490 Archaic or obscure King James Bible words explained
A
- abase
- abated
- abhor
- abjects
- ablution
- abode
- abomination
- acceptation
- acquit
- adamant
- adjure, adjuration
- admonish
- advertise
- advisement
- advocate
- affinity
- afflictions
- affording
- affright
- afoot
- afore
- afresh
- agone
- ague
- alamoth
- albeit
- all to
- alleluia
- allow
- alms
- aloof
- ambassage
- ambushment
- amen
- amerce
- amiable
- amiss
- anathema
- apothecary
- apparel
- Ariel
- ark
- art = are (as in John 6:69 KJV)
- artificer
- artillery
- asketh = asks
- asp
- astonied
- atonement
- availeth = avails; profits; benefits
B
- babe
- backbite
- backslide
- bake-meats
- balm
- basilisk
- battlement
- becamest = became
- beckoned = make a gesture with the hand, arm, or head to encourage or instruct someone to approach or follow
- bed-chamber
- bedstead
- believest = believe
- beseech = to request earnestly; ask or beg someone urgently and fervently to do something
- beseech = to implore urgently, to beg eagerly
- beeves
- behead
- behemoth
- behold = see
- believeth = believes
- besought = past tense of beseech; meaning to implore urgently, to beg eagerly —as in Luke 7:4 KJV
- bestead
- betroth
- bewray
- bier
- bit
- bitumen
- blains
- blasphemy
- bless (blessed)
- blot
- bolled
- bolster
- booty
- bosom
- bosses
- botch
- brake = broke
- bowels
- bramble
- bravery
- breach
- breastplate
- breeches
- brigandine
- brimstone
- bruit
- buckler
- buildest = build
- bullock
- bulrush
- bulwarks
- by
- by and by
- by-ways
- by-word
C
- cabins
- calkers
- calleth = calls
- camphire
- canker
- cankerworm
- canon
- canst = can
- carbuncle
- carnal
- carriage
- casement
- caul
- cauls
- causeth = causes
- centurion
- chambering
- chamberlain
- chamois
- channel
- chapiter
- charger
- charity
- cieled = paneled, overlaid —to overlay a surface with another substance, such as with fine wood boards — 2 Chr. 3:5; Ezek. 41:16; Jer. 22:14; Hag. 1:4
- chode
- choler
- churl
- cloke = cloak
- coat of mail
- cockatrice
- cockle
- coffer
- cogitations
- comeliness = attractive; loveliness; having a pleasing appearance; giving pleasure to the senses
- cometh = comes
- committeth = commits
- compass, compassed = encircle, surround / occurences in KJV
- concision
- concubine
- concupiscence
- confection
- confectionaries
- consecration, consecrate
- conversation
- corn
- cornet
- cotes
- couldest = could
- coulter
- countenance = a person’s facial expression or facial appearance
- coveredst = covered
- covet, covetousness
- crisping-pin
- cruse
- cubit
- cummin
- curious arts
D
- dale, the king’s
- dam = the female parent of a domestic animal (sheep, goats) or of any 4-legged animal
- damnation
- daysman
- dayspring
- deal
- dearth
- deckedst = decked; decorated
- diadem
- didst = did
- dieth = dies
- distaff
- divers = diverse; several; of varying types
- divination
- doleful creatures
- dost = do
- doth = does, or do
- dowry
- dram
- draught-house
- dregs
- drinketh = drinks
- dropsy
- dross
- duke
- dumb
- dwelleth = dwells; lives in
E
- earing
- earnest
- eateth = eats
- emerods
- emulations = jealousy or envyings
- enchantments
- enmity
- ensign
- ephah
- ephod
- epistles
- ere = before
- err = to make a mistake; to be mistaken or incorrect
- eschew
- espouse
- eunuch
- euroclydon
- evermore = always
F
- fairs
- fallow-ground
- familiar spirit
- fan
- farthing
- fast
- fat
- fatling
- feller
- fens
- fillets
- finer
- fining pot
- firebrand
- firkin
- firmament
- fitches
- flag
- flagon
- flesh-hook
- floweth = flows
- flux = dysentery (Greek: δυσεντερία —transliteration: dusenterion, as in Acts 28:8 KJV “bloody flux”)
- fodder
- fold
- forgat = forgot
- fornication
- forswear = to give up; to reject or renounce under oath
- forthwith = immediately; at once; without delay
- fowler
- fretted =
- frontlets
- froward (frowardly)
- fuller
- fuller's field
- fuller's soap
- furlong
G
- gall
- garner / garners
- garnish
- garrison
- gat = got, past tense of get
- ghost
- gin
- girdle (girt)
- givest = give
- giveth = gives
- glean
- glede
- goad
- goeth = go; goes; went
- goodly trees
- Gospel
- graven image
- graving
- greaves
- grizzled (grisled)
- grove
H
- habergeon
- haft
- hallow
- halt
- handbreadth
- hearken = pay attention; listen
- harlot
- harrow
- Harsha
- hast = have
- hart
- hath = has, the singular of have
- he-ass
- helpeth = helps
- hireling
- hire = the wages or earnings of a harlot / Hebrew word: ethnan
- hirest = bribe; to give a present / Hebrew word: shachad
- hither = to this place, or towards this place
- holpen
- hose
- hough
- howbeit = however; nevertheless
- husband
- husbandman
I
J
K
- kine
- kinsman, kin, kindred
- knop
- know or knew in addition to the normal meaning, in the KJV these words are also used as a euphemism for sexual intercourse, based on the context
- knowest = know
- knoweth = know, knows
L
- lascivious
- latchet
- laver
- leasing
- lees
- lest = for fear that —indicating the intention or concern of preventing something undesirable
- leaveneth = leavens
- liveth = lives
- longsuffering (aka long-suffering) = to suffer a long time without snapping; hardship or abuse being suffered, yet without complaining or taking or seeking retaliation or revenge; patient endurance of pain or unhappiness
- lothed = loathed; hated; strongly disliked
- lotheth = loathes; hates; strongly dislikes
- lintel
- lot
- low
- lucre
- lusteth = lusts
M
- madest = made
- makest = make
- maketh = makes
- mammon
- mantle
- Maranatha
- maul
- mayest = may
- mess
- mightest = might (past tense of may)
- mincing
- mine = my
- mite
- mitre
- morrow = the following day
- mote
- mufflers
- murrain
- musick = music
N
- nay = no
- necromancer
- nigh = near in place, time, or relationship
- nitre
O
- obeisance
- oblation = a thing presented or offered to God; the act of making an offering to God
- offereth = offers
- oracle
- ouches
- ox goad
P
- palmer-worm
- palsy
- parbar
- passion
- peculiar
- penny
- peradventure = perhaps; possibly —indicated doubt or uncertainty
- phylacteries
- pitch
- playedst = played
- pommels
- post (person)
- potsherd
- pottage
- Potters field
- pound
- pouredst = poured
- profiteth = profits
- propitiation
- proselyte
- psaltery
- publican
- pulse
Q
- quaternion
- quickeneth = gives life; to make alive (in a physical or spiritual sense
R
- railer
- raiment = clothing, garments
- rememberest = remember
- rent
- revelling = carousing
- rie
- road
- reins
- reprobate
- rereward
- road
- rue
S
- sabbath
- sackbut
- saith = says
- sanctify, sanctification
- Satan
- satyr
- scapegoat
- scourge, scourging
- scrip
- seditions = dissensions; divisions
- seeth = sees
- seethe
- seething pot
- selfsame = identical; exactly the same
- sendeth = sends
- sepulchre
- servitor
- shalt = shall
- sheriffs
- shew, shewest / shewed / = show / showed
- shod = wearing footgear, such as sandles or shoes
- signet
- slain = killed in a violent way; slayed
- slew = killed in a violent way; slayed
- smite = to strike sharply or heavily, especially with the hand or a handheld weapon; may result in death or severe injury
- smitten = struck; killed
- standest = stand; standing
- smote = struck sharply or heavily —past tense of “smite”
- soever = whomsoever; at all; in any kind; of any kind; to any possible or known extent
- sojourner = a temporary resident
- soothsayer
- sop
- spake = spoke, past tense of “speak”
- speakest = speak
- speaketh = speaks, or speak
- spunge = sponge
- stead = in place of someone
- stomacher
- stay = supply, as in Isaiah 3:1 KJV
- subscriptions
- supple = cleanse
T
- tabering
- tablet
- taches
- taketh = took
- tale
- talent
- target
- tarry = stay; delay
- tarried = stayed longer than intended; delayed leaving a place
- teareth = to tear, to lacerate, to rip
- teiltree
- temperance = self-control
- tenth deal
- testament
- thee
- thence = from there; from that place time
- thenceforth {= from that time}
- thine
- thither = there; to that place
- thou
- thy
- thyself = yourself
- tidings = news, usually important
- tires
- tithe
- tookest = took
- toucheth = touches
- tow
- trodden = tread; walked; stepped; past particple of “tread”
- troubleth = troubles or disturbs
U
V
- vagabond
- variance = strife
- verily
- vesture = clothing; a covering garment; apparel
- victuals = food or provisions
W
- ward
- wast = were
- watches
- watchings
- water of jealousy
- wax
- waxen = grew
- wen = a cyst or other abnormal protruding growth
- whence = from what place, source, or cause
- wherewith = how, with what, or with which
- whet
- wilt = will
- whoso = whoever
- whosoever = whoever; whatever person
- wimple
- winefat
- winnow
- worketh = works
- wont = accustomed / one’s habitual way of doing
- wot = know or realize / Acts 3:17; Philippians 1:22; Genesis 21:26; Genesis 44:15; Acts 7:40; Romans 11:2
- wotteth not = does not know or not concerned / Genesis 39:8
- wroth
- wrought = brought into being; made; done; fashioned; worked into shape by effort
- wouldest = would
- wrath = outburst of anger; fit of rage
Y
- ye
- yea = yes
- yoke
- yoke-fellow
Z
(none)