This revised and updated edition contains approximately 17,000 definitions - more than 2,000 of which are new - from the adjective "acerb" in Othello to the verb "zwaggered" in King Lear. It also features an all-new chapter, "Introduction to Shakespeare and His Language," which provides essential background on Shakespeare\'s life and works, as well as an in-depth discussion of how modern readers can approach his works in order to best understand and enjoy them.