What does sirrah mean in Shakespeare
Isabella Harris
Updated on March 26, 2026
Sirrah is an archaic term used to address inferiors, sometimes as an expression of contempt (but not as familiar). The term appears in several Shakespeare plays, such as Julius Caesar, Othello, Antony and Cleopatra, Twelfth Night and the Merchant of Venice and Titus Andronicus .
What does sirrah mean in modern English?
noun obsolete a term of address to an inferior male or more commonly a child. A modern day equivalent would be “little man“.
How do you use sirrah in a sentence?
Sirrah sentence example How had Sirrah managed to get the three scattered divisions together? But there was no shepherd in Scotland that could have done better than Sirrah did that night. Long afterward James Hogg said, “I never felt so grateful to any creature below the sun as I did to Sirrah that morning.”
What is the definition of sirrah?
Definition of sirrah obsolete. —used as a form of address implying inferiority in the person addressed.What is a Prattler?
Definitions of prattler. someone who speaks in a childish way. type of: speaker, talker, utterer, verbaliser, verbalizer. someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
What does sire mean Shakespeare?
2a archaic : a man of rank or authority especially : lord —used formerly as a form of address and as a title.
Does Sir come from sirrah?
Sirrah is a formal hybrid in that it owes its short /i/ of the first syllable to the anglicised form sir, and the schwa or even /a/ of the second syllable to the markedly French pronunciation of the orig- inal sire.
What does thee mean in Shakespeare?
“Thee” for “you” (objective, as in “I give this to thee.”) “Thy” for “your” (genitive, as in “Thy dagger floats before thee.”) “Thine” for “yours” (possessive, as in “What’s mine is thine.”)What does soft mean in Shakespeare?
It means “quiet” or “silence.” “Soft you now. The fair Ophelia.” Edit: also, Romeo is literally in enemy territory in the middle of the night. Makes sense he would tell the audience to be quiet so Juliet doesn’t hear him just yet.
What is the meaning of wit snapper?Wit-snappernoun. one who affects repartee; a wit-cracker.
Article first time published onIs Slumbery a word?
Ready for or needing sleep: dozy, drowsy, nodding, sleepy, slumberous, somnolent, soporific.
What is a swinish?
Definition of swinish : of, suggesting, or characteristic of swine : beastly.
What does the word Blether mean?
Picture: TSPL. But when applied to a person, blether is also a term for a gossip, a chatterbox, or someone who talks a lot of nonsense. A bletherer can also be someone who is prone to boasting and exaggeration.
What is it called when you talk chatter?
To chatter is to talk lightly or casually — to shoot the breeze or chitchat. … You probably chatter with your friends all the time without even thinking about it, gossiping or talking about unimportant things.
What is the origin for the word sirrah?
1520s, term of address used to men or boys expressing anger or contempt, archaic extended form of sir (in U.S., siree, attested from 1823).
What does Dewberry mean in Shakespeare?
z. dewberry (n.) species of blackberry. Headword location(s) SHAKESPEARE’S WORDS © 2020 DAVID CRYSTAL & BEN CRYSTAL.
What does toad spotted mean in Shakespeare?
: foully blemished : most evil : infamous.
What does Orisons mean in Hamlet?
‘Orisons’ is one of those lost words. If you look it up in a dictionary you will find that it means ‘prayers,’ and even the Oxford English Dictionary has very little to say about it. … Shakespeare used the words ‘prayers’ and ‘devotions’ countless times in his plays but on five occasions he chose to use ‘orisons.
What does none fools do wear it cast it off mean?
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. ( 2.2.3-10) In this passage Romeo uses an intricate conceit to express a simple desire: to take Juliet’s virginity. Romeo begins by saying that the envious moon, i.e., Diana, goddess of the moon and patron of virgins, is jealous of her servant’s (Juliet’s) radiance.
What does Romeo mean by Juliet speaks but says nothing?
The full line is as follows: “She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?” This quotation is spoken by Romeo, who is standing in the Capulet’s orchard beneath Juliet’s window. Romeo has just seen Juliet and is praising her beauty. Juliet does not yet see or hear Romeo.
What does TIS mean Shakespeare?
‘Tis – it is. ‘Twas – it was.
What are 5 words that Shakespeare invented?
- Bandit. Henry VI, Part 2. 1594.
- Critic. Love’s Labour Lost. 1598.
- Dauntless. Henry VI, Part 3. 1616.
- Dwindle. Henry IV, Part 1. 1598.
- Elbow (as a verb) King Lear. 1608.
- Green-Eyed (to describe jealousy) The Merchant of Venice. 1600.
- Lackluster. As You Like It. 1616.
- Lonely. Coriolanus. 1616.
What does Launcelot mean when he says cover is the word?
By “cover,” Launcelot means “set the table.” cover .” LORENZO.
Who is a wit snapper in Merchant of Venice?
His name is Launcelot Gobbo, a fact of which he is somewhat proud. He has a crude philosophy and a rude kind of wit. He uses big words and misapplies them most ingenuously.
What does Slumbrous mean?
Definitions of slumbrous. adjective. inclined to or marked by drowsiness. synonyms: slumberous, slumbery, somnolent asleep. in a state of sleep.
What is the meaning of Unsanctified?
Definition of unsanctified : not holy or sanctified : not made sacred or holy : not reserved for religious use the daring half-hope is expressed that the lovers’ unsanctified union may be blessed with issue — New Republic.
What is swinish behavior?
adjective. ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance. “aristocratic contempt for the swinish multitude” synonyms: boorish, loutish, neandertal, neanderthal, oafish unrefined. (used of persons and their behavior) not refined; uncouth.
What is chatter CIA?
Chatter is a signals intelligence term, referring to the volume (quantity) of intercepted communications. Intelligence officials, not having better metrics, monitor the volume of communication, to or from suspected parties such as terrorists or spies, to determine whether there is cause for alarm.
Is chattered a sound?
Chattering is a constant, low-pitched sound, like the noise small animals make.
What does chattering loudly mean?
to talk rapidly in a foolish or purposeless way; jabber. to utter a succession of quick, inarticulate, speechlike sounds, as monkeys or certain birds. to make a rapid clicking noise by striking together: His teeth were chattering from the cold. … the act or sound of chattering.