English Words Derived from Theatre Plays
Old plays, especially the works of William Shakespeare, have contributed to the introduction of many words into the English language. Here are some examples:
Assassination: Derived from the assassination scene in Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth”.
Swagger (to swagger): Associated with the actions and speech of the characters in “Macbeth”, this term is used to describe a confident and bully-like attitude.
Majestic: The language of the play “King Lear” contributed to the popularization of this term by reflecting a time when his majesty was impressive and magnificent.
Bedazzled: A term often used in the play “Romeo and Juliet”, “bedazzled” means eye-catching and mesmerizingly impressive.
Eyeball: Frequently used in Shakespeare’s works, this term is particularly noteworthy in the play “King Lear”.
Gossip: Originating from the conversations between the characters in the play “Othello”, this term is still used today to mean gossip.
Lonely: Associated with the feeling of loneliness and isolation of most of the characters in “Romeo and Juliet”, this term has spread throughout the English language.
Gloomy: Associated with the dark atmosphere and tragic events in “Macbeth”, this term is used to describe a moody and gloomy atmosphere.
These terms and many others have entered the English language influenced by Shakespeare’s works and have become widely used over time.
Of course, there are also many words that have entered the language from old theater plays other than Shakespeare. Here are some examples:
Pandemonium: In John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, “Pandemonium” is depicted as the center of hell and is used today to mean confusion and chaos.
Hobnob (close companionship): Derived from the words “hob” and “nob” in Ben Jonson’s play “The Last of All Good Men” and used today to mean close friendship.
Eyewash: Derived from the works of George Chapman, this term means an untrue or exaggerated statement or praise.
Upstage (stealing attention): In the old theater, the raised area at the back of the stage was called “upstage” and the term is used to mean stealing attention or distracting someone.
Cold-hearted: Inspired by Christopher Marlowe’s play “Tamburlaine” and used to describe a person who is callous or ruthless.
Pickle: Used in old plays to describe a character in a difficult situation, this term is still used today with similar meanings.
Woo (seduce): This term, associated with love and romance in Old English theater, is used in the sense of winning someone’s heart or tempting someone.
These terms entered the English language under the influence of the old English theater and became widely used over time.
