. from
head to foot (usu about armour)
catchpole n. officer
(esp. one who arrests debtors)
celerity n. speed
certes adv.
certainly, truly
chevalier n. knight;
gentleman, chivalrous man
clapperclaw v. use
foul language; claw with the nails
clapperdudgeon n. chief
beggar; beggar born
clepe v. call,
name
comrade n.
companion, friend, fellow, associate
copesmate n.
companion
costermonger n.
greengrocer; one who sells food (esp. from a cart)
coxcomb n. fool;
fop; jester's hat
cozen v.
decieve; cheat, swindle
cozener n. swindler; deceiver
craven n. coward
craven adj.
cowardly
D
damsel n. (also damosel)
young woman (oft unmarried one), maiden; lass
daresay v. to
think very likely or almost certain; suppose; dare to say
darkle v. darken
dayspring n. sunrise, dawn
deathsman n.
executioner
deedless adj. doing
no deeds; inactive, lazy
denegation n. denial
denotement n.
indication; mark, sign
denuded adj. naked
derring do n. daring,
daring or reckless action
descry v. discover; see
destrier n.
warhorse
devoir n. duty,
responsibility; act or expression of respect
didst v. do
(past tense, second person singular)
doomsday n.
judgement day
doth v. do
(present tense, third person singular)
dolour n. sorrow,
grief
don v. put on
clothing
dost v. do (present
tense, second person singular)
droll n. buffoon
durst v. dare
E
eftsoons adv. soon
after; presently; once again
egad interj.
expression of anger ("oh God!")
egregious adj.
conspicuously bad or offensive, flagrant
eke v. enlarge
eke adv. also
emprise n. heroic
act, chivalrous adventure
endlong adv.
lengthwise
englut v.
swallow, eat (often greedily)
enow adv. adj. enough
eschew v. avoid
ere prep. before
erelong adv.
before long
erenow adv. before
now; heretofore
erewhile adv. some
time ago; until now
ergo adv.
therefore (Latin)
erst adv.
formerly, previously
erstwhile adj.
former
espy v. observe, see from
a distance
evenlong prep. adv.
along
eventide n. night,
evening; evening time
eventuate v. occur,
come about, result
evermore adv.
always, forever
eyne n. eyes
F
fain adj. glad,
happy, pleased
fain adv. gladly, willingly
fane n. temple, church
fardel n. burden
fie interj. for
shame! expression of disapproval
firmament n. heaven,
sky
foeman n. enemy
forasmuch conj.
since, in view of
forby adv. prep.
near; past
fordo v. destroy
forenoon n. time
before noon
forenoon adj.
before noon
forevermore adv.
forever
forfend v. defend,
guard, defend; forbid; avert, ward off
forfoughten adj. tired from
fighting
forlorn adj.
unhappy, miserable; forsaken; hopeless
forsooth adv. in
truth, verily; mild oath
forsoothery n. use of
archaic words or expressions, gadzookery
forstraught adj. distracted,
perplexed
forswear v.
renounce or deny under oath; strongly deny; commit perjury
forthink v. repent;
regret
forthwith adv. immediately, at
once
fortnight n. two weeks,
fourteen nights
forthright adv.
directly; at once
forthright adj.
straightforward
freebooter n. pirate;
pillager
fret v. worry;
become worried
fret n. worry
G
gadzooks interj.
mild or ironic oath ("God's hooks!")
gadzookery n. use of
archaic words or expressions, forsoothery
gainsay n. denial;
refusal; objection
gainsay v. deny,
dispute; contradict
gainstrive v.
withstand
galliard n. lively
16th-century European court dance
garderobe n.
wardrobe; chamber for storing clothes (or its content); privy, latrine (esp. in
castles)
glaive n. sword;
pike
gazement n. view
goodly adj.
large; pleasant
goodman n. male
head of a household; husband; courtesy title before the surname of a man not of
noble birth
goodwife n. female
head of a household; courtesy title before the surname of a woman not of noble
birth
gorbellied adj. fat,
corpulent
gramercy interj.
many thanks; expression of gratitude
grandevity n. great
age; long life
guerdon n. reward,
recompense
H
hadst v. have
(past tense, second person singular)
hail n. salutation,
greeting; small pellets of ice
hail v. greet,
welcome; rain down hail (or like hail)
halidom n.
holiness; anything that is considered holy or sacred
handfast n.
handclasp
hapless adj.
unfortunate, luckless, ill-fated
hark v.
(harken, hearken) listen, pay attention, heed
harlot n.
prostitute
hast v. have
(second person singular)
hath v. has
(third person singular)
heed n.
attention, consideration
heed v. pay
attention; listen
heedful adj.
carefully attentive, mindful
hence adv.
therefore; from now; from this place
henceforth adv. from now on,
henceforward
henceforward adv. from
now on, henceforth
hearty n.
comrade, good fellow; sailor
hereabout adv.
around here
hereafter adv. after
this time, afterwards
hereafter n.
afterlife; future; time to come
hereabouts adv.
around here
hereby adv. by
this
hereinafter adv.
hereafter, in what follows
hereto adv.
regarding this matter, document or proposition; until now, hitherto
heretofore adv. up to this time,
until now
herewithal adv.
hereby, by means of this, herewith; thereupon; along with that
heyday interj.
expression of elation or worder
hight adj.
named, called
hindmost adj. last
in position, furthest to the rear
hither adv. here
hitherto adv. until
now, thus far
hist interj.
shh!, quest!; expression to attract attention
hoise v. raise,
lift
hoist n.
raising, lifting; something that is lifted or raised
hogshead n. barrel, large
cask
homeborn adj.
native; pertaining to home or family
honorificabilitudinitatibus n. with honour
(jocular)
howbeit adv.
nevertheless; although
howsoever adv. in
whatever way; however
hundredweight n. 100
pounds
husbandman n. farmer
huzzah interj.
hurray, expression of excitement and enthusiasm
I
ifsoever conj. if
ever
ill-starred adj.
unlucky, unfortunate
inasmuch conj.
since, considering that
ingreat v. to make
great
inwit n. inward sense;
understanding from within
J
jackanapes n. monkey,
ape; conceited person; mischievous child
jocund adj.
joyful, cheerful, merry
joyance n. joy
K
kenspeckle adj. easy
to recognize; obvious
knave n. rascal,
villain; (cards) jack
knight-errant n.
adventurous knight
knightless adj.
unbecoming a knight, unrespectful
L
laborsome adj.
requiring great labor
lackadaisical adj.
listless
lackaday interj.
alas, exclamation of regret or deprecation
ladied adj.
gentle
ladylove n.
sweetheart (of a woman)
lateward adv. adj. somewhat
late; backward
lave v. wash
leechcraft n. the art
of healing; medical skills
liege n. feudal
lord or sovereign
liegeman n.
faithful supporter of the liege (usu a vassal or a subject)
letterure n.
letters; literature
lo interj.
behold, see, look
loggerhead n. stupid
person, blockhead
lykewake n. watch
kept at night over a dead body
M
magick n. magic
man-at-arms n.
soldier, military man
mayest v. (also mayst)
may
mayhap adv. may happen,
perhaps
melancholic adj.
depressed; affected by melancholy
meseems v. it seems to me
methinks v. I think
mien n.
bearing; appearance
misdeem v. misjudge
mishap n. unlucky
accident, misfortune
moiety n.
portion; half
moonglade n.
reflection of the moon on water
moreover adv. also,
furthermore
morn n.
morning, dawn
morningtide n. morning
time
morrow n. morning
mought imp. might
muckle n. (also mickle)
much, large amount of something
myriad n. ten
thousand; many
N
nathless adv.
nevertheless, notwithstanding
naught n. nothing
nay adv. no
nary adv. not
one; nay; never
nether adj.
lower, under; situated below; of or pertaining to hell
netherworld n.
underworld, hell; world of the dead; Hades; lower depths of society
ne'er-do-well n. idle,
irresponsible person
nevermore adv. never
again
nigh adv. adj.
near; close, nearby
nigh prep. close; almost
nonce n. this
moment or occasion, present
noonday n. midday;
noon
notwithstanding adv. nevertheless
nowise adv. in no
way
O
offscouring n. outlaw;
a disposed of object
oft adv. often
oftentimes adv. (also
oft-times) often, frequently
ope v. open
opposeless adj. cannot be
opposed, irresistible
onerous adj.
burdensome; oppressive
onetime adj.
former; somewhen in the past
orison n. prayer
otherwhere adv.
elsewhere
otherwhile adv. at
another time, or other times; sometimes; occasionally.
out-of-doors adj. n. outdoors,
outside
outface v. face
boldly; defy; embarrass
outwit n. surpass
in wisdom; outside knowledge; outsmart, outfox
overawe v. terrify
overlong adv. too long
overmuch adv. too much
overween v. think
too highly or arrogantly; presume
overweening adj.
arrogant; overbearing; presumptuous
P
palfrey n. riding horse
parfay interj. by my faith,
truly
parle v. talk
paucity n. lack;
fewness
peradventure adv.
possibly; perhaps
perchance adv.
perhaps; possibly
perdition n. hell
perdie interj.
(also parde) mild oath (originally "truly, certainly")
perforce adv.
necessarily; by necessity
prest adj. ready
prithee interj. please
("pray thee")
posthaste adv.
quickly, rapidly, fast
purblind adj.
partially blind, dim-witted, sandblind
purloin v. steal,
pilfer
purvey v. porvide
Q
quaere n. question,
query
quaere v. question, ask for,
inquire
questrist n. seeker
quoth v. said
quotha interj. expression of
surprise or sarcarsm after a spoken sentence ("quoth he!")
R
raiment n. clothing
rapscallion n. rascal
raught v. reached
redoubted adv.
formidable; dreadful
replete adj.
brimming; more than sufficient
repose n. v. rest
ruth n. compassion or
pity for others; sorrow, regret
S
saith v. say
(present tense, third person singular)
sandblind adj.
having bad-eyesight, dim-sighted, purblind
sans prep. without
score n. twenty
(twoscore - 40, threescore - 60, etc)
selfsame adj.
identical, exactly the same
sennight n. week, seven nights
shalt v. shall
(present tense, second person singular)
shan't v. shall
not
shaw n. grove,
wooded area
shieldmaiden n. female warrior
sire n. term of
address for a superior (usu a king); father; forefather
somedeal adv. somewhat
somewhen adv. at
some indefinite time
somewhither adv. somewhere
sooth n. truth,
reality
sooth adj. true
soothly adv.
truly, verily
soothfast adj. truthful, honest
shouldest v. (also shouldst)
shall (past tense, second person singular)
stalwart adj.
sturdy, strong; steadfast
stalwart n. one who
is physically and morally strong; one who steadfastly supports an organization
or a cause
steadfast adj.
loyal, faithful, fixed and steady
stilly adv.
softly
strumpet n.
prostitute, trollop, harlot
succour n. aid, help,
assistance
succour v. aid, help, assist
supposition n. guess,
assumption
surcease interj. v. stop, terminate
surcease n.
cessation
suspire v.
breathe, sigh
T
teen n. suffering,
injury; grief
tempest n. storm
tenebrous adj. gloomy, dark,
obscure
thither adv. there
thee pron. you
(second person singular, objective)
thence adv. from
then, from that time, from that place
thenceforth adv. afterwards,
thereafter, from that time onward
thereabout adv. about
that part, nearby
thereabouts adv.
approximately, nearly
thereafter adv. afterwards,
after that
thereagainst adv.
against that
thereat adv. at
that place; there; thereupon; at the account of that
thereby adv. by
means of that, in that connection
therein adv. in
that respect, time or thing
thereinafter adv. in
what follows, thenceforth
thereof adv. of
that, from this
thereon adv. on
that, concerning that subject
thereto adv. to
that, besides, also
thereupon adv.
therefore; as a result of
therewhile adv. at
that time
therewith adv. with
that
therewithal adv.
besides
thine adj. yours
(used when the word following is a noun that begins with a vowel)
throatboll n. Adam's
apple
thy adj. your
(used when the word following is a consonant)
thoroughstitch adv.
completely
thorp v.
village, hamlet
thou pron. you
(second person singular, subjective)
through-and-through adv.
completely
through-and-through adj.
complete, total
tidings n. news
timeworn adj. worn-out, became
shabby through time
to and fro adv. back and forth
tofore prep. adv. before
tomorn n. tomorrow
toothdrawer n. one who
draws teeth; dentist
toothsome adj. tasty, delicious
trollop n. prostitute,
untidy woman
troth n. truth,
pledge; faithfulness, fidelity
trothplight n. engagement,
betrothal
trow v. think,
suppose; believe; trust
truthy adv. adj.
likely
twain n. adj. two
twelvemonth n. one year
U
ugsome adj. ugly
unbeknownst adj. (unbeknown)
without knowledge
undermeal n. midday
unhap n. bad luck;
misfortune
unkent adj. unknown, strange
unlearn v. forget
unparagoned adj. peerless
unto prep. to, towards, into
upheave v. lift,
raise
uptake n.
understanding, comprehension
upstir n.
commotion
usself n. ourselves
usward adv.
towards us
utile adj.
useful
V
vainglory n. vanity;
boastfulness
varlet n.
servant; knight's page; rascal
venery n. sexual
intercourse; coition; hunting
vesper n. evening
vesture n.
apparel, clothing
vesture v. dress, clothe
veriloquent adj.
truthful; speaking nothing but the truth
verily adv.
truly, surely
vie v. compete
vouchsafe v. grant, bestow
(privilege, honour, etc, often in a condescending manner); deign, lower oneself
W
wanhope n. despair, lack of
hope
wassail n. feast,
banquet
wassail v. drink to the
health of, toast; carouse
wassail interj.
celebratory toast, cheers
wayfare v. travel;
go to and fro
wayfaring n. adj.
traveling (esp. on foot)
ween v. think,
suppose; expect; hope
wellaway interj. alas,
an expression of sorrow
well-nigh adv.
almost
well-willer n.
well-wisher
welkin n. sky,
heavens
welsome adj. prosperous, well
wend v. go, walk; go on
one's way, proceed
weraday interj. expression
of sorrow or concern, alas the day
wert v. (be)
were (past indicative and past subjunctive, second person singular)
whatso pron.
whatever
whenas conj. when, whereas
whence adv. from
where, wherefrom
whencesoever adv. conj.
from wherever
whereabout adv. about
where or near what place
whereabouts adv.
approximate location
whereabouts n. about
where; locality; surroundings
whereabouts conj. in
which place?; near which place?
whereagainst prep.
against which
whereat adv. conj.
because of; according to; whereupon
whereby adv. in
accordance with; wherethrough; by what?
wherefrom adv. from
where
wherein adv. where; in what
sense
wherein conj. in
where, within
whereinsoever conj. in
whatsoever respect or place
wheresoever conj.
wherever; to where
wherethrough adv. through which,
whereby
whereto adv. for what purpose;
to where
whereto conj. to which
whereunto (see whereto)
whereupon adv. upon which;
thereafter; thus
wherewith adv. with
what or which; how
wherewithal n. means; money
whilom adj.
former
whilom adv.
formerly
whilst conj.
while
whither adv. to
what place, result or condition
whither conj. to whatever place,
result or condition; to the place which; to every place which; to the place
where
whithersoever conj. to
any place whatsoever, wherever
whitherward adv. in
what direction; toward what or which place
whoredom n.
prostitution; idolatry
whoreson n. bastard
whoso pron.
whoever
whosoever pron.
whatever person
viewless adj.
invisible
wilt v. will
(present tense, second person singular)
winsome adj.
cheerful; charming (esp. in a pure manner)
wit v. know
wot v. know
(present tense, first and third person singular)
withal prep. with
witherling n. a
withered or decrepit person
withinforth adv. within; inside;
inwardly
withoutforth adv. without; outside;
outwardly
withsay v. deny,
contradict
withset v. oppose
witling n. person
who aspires to wittiness; person who pretends to be witty
witworm n. one
who, or that which, feeds on or destroys wit
wondrous adv.
wonderfully
worder n. speaker
workaday adj.
usual, regular
would v. wish
wouldst v. will
(past tense, second person singular)
wrongless adj. not
wrong; free from wrong
wroth adj. angry, wrathful
Y
yclad adj.
clothed
yclept v. called, named
ye n. the;
you (often plural)
yesternight n. last
night
yonder (also yon,
yond) adj. over there, further off
yore n. distant
pass
yore adv. in the distant
past
youthsome adj.
youthful
ysame adv.
together
Z
zounds interj. (also
'swounds) mild oath ("God's wounds")
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