The Authorised version of the Bible is still in common use, but there are some words in it hard to understand for the modern reader; this could be because they have either fallen into disuse, or have changed their meaning completely since the translation was made. This section contains a selection of such words in order to help the reader in their understanding. This list is by no means exhaustive and will be extended from time to time. The latest additions are marked with an *
A
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
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Z
A
| Abjects | Those who slander / strike out with their tongues | Ps. 35:15 |
| Adjure | To place on an oath . | Mtt. 26:23 |
| Afore | Before | Isa.18:3 |
| Agone | Past / gone by | I Sam. 30:13 |
| Ague | Fever | Lev.26:16 |
| Amerce | To punish by a fine | Deut. 2:18-19 |
| Ancients | Elders | Jer.19:1 |
| Anon | Straightway / immediately | Mtt.13:20 |
| Assay | To attempt | I Sam.17:39 |
| Asswage | To subside | Gen. 8:1-2 |
| Attent | Hearing / attentive | II Ch. 7:15 |
| Avouched | Declared / acknowledged | Deut. 26:17 |
| Axletree | Bars that connect wheels | I Kgs. 7:31 |
A
| Abjects | Those who slander / strike out with their tongues | Ps. 35:15 |
| Adjure | To place on an oath . | Mtt. 26:23 |
| Afore | Before | Isa.18:3 |
| Agone | Past / gone by | I Sam. 30:13 |
| Ague | Fever | Lev.26:16 |
| Amerce | To punish by a fine | Deut. 2:18-19 |
| Ancients | Elders | Jer.19:1 |
| Anon | Straightway / immediately | Mtt.13:20 |
| Assay | To attempt | I Sam.17:39 |
| Asswage | To subside | Gen. 8:1-2 |
| Attent | Hearing / attentive | II Ch. 7:15 |
| Avouched | Declared / acknowledged | Deut. 26:17 |
| Axletree | Bars that connect wheels | I Kgs. 7:31 |
B
| Beeves | The plural of Beef and is use to signify cattle, oxen etc. | Lev. 22:19 |
| Behoved | Was necessary | Lk. 24:46 |
| Belied | To lie against / speak falsely | Jer. 5:11-12 |
| Besom | Broom | Isa.14:23 |
| Bestead | To be hard pressed / oppressed | Isa. 8:21 |
| Besought | Entreat / ask / call | Ex. 32:11 |
| Betimes | Early or quickly | Job. 8:5 |
| Bewray | To make clear | Mtt. 26:72-74 |
| Bray | To crush as in a mortar | Prov. 27:22 |
| Brigandines | Coats of mail | Jer. 46:4 |
| Buckler | A small round shield that is held by hand. | II Sam. 22:31 |
C
| Cab | A dry measure: equivalent to 2 English quarts | II Kgs. 6:25 |
| Can skill | To know how | II Chr. 2:8 |
| Carriages | Baggage | Acts 21:15 |
| Cauls | Front band for a woman’s head | Isa. 3:18 |
| Champaign | A plain or level country. | Deut. 11:30 |
| Chapiter | The capital of a column | I Kgs. 7:16 |
| Charger | Dish | Mtt. 14:8 |
| Choler | Anger / bitterness | Dan. 8:7; 11:11 |
| Chafed | Bitter | II Sam. 17:8 |
| Chapt | Cracked / broken down | Jer. 14:4 |
| Churl | Rude / fraudulent | Isa. 32:7 |
| Cockle | A weed resembling wheat | Job. 31:40 |
| Collop | A piece of flesh | Job. 15:27 |
| Cor | Dry measure = 220 Litres; liquid measure= 263 litres | Ez. 45:14 |
| Coulters | Iron agricultural tool | I Sam. 13:21 |
| *Countervail | be compared to | Est. 7:4 |
| Covert | Secret place | Ps. 61:4 |
| Cracknels | Small dry cakes / cracker | I Kgs. 14:3 |
| Cruse | Flask | I Sam. 26:11 |
| Cumbered | Hampered, hindered or distracted. | Lk. 10:40 |
| Cumbereth | To make vain / render useless. | Lk. 13:7 |
| Cummin | Plant with aromatic seeds | Isa. 28:7 |
| Cunning | Skilful | Ex. 31:4 |
| Curious | Embroidered | Ex. 28:27 |
| Glede | A bird of prey that glides | Dt. 14:13 |
D
| Dam | A mother | Ex. 22:29-30 |
| Dandled | To be soothed / caressed | Isa. 66:10-12 |
| Daysman | Umpire / arbitrator | Job. 9:33 |
| Descry | To spy out | Jud. 1:22 |
| Dureth | Lasts | Mtt. 13:21 |
| Durst | To dare | Lk. 20; 37-40 |
E
| Ear | To plough or till the ground | Isa. 30:24 |
| Earing time | Ploughing time | Ex. 34:21 |
| Environ | To surround / compass | Jos. 7:9 |
F
| Fain | To long for / desire. | Lk.15:13-16 |
| Feigned | Deceitful / false | Ps. 17:1 |
| Felloes | Parts of a wheel rim | I Kgs. 7:33 |
| Fillets | Connecting rods | Ex. 38:11 |
| Fining | Refining | Prov. 27:21 |
| Fitches | A species of grain | Isa.28:7 |
| Flagon | Bottle / Vessel | SoS 2:5 |
| Fray | Frighten | Dt.28:26 |
| Fuller | A bleacher or cleanser of cloth. | Mal.3:2 |
| Furbish | Polish / scour | Jer.46:4 |
G
| Gaddest | To have roamed or gone away | Jer. 26:36-37 |
| Glede | A bird of prey that glides | Dt. 14:13 |
| Greaves | Armour for the lower leg | I Sam. 17:6 |
H
| Habergeon | A coat of mail. | Ex. 28:32 |
| Hale | To draw / drag / force | Lk. 12:58 |
| Halting | Stumbling / slip | Jer. 20:10 |
| Hap | It just happened to… | Ruth. 2:3 |
| Harrow | Sharp pointed instrument | II Sam. 12:31 |
| Haughty | Proud / arrogant | Ezk. 16:50 |
| Heath | Destitute | Jer. 17:6 |
| Hewers | To cut down | Jos. 9:27 |
| Holden | held | Lk. 24:16 |
| Holpen | Help / succor | Ps. 86:17 |
| Hough | To hamstring ie. disable by cutting a leg muscle. | Jos. 11:6 |
I
| Impenitent | Without remorse | Rom. 2:5-6 |
| Importunity | Shamelessness; lack of modesty | Lk. 11:7-8 |
J
| Jangling | Empty / idle talk | I Tim. 1:5-6 |
| Joined hard | To border on | Acts 18:6-8 |
| Jot | The smallest Hebrew letter | Mtt. 5:18 |
K
| Kerchief | Veil or covering | Ezk. 13:21 |
| Kine | Cattle | Gen. 41:1-2 |
L
| Leasing | Falsehood / deceit; figuratively can mean idol | Ps. 4:2 |
| Lees | The dregs or sediment left when pouring from bottle to bottle | Isa. 25:6 |
| Lighted | Descended / got off | Josh.15:18 |
| Listeth | To please or to chose | Jn. 3:7-9 |
M
| Magnifical | Glorious; splendid | I Chr. 22:5 |
| Marishes | Marshes | Ezk. 47:11 |
| Mattocks | Hoe / spade | I Sam. 13:21 |
| Maw | Stomach | Deut. 18:3 |
| Mazzaroth | Stars, probably the signs of the Zodiac | Job. 38:22 |
| Mete | Measure | Mk. 4:24 |
| Mincing | Little quick steps | Isa. 3:16 |
| Mufflers | Veils / scarves | Isa. 3:19 |
N
| Naves | Wheel Humps | I Kgs. 7:33 |
| Neesings | Sneezing | Job 41:18 |
O
| Ouches | Settings / sockets for gems etc. | Ex. 28:25 |
| Outwent | To go in advance | Mk. 6:32-33 |
P
| Pate | The forehead / crown of head | Ps. 7:16 |
| Peculiar | Special | I Pet. 2:9 |
| Peradventure | Perhaps | Gen. 18:24 |
| Plat | Portion. | II Kgs. 9:26 |
| Poll | To cut hair from the head | II Sam. 14:26 |
| Pommels | Bowls / basins | II Chr. 4:12 |
| Post | Runner / courier | Job. 9:25 |
| Prevent | Precede;or to go before | I Thess. 4:15 |
| Purloining | Keeping back / stealing /set apart for oneself | Titus 2:10 |
Q
| Quaternions | Groups of four | Acts 12:4 |
| Quit | Innocent | Ex. 21:18-19 |
R
| Rereward | The rear guard | Isa. 52:12 |
| Road | Hostile raid | I Sam. 27:10 |
S
| Satyrs | Goats | Isa. 13:21 |
| Seething | Boiling | I Sam. 2:13 |
| Selvedge | End or edge | Ex. 36:11 |
| Settle | Ledge / pedestal block | Ezk. 45:19 |
| Suborned | To induce, instigate, prompt or bribe | Acts 6:11 |
| Sackbut | A stringed musical instrument | Dan. 3:7 |
| Sped | Found | Jud. 5:30 |
| Stout | Strong / great | Mal. 3;3 |
| Strakes | Stripes / streaks | Gen. 30:37 |
| Strake sail | Lowered the sail | Acts 27:17 |
| Strowed, strawed | To have scattered or spread. | Mtt. 28:8-9 |
T
| Tabret | Tambourine. | Isa. 5:11-12 |
| Taches | Hooks | Ex. 35:11 |
| Targets | Shields / bucklers | II Chr. 9:15 |
| Tale | Number | I Chr. 9:28 |
| Told out | Know how | II Chr. 2:2 |
| Tow | Flax / as wick for a lamp | Isa. 43:17 |
| Trow | To think | Lk. 17:9 |
U
| Undersetters | Supports | I Kgs. 7:34 |
| Unlade | Discharge / unload | Acts. 21:2-3 |
| Upbraid | To reprimand | Jms. 1:5 |
V
| Vermilion | A red colour | Jer. 22:13-14 |
| Victuals | Food or provision | Josh. 1:11 |
W
| Wen | A running sore | Lev. 22:22 |
| Wimple | A woman’s garment / shawl | Isa. 3:22 |
| Wist | Knew / have known | Jn. 5:31 |
| Withal | Same time / together with | Acts 25:25-27 |
| Wot | To know | Rom. 11:2-3 |
| Wreaths | Networks | II Chr. 4:12 |
| Wrest | Wrench / to torture by twisting / distort | Ps. 56:5; II Pet. 3:16 |
X
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Z