Word families

Shakespeare often refers to the heart. But he also uses this word to help create other words, such as unheart, heart-sore, and heartless. How many such derived words are there, and how are they used? Type HEART into the search-box and you will see.

We use the term word-family to identify the set of words that contain the same basic element. They will be part of a compound word (as in heart-sore), accompanied by a prefix (as in unheart) or a suffix (as in heartless), or used in different ways (e.g. as a noun and a verb). In this section we list all the words in the canon (in the modern English version) that have family resemblances so you can see which words Shakespeare exploited in this way, and which he did not. Words that are not included (such as the and Horatio) are described on the further information page here.

When there are several family members, we group them into themes, showing the directions in which Shakespeare used a word. Where these occur, they are listed under the main heading. The names of the themes, taken along with their family members, we hope are self-explanatory, but more illustration can be found on the further information page here.
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DABBLE
STATE
DACE
DAD
DAFF
DAFFODIL
DAGGER
DAILY
DAINTY
INTENSITY
DAISY
DALE
DALLY
DAM [mother]
DAM [stop]
DAMAGE
DAMASK
DAME
GAME
TYPE
DAMN
INTENSITY
STATE
DAMP
DAMSEL
DAMSON
DAN
DANCE
PLACE
OBJECT
PEOPLE
DANDLE
DANDY
DANGER
STATE
DANGLE
DANK
DAPPER
DAPPLE
DARE
INTENSITY
STATE
DARK
ACTION
APPEARANCE
INTENSITY
DARLING
DARNEL
DARRAIGN
DART
ACTION
DEATH
GODS
DASH
STATE
DASTARD
DATE [food]
DATE [time]
AGE
INTENSITY
RECENCY
NOT
DAUB
STATE
DAUGHTER
APPEARANCE
TYPE
DAUNT
NOT
DAUPHIN
DAW
DAWN
DAY
EXCLAMATIONS
OBJECT
PERIOD
SPECIAL DAY
STATE
TIME OF DAY
WEEKDAY
WORK-RELATED
DAZZLE
STATE
DEAD
DEAF
INTENSITY
NOT
DEAL
BAD
GOOD
PEOPLE
DEANERY
DEAR
COST-RELATED
PEOPLE-RELATED
DEARTH
DEATH
EXCLAMATION
ACTION
FORETELLING
IMAGE
INTENSITY
PEOPLE
PLANT
STATE
TIME
DEBARRED
DEBASE
DEBATE
PEOPLE
DEBAUCHED
DEBILITY
DEBITOR
DEBONAIR
DEBOSHED
DEBT
COLUMN
PEOPLE
STATE
TIME
DECAY
DECEASED
DECEIT
PEOPLE
DECEMBER
DECENT
DECEPTIOUS
DECIDE
DECIMATION
DECIPHER
DECISION
DECK [array]
NOT
DECK [ship]
DECLARE
DECLENSION
DECLINE
INTENSITY
DECOCT
DECORUM
DECREASE
DECREE
DECREPIT
DEDICATE
DEED
BAD
GOOD
NOT
DEEM
DEEP
ACTION
COLOUR
OBJECT
PART OF BODY
WATER
DEER
DEFACE
DEFAME
DEFAULT
DEFEAT
DEFECT
DEFEND
INTENSITY
PEOPLE
DEFER
DEFIANCE
DEFICIENT
DEFIINE
DEFILE
INTENSITY
DEFINITE
DEFLOWER
DEFORM
DEFTLY
DEFUNCT
DEFY
PEOPLE
DEGENERATE
DEGRADE
DEGREE
DEIFY
DEIGN
DEITY
DEJECT
DELATED
DELAY
DELECTABLE
DELIBERATE
DELICATE
DELICIOUS
DELIGHT
DELINEATE
DELINQUENT
DELIVER
ACTION
EXTRA
DELUDE
DELUGE
DELVE
PEOPLE
PLACE
DEMAND
DEMEAN
BAD
DEMERITS
DEMESNES
DEMI-
ANIMAL
OBJECT
PEOPLE
PLACE
STATE
DEMISE
DEMON
DEMONSTRATE
DEMURE
DEN
DENAY
DENIER [money]
DENOTE
DENOUNCE
DENY
DEPART
DEPEND
PEOPLE
DEPLORE
DEPOPULATE
DEPOSE
PEOPLE
DEPRAVE
DEPRESS
DEPRIVE
DEPTH
DEPUTE
PEOPLE
DERACINATE
DERIDE
DERIVE
BAD
GOOD
DERN
DEROGATE
DESART
DESCANT
DESCEND
DESCRIBE
DESCRY
NOT
DESERT [deserving]
DESERT [place]
DESERVE
GOOD
PEOPLE
NOT
DESIGN
DESIRE
PEOPLE
DESIST
DESK
DESOLATE
DESPAIR
STATE
DESPERATE
DESPISE
PEOPLE
DESPITE
DESPOIL
DESTINY
TIME
DESTITUTE
DESTROY
PEOPLE
DETAIN
DETECT
PEOPLE
DETENTION
DETERMINE
NOT
DETEST
DETRACT
DETRIMENT
DEUCE-ACE
DEVEST
DEVICE
STATE
DEVIL
STATE
TYPE
DEVISE
TIME
DEVOID
DEVOTE
INTENSITY
DEVOUR
ACTION
PEOPLE
DEVOUT
DEW
ACTION
APPEARANCE
PLANT
STATE
DEWLAP
DEXTER
DEXTERITY
DEY-WOMAN
DIADEM
DIAL
DIALECT
DIALOGUE
DIAMETER
DIAMOND
DIAN'S BUD
DIAPASON
DIAPER
DIBBLE
DICE
PEOPLE
DICKENS
DICTATOR
DICTION
DIE
AGE
NOT
DIET
PEOPLE
STATE
DIFFER
NOT
DIFFICULT
DIFFIDENCE
DIFFUSE
DIG
DIGEST
NOT
DIGNITY
NOT
DIGRESS
DILATE
DILD
DILDO
DILEMMA
DILIGENCE
DIM
ACTION
DIMENSION
DIMINISH
DIMPLE
DIN
DINE
PLACE
TIME
DINNER
DINT
NOT
DIP
DIRE
INTENSITY
DIRECT
PEOPLE
NOT
DIRGE
DIRT
DISABLE
DISADVANTAGE
DISAGREE
DISALLOW
DISANIMATE
DISANNUL
DISAPPOINTED
DISARM
DISASTER
DISBENCH
DISBRANCH
DISBURDEN
DISBURSE
DISCANDY
DISCARD
DISCASE
DISCERN
PEOPLE
NOT
DISCHARGE
DISCIPLE
DISCIPLINE
DISCLAIM
DISCLOSE
DISCOLOUR
DISCOMFIT
DISCOMFORT
DISCOMMAND
DISCONSOLATE
DISCONTENT
DISCONTINUE
DISCORD
PERIOD
DISCOURAGEMENT
DISCOURSE
PEOPLE
NOT
DISCOURTESY
DISCOVER
PEOPLE
NOT
DISCREDIT
DISCREET
NOT
DISCUSS
DISDAIN
DISEASE
DISEDGE
DISEMBARK
DISFIGURE
DISFURNISH
DISGEST
DISGORGE
DISGRACE
DISGUISE
DISH
OBJECT
DISHABIT
DISHEARTEN
DISHEVELLED
DISHONEST
DISHONOUR
DIS-HORN
DISINHERIT
DISINSANITY
DISJOIN
DISJUNCTION
DISLIKE
DISLIMN
DISLOCATE
DISLODGE
DISLOYAL
DISMAL
DISMANTLE
DISMASK
DISMAY
DISME
DISMEMBER
DISMISS
DISMOUNT
DISNATURED
DISOBEY
DISORBED
DISORDER
DISPARAGE
DISPARITY
DISPARK
DISPATCH
DISPENSE
DISPERSE
BAD
DISPITEOUS
DISPLACE
DISPLANT
DISPLAY
DISPLEASE
DISPONGE
DISPORT
DISPOSE
BAD
GOOD
PEOPLE
STATE
NOT
DISPOSSESS
DISPRAISE
DISPRIZE
DISPROPERTY
DISPROPORTION
DISPROVE
DISPUTE
DISQUANTITY
DISQUIET
DISRELISH
DISROBE
DISROOT
DISSEAT
DISSEMBLE
PEOPLE
DISSENSION
DISSEVER
DISSIPATION
DISSOLUTE
DISSOLVE
NOT
DISSUADE
DISTAFF
DISTAIN
STATE
DISTANCE
DISTASTE
DISTEMPER
DISTIL
PLACE
DISTINCT
NOT
DISTRACT
DISTRAIN
DISTRAUGHT
DISTRESS
DISTRIBUTE
DISTRUST
DISTURB
PEOPLE
TIME
DISUNITE
DISVALUE
DISVOUCHED
DITCH
ACTION
ANIMAL
PEOPLE
DITTY
DIURNAL
DIVE
BIRD
PEOPLE
DIVERSE
COLOUR
DIVEST
DIVIDE
GOOD
NOT
DIVINE
BAD
FORETELLING
GOOD
PEOPLE
DIVORCE
INTENSITY
DIVULGE
NOT
DIZZY
DO
ACTION
BAD
INTENSITY
PEOPLE
NOT
DOCK [plant]
DOCK [ship]
DOCTOR
DOCTRINE
DOCUMENT
DODGE
DOE
DOFF
DOG
ANIMAL
EMOTION
FISH
PART OF BODY
PLACE
STATE
TIME
TYPE
DOING
DOIT
DOLE
DOLLAR
DOLOUR
STATE
DOLPHIN
DOLT
DOMESTIC
DOMINEER
BEINGS
PLACE
DOMINICAL
DOMINIE
DOMINION
DON
DONATION
DOOM
GODS
TIME
DOOR
ACTION
PART
PEOPLE
PLACE
TYPE
DORMOUSE
DOTE
PEOPLE
DOUBLE
ACTION
CLOTHING
INTENSITY
PEOPLE
SPEECH
DOUBLET
DOUBT
INTENSITY
NOT
DOUGH
DOUGHTY
PART OF BODY
DOUT
DOVE
ACTION
APPEARANCE
PLACE
TYPE
DOWAGER
DOWDY
DOWER
NOT
DOWLAS
DOWLE
DOWN [direction]
ACTION
CLOTHING
INTENSITY
PLACE
DOWN [feather]
OBJECT
TYPE
DOWRY
DOWSET
DOXY
DOZEN
DRAB
DRACHMA
DRAFF
DRAG
DRAGON
GAME
DRAIN
DRAKE
DRAM
DRAUGHT
DRAW
ANIMAL
BAD
BIRD
EVENT
GOOD
IMAGE
OBJECT
PEOPLE
STATE
WATER
DRAWLING
DRAYMAN
DREAD
INTENSITY
DREAM
PEOPLE
NOT
DREARY
DREG
DRENCH
ACTION
ANIMAL
STATE
DRESS
OBJECT
NOT
DRIBBLING
DRIFT
DRINK
INTENSITY
TIME
DRIVE
INTENSITY
DRIVELLING
DRIZZLE
DROLLERY
DRONE
DROOP
DROP
SIZE
TYPE
DROPSY
DROSS
DROUGHT
DROVIER
DROWN
APPEARANCE
NOT
DROWSE
DRUDGE
DRUG
STATE
DRUM
NOISE
OBJECT
PEOPLE
DRUMBLE
DRUNK
INTENSITY
DRY
ACTION
SMELL
STATE
DUB
DUCAT
DUCHESS
DUCHY
DUCK [bird]
DUCK [bow]
ACTION
DUDGEON
DUE
TIME
DUELLIST
DUG
DUKE
PLACE
RANK
DULCET
DULL
PART OF BODY
PEOPLE
DULY
DUMB
SCENE
DUMP
DUN
DUNCE
DUNG
DUNGEON
DUP
DURANCE
DURE
DUSKY
DUST
STATE
DUTCH
PEOPLE
DUTY
NOT
DWARF
GODS
DWELL
PEOPLE
PLACE
TIME
DWINDLE
DYE
STATE
DYING
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