Each and all of these can prove a barrier to the full enjoyment and appreciation of these diaries in the twenty-first century. The following list is an attempt to remove the majority, at least, of these barriers. It is by no means exhaustive and will, moreover, be augmented as the complete set of diaries are uploaded to this site. Anyone reading the diaries here and who comes across an obsolete word, term or expression which is not included in this list is encouraged to alert us to the omission and we will do our best to see that it is included.

Links to Entries by Index Letter
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Able: Wealthy, financially well-off.
Accent: Accentuation.
Accountant: An official responsible for expenditure and keeping records of it.
Actor: Either a male or female performer in a theatre.
Admiral ship: The flagship carrying an admiral.
Admire, admiration: Wonder, wonderment.
Ague: Specifically, malarial fever but came into more general use later.
Alphabet: An index of any sort.
Amused: Bemused.
Anabaptists: Baptists and other extreme Protestant Nonconformists.
Angel: A gold coin which was worth approximately 10 shillings.
Angelique: A type of small guitar which was generally played by pages or girls.
Annoy: To molest or physically hurt.
Another gate's business: Completely different. Another question entirely.
Apposition day: The day on which public examinations at St Paul's School were held. They took the form of Declamations, in which there were opponents and respondents.

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Baggage: A woman, in an affectionate sense.
Bailey (bayly): A bailiff.
Balk: A beam of timber on board ship.
Ballet: A Ballad.
Band: A neckband or neckerchief.
Barber's Music: It was common practice to provide a ghittern or type of guitar in a barber's shop on which waiting customers could play. This gave rise to a particular style or type of popular music that was known as Barber's music.
Bass: The bass viol.
Battell: A cockfight.
Battledore and shuttlecock: The forerunner of badminton. It was very popular and was often played in tennis courts. It was a very violent game .
Bavin: A bundle of kindling wood.
Bays: Baize, a light woollen cloth.
Beard: Generally, a moustache.
Beaver: A fur hat, originally of beaver skin.
Bewpers: The fabric used for flags.
Bill: A legal warrant, a bill of exchange, a bill of mortality (the weekly list of burials issued by the Parish Clerks Company and used to determine the virulence of the plague. These were never very accurate.).
Bird's eye: Any fabric with a spotted design.
Black: A Dark haired person, usually a female here.
Blackamore: A black person (male or female).
Black patch: A small piece of black silk or court plaster, often of a fanciful shape which was worn on the skin to hide a defect or, more commonly, to show off the complexion by contrast. It became fashionable amongst women and dandies in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Blade: A gallant.
Blind: Obscure, out of the way.
Bottomry: A contract by which a ship was effectively mortgagaed. The owner borrowed money to enable him to carry out a voyage, and pledged the keel or bottom of the ship as a security for the repayment. If the ship were lost the lender lost his whole money. If it returned safely he received back his principal plus the premium originally stipulated to be paid - however much it might have exceeded the usual or legal rate of interest. It was in widespread use in all countries which had maritime interests.
Bowpott: A flower pot.
Bransle: A type of ceremonious round dance.
Breach: A bay or harbour, from the sense of a breach in the coastline.
Break thoughts: To disclose, tell.
Brig(antine): A small vessel equipped for both sailing and rowing.
Bristol milk: A sweet sherry from Bristol.
Brother: A brother-in-law or a colleague depending on the sense.
Bullet: A cannon ball.
Busse: A heavily built North Sea fishing vessel.
Butt: A cask, usually used to contain wine.
Buttered ale: Ale warmed and mixed with butter, sugar and cinnamon.
By-book: Pepy's notebook in which he kept the notes later used to write the diary.

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Cabal: An inner group of ministers or any faction.
Call: To call on or to call for.
Camlet, camelot: An expensive cloth originally a mixture of silk and camel hair. Later imitations and substitutes used wool and silk.
Campagnia: (From the Italian.) Campaign.
Canaille, kennel: A sewer or an ornamental canal.
Cancre: An ulcer or other visible growth on the body.
Canons: Ornamental and fashionable boot hose tops.
Carboned: A way of preparing a joint of meat in which it was cut crosswise and broiled.
Caresse: To make much of.
Cast: Calculate, in the sense of adding up.
Cataplasm: A poultice.
Caudle: A hot thin gruel with wine or ale.
Cerecloth: Medicated plaster.
Chagrin: (From the French) Disquieted.
Changeling: An idiot. From the belief that the fairies stole fair human infants and left benighted souls in their place.
Chapter: As of the Bible.
Chariot: A light four- wheeled carriage.
Cheapen: To ask the price of.
Chest: The Chatham Chest, a pension fund for seamen.
Chimney-money: A hearth tax.
Chimney-piece: A picture above the fireplace.
China orange: A sweet orange.
Choque: A choke or obstruction.
Chouse: To swindle.
Chyrurgeon: A surgeon.
Cinque ports: Sandwich, Dover, Romney and Hythe. Originally established with forts to guard against invasion from the continent. They also provided men and services for the navy in return for certain privileges.
Clap: Gonorrhoea.
Clap up: To imprison.
Clerk of the cheque: The principal clerical officer of a dockyard.
Close: Shutter.
Closet: A small or private room.
Clouterly: Clumsily.
Clown: A clodhopper.
Club: To share expenses.
Clyster, glister: An enema.
Coach: The captain's state-room in large ship.
Cod: A testicle; a small bag.
Codpiece: A bagged appendage worn in front of the breeches.
Collier: coal ship.
Colly-feast: A feast of cullies (friends) at which each pays his share.
Commons: An allowance of food.
Comprehension: A church union (confined to Protestants).
Consumption: Specifically tuberculosis, but also a general term for any wasting disease.
Conventicle: The meeting at which Nonconformists gathered for worship.
Coole: A cowl.
Coppy, copyhold: The tenure of manorial land by copy of customs of manor. A very ancient right to ownership or residence.
Coquin: (From the French) A knave.
Corant(o): A French-Italian dance which includes a running or gliding step.
Coxon: A coxswain.
Crazy: Infirm .
Crop: Crop-eared.
Crusado: A Portuguese coin which was worth about three shillings.
Cuddy: A cabin in large ship in which the ship's officers took their meals.
Cunning: Knowledgeable.
Curious: Discriminating, fine or delicate.

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Dead colour: An undercoat or preparatory layer of colour in painting.
Deals: Sawn timber planks for decks etc.
Dedimus: A writ empowering a justice of the Peace.
Defluxion: A discharge of humours from the body.
Defyance: (From the French) Mistrust.
Delicate: Pleasant.
Deputacion: The appointment of deputy.
Dialect: Jargon.
Dispense: Outgoings or expenditure.
Docket: An abstract of letters patent.
Dog: To follow.
Dogged: Surly.
Dortoire: (From the French) A monastic dormitory.
Doxy: A whore or mistress.
Dram: A particular type of timber from Drammen in Norway.
Draught: A drawing of beer.
Draw: To draft, cause to flow. (Especially beer).
Draw in species: To focus an image.
Drawer: A tapster who drafted beer.
Droll: A wag or wit.
Drudger: A dredger, a container for sweetmeats etc.
Druggerman: Dragoman.
Ducket: The ducat, a foreign gold coin worth approximately nine shillings.

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Earth: Earthenware utensils.
Easily and easily: more and more slowly.
Effeminacy: Love of women or their company.
En hora buena: A Spanish expression of congratulation.
Espinette: A spinet. (A keyboard instrument in which the strings are plucked.).
Establishment: The number of officers, ships etc. in the Fleet.
Euphroe: A shipbuilding term. Also uphroe or deadeye. It was a long piece of wood with holes which was used to support lines.

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Factory: A trading station.
Fall: To go bankrupt.
Fallow: To court.
Family: The general household, including the servants.
Fanatic: An extreme Nonconformst.
Fanfarroon: A braggart.
Farthingale: A hooped skirt or petticoat.
Fat: A vat.
Father: A senior official under whom clerks served.
Fellet: Of trees, a cutting.
Ferrandin, farandine: (From the French) A cloth of Silk mixed with wool or hair. It was similar to the modern poplin.
Fiddle: Slang for a violin.
Fine: A payment for lease, usually of land or the right to trade in a market.
Finger:.
Fireball: A small source of fire used for kindling.
Fireship: A ship filled with combustibles such as oil and tar and used to ram an enemy vessel.
Flag, flagman: The flag officer on board ship.
Flageolet: (From the French) A type of whistle or simple flute.
Fleshed: Relentless.
Flower: A beautiful girl.
Flux: To induce (usually by mercury) a discharge of bodily fluids (especially saliva) as a cure for the pox.
Fond: (from the French) Fund.
Forsooth: To forsooth is to address in a polite and ceremonious manner.
Foy, foy-dinner: A gift or feast given before one's departure abroad.
French bacon: Bacon cured with brine and saltpetre.
Frost-bite: In general terms, to invigorate by exposure to cold.
Fumbler: An unperforming husband.

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Gall: To harass.
Galley: A large open rowing boat.
Genius: The inborn character.
Ghostly: Spiritual.
Gilder, guilder: Dutch money of account worth 2s.
Gittar, guittar: (From the Spanish) A string instrument with five double courses of gut strings.
Gitterne: A small member of the Gittar family with four courses of gut string.
Glass: A telescope.
Gleeke: A three-handed card game.
Glister: See Clyster.
Glosse, by a fine: by a plausible pretext.
Good word: Good news.
Gorget: A type of neckerchief worn by women at this time. Also known as a falling whisk.
Gossip: To act as a godparent.
Green goose: A young goose.
Greens: General term for plants and creepers.
Grief: Any bodily pain.
Groom: An attendant or servant.
Grudging: A "touch" of an illness.
Guarda ml spada!: (From the Spanish.) Beware of my sword!.
Guesthouse: (From the Dutch gasthuis.) An almshouse.

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Habit: Dress.
Halfshirt: A short shirt.
Hand-to-fist: With a will.
Handycapp: A card game similar to Loo. However, in handycapp the winner of one trick has to put in a double stake, the winner of two tricks a triple stake, and so on.
Harslet: Pork offal.
Haunt: To pay amorous court to.
Head-piece: A helmet.
Hector: A boaster or swashbuckler.
Heaven: A tavern or place of entertainment within or adjoining Westminster Hall. There were also taverns called Hell and Purgatory in the vicinity.
Hog-high: In a pig-headed way.
Hogshead: Half a butt.
Holland: A particular type of linen.
House: Either the royal household or the Houses of Parliament.
House of office: A latrine.
HUEG0 de Toros: (From the Spanish) Bullfight.
Humour: Can mean mood, character or bodily fluid depending on context.
Husband: A person who gets value for money, a steward.
Husbandry: Economy.
Hypocras: A sweet spiced wine.

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Impertinent: Irrelevant.
Impostume: An abscess.
Inch of Candle: A sale by auction before the advent of the auctioneer's hammer. At the start of bidding, an inch length of candle was lit. The last bidder before the candle went out was the winner. An alternative was to stick a pin in the candle. When this dropped down the sale was concluded.
Indian gown: An dressing gown of rich material.
Instar omnium: (Latin) Typical of all of them.
Institucions: Instructions.
Instrument: An agent or office clerk.

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Jack: A spit.
Jackanapes coat: A short jacket worn by sailors. (A monkey jacket.).
Jade: A woman (used in an affectionate sense).
Jamaica brawn: Brawn made from the wild pig of Jamaica.
Japan: Used to denote lacquer.
Japan gown: A Japanese silk gown.
Jole: The cut of a fish consisting of head and shoulders.
Juste-au-corps: (From the French) A close fitting knee-length coat.

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Keep: To keep house, live or stay.
Kennel: See Canaille.
Ketch: A sailing vessel with two masts. But also a round song known as a "catch".
Knees: Timbers with an angular shape.
Knot: A clique.

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Lace: braid made with gold- or silver-thread.
Laisser aller les femmes: (From the French) Let women alone.
Lamb's wool: Hot spiced ale with roasted apples.
Laver: The basin of a fountain.
Leads: The flat space on roof which was sometimes boarded over.
Lean: Lie down.
Lesson: A piece of music.
Letter of mart: Also licence of marque. Official written permission to prepare a vessel to attack hostile forces.
Lignum vitae: A hard, compact, black-green wood from which pestles, ship-blocks, rollers, castors, etc. were turned.
Lines: (Of a ship) The designer's drawings.
Links: Torches of tallow or pitch to light the way trough the dark streets. They were usually carried by boys.
Load: (Of timber) A standard fifty cubic feet.
Lock: An artificial tress of hair.
Lute: A plucked instrument with six courses of strings and peg-box at right-angles to the neck.
Lyra-viol: A small bass viol with "lyra" or "harp-way" tuning.

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Ma(i)ster: An expert, or professional.
Machine: A device for creating spectacular stage effects.
Mad: Whimsical.
Madame: A prefix used of widows and elderly ladies.
Main: Strong or bulky.
Make: Match cocks n a cock-fight.
Make bows: To play the courtier.
Managed-horse: A horse trained in a riding school.
Masty: Burly.
Mazer: This was a drinking-bowl turned out of wood, preferably maple, and especially the spotted or speckled variety which was called "bird's-eye maple".
Meat: Food in a general sense.
Mechanique: A manual worker.
Medium: Mean.
Metheglin: A type of simple mead. It was a liquor made of honey and water, boiled and allowed to ferment.
Milk-meat: Dairy produce.
Millon: The water-melon.
Mis: A prefix used of young maids.
Mithrydate: A sleeping draught.
Mlsling, MISLY: Drizzling rain.
Mlstress: This prefix was used of young unmarried women as well as married women.
Modern: Recent.
Modest: Virtuous.
Moher: (From the Spanish mujer) A woman or wife.
Mold: A mole or breakwater.
Molest: Annoy.
Mond: The orb carried by the monarch.
Monteeres, montero: (From the Spanish). A kind of huntsman's cap
Month's mind: To have a great desire, to lust after.
Morning draught: A mid-morning drink, usually alcoholic and sometimes accompanied by light food.
Mould: In shipbuilding, the full scale wooden pattern of a ship set out on the mould-loft floor.
Mum: A strong ale which was spiced and imported from Germany.
Muscadine or muscadel: A rich variety of wine.
Music: A band or choir.
Musk melon: The ordinary melon.
Musty: Peevish.
Mystery: Can mean either a craft, an art or a trade.

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Naked bed: To sleep without night-clothes, this was common.
Nativity: A horoscope.
Navy: The Navy Office.
Navy officers: officials of the Navy Office.
Neat: Ox.
Nightgown: A dressing gown.
Noise: A band of musical instruments (not in a perjorative sense).
Northdown ale: Ale from Margate.
Nulla puella negat: (Latin) No girl ever refuses.
Nursery: A training school for actors.

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Oars: See Pair of oars.
Of course: As usual, in the normal course.
Officers: See Navy.
Oleo: (From the Spanish) A stew.
Olim, heri, hodi, cras nescio cujus: (Latin) Yesterday, today, tomorrow, I know not whose. Once upon a time.
Ombre: (From the Spanish.) A three-handed card game.
Only: In the main, mainly.
Open: To explain.
Opera: At that time, a spectacular entertainment which included painted scenery and stage machinery in addition to the actors.
Opiniastrement: (From the French.) Obstinately.
Ora: (Latin) The brim of a pot or basin.
Ordinary: An eating place which served plain (or ordinary) fare at a fixed price.
Otacousticon: An ear trumpet.
Oyer and terminer: (Legal, from the mediaeval French). A commission to a judge to hear and determine a case.

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Pacquet-boat: A mail-boat.
Pair (of organs): This was a single instrument which had several parts.
Pair of oars: A large river-boat rowed by two men each with two oars.
Passion: Feeling or mood.
Passionate: pathetic in the sense of provoking compassion.
Patten: overshoe (wooden sole mounted on iron with leather strap).
Pendances: Ear-rings.
Pendants: A ship's flags.
Perspective glass: A telescope or binoculars.
Peruques: Artificial curls, not necessarily a wig.
Pesa me: (From the Spanish.) An expression of sympathy.
Philosophy: Natural science.
Physic: A laxative or purge.
Piece: A gold coin worth approximately twenty shillings.
Pinner: A fill-in above the decolletage or a coif.
Pipkin: An earthenware pot with a handle.
Placket: A petticoat.
Plat: Can mean a chart, a map level or a flower-plot.
Platery: The craft of making metal plate.
Pleasant: Comic.
Point-de-gesne: (From the French) Genoa lace.
Policy: Cunning.
Poor wretch: Poor dear.
Posset: A night drink of spiced milk mixed with wine or beer.
Powdered: Salted. It refers to boiled salt beef. To powder was to sprinkle with salt, and the powdering tub was a vessel in which meat was salted.
Pragmatic: Interfering or conceited.
Present, presently: Immediate, immediately.
Press: A cupboard or bookcase; an impressment.
Press-bed: A bed which folded up into a press or cupboard.
Pretend: To allege.
Prick: To write out music.
Prince: The ruler or monarch.
Prise, prize: Price or worth.
Pronunciation: Elocution, delivery.
Punch: A short thick man or boy.
Purl: Hot beer mixed with bitter herbs, normally wormwood but other aromatic herbs were also used. The name was also used for hot beer flavoured with gin, sugar, and ginger.
Puss: An ill-favoured woman.

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Ra(e)ncontre: (From the French) To encounter.
Rake-shamed: Disreputable, identified as a Rake.
Rare: Fine or splendid.
Receiver: A receptacle.
Recepi: (Latin) A receipt.
Recruite: Reinforcement.
Reformado: A naval or military officer serving without a commission.
Religious: A monk or nun .
Riding: A satirical procession in mockery of a shrewish wife.
Right-hand man: The soldier on whom a drill manoeuvre turns.
Romance: A tale or story.
Romantique: Having the characteristics of a Romance or tale.
Rub: To check or stop.
Running: (Of a committee) Temporary.

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Sack: white wine from Spain or the Canaries.
Samphire: A type of rock seaweed which was the basis for a very popular pickle at this time.
Sasse: (From the Dutch) A lock.
Scale: (Of music) Gamut, a hexachordal system which pre-dated the modern major and minor system of keys.
Scar-fire or scarefire: This was an alarm of fire.
School: To scold.
Scotoscope: A portable spyglass which allowed one to see objects in a dark room.
Scrivener: Strictly a copyist but he often acted as a notary or equivalent of a modern solicitor.
Scull: A small river-boat rowed by a single waterman using a pair of oars.
Scuttle: A small rectangular or square hole or either in the deck or side of a ship, generally for ventilation. That in the deck was sometimes a small hatch-way.
Seem: To pretend, to make it seem to be.
Servant: Used at this timed to denote a male lover or suitor.
Set up one's rest: To make one's whole aim.
Shag: Worsted or silk cloth which had a velvet nap on one side.
Sit: To hold a meeting.
Six Clerks' Office: This was in Chancery Lane, near the Holborn end. It was here that all commissions, pardons, patents, warrants, etc., that had passed the Great Seal were recorced.
Skimmer: A flat pan with a perforated base.
Slops: The seamen's ready-made clothes.
Slug: A rough metal projectile or bullet.
Smoke jack: A roasting spit in a fireplace which was operated by the warm air rising in the chimney.
Solicitor: An agent. One who solicits business.
Sound: A fish-bladder.
Species: As in Draw in species.
Spiket: A spigot, faucet, tap.
Spinet: See Espinette.
SPQR: (Latin.) Senatus Populusque Romanus (The Senate and People of Rome). The official motto of ancient Rome.
Spudd: A spade.
Spy: A spy-ship, a ship used for reconnaissance.
Stirred: (Of beer in a cask.) Disturbed or perturbed.
Stout: Courageous.
Stuff: A term usually used to denote woollen cloth.
Success: An eventuality whether good or bad.
Surrender: (Legal) A deed yielding tenancy of a copyhold estate.
Symphony: The instrumental introduction or prelude to a vocal work.

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Tabby: A ribbed silk.
Tables: The game of backgammon.
Taille, talle: A figure or shape.
Tally: A wooden stick used by the Exchequer in accounting. It came in two matching parts for security , and was notched to show value.
Tansy: A sweetened egg pudding with various flavourings.
Tarpaulin: A sea-bred captain, as opposed to a gentleman (appointed) captain.
Tell: To count.
Tennis: Real (royal) tennis which was played indoors.
Tent: (From the Spanish) Red wine.
Terce: A measure of wine which equalled 42 gallons.
Terms: Menstrual periods.
Theorbo: A large lute with two heads used in accompaniment.
Those: Menstrual periods.
Thrush: An inflammation of the throat and mouth.
Ticket: A seaman's pay-ticket.
Tire: The tier or gun-deck.
Tiring room: The dressing room in a theatre.
Tongue: One's reputation or fame.
Tosse: Fright or confusion.
Tour: turn.
Tour, the: The coach parade of the beau monde in Hyde Park.
Trained Bands: Also Train bands. These were the forerunners of the militia and territorial forces. They were instituted by Henry VIII to ensure that in time of war there was a pool of men familiar with the use of weapons on which he could draw in time of war. They were abolished in 1663. However those of the City of London were excepted. They were considered the elite and their officers were supplied by the Honourable Artillery Company, which still has its headquarters on City Road.
Transire: (Legal Latin.) A warrant allowing goods through customs.
Trapan: To perform brain surgery.
Tread: (Used of birds.) To copulate.
Treble: The treble viol.
Triangle: Triangular virginals.
Trill(o): The rhythmical repetition of one note.
Trim: To shave.
Tripos: A kind of licensed jester at Cambridge. The Tripos, or "Bachelor of the Stool", made the speech on Ash Wednesday, when the senior Proctor called him up and exhorted him to be witty but modest withal. Despite the injunction, the speeches, tended to be boisterous and, after the Restoration, bawdy and scurrilous.
Truckle or Trundle bed: A low, spare, bed on castors which was kept under the main bed.

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Umbles: The entrails of deer. The shambles were the entrails of cattle.
Uncouth: Unfamiliar.
Untruss: To undo the breeches in order to defecate.
Use: (noun) Usury or interest.
Use: (verb) To be accustomed.
Use upon use: Compound interest.

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Valentine: The practice of choosing Valentines was very popular at this time. In his Diaries, Pepys gives us some of the best and most detailed accounts of the custom.
Vaunt: To sell.
Viol: A flat-backed fretted instrument held between the knees. Superseded by the violin in Pepy's lifetime.
Virginals: A small oblong plucked instrument similar to the spinet but with the strings at right angles to the keyboard.
Virtuoso: A man of wide learning.
Virtuosos: The College of the Royal Society.

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Waistcloth: On a ship, the cloth hung between the quarter deck and forecastle as either decoration or camouflage.
Waistcoat: An under-coat worn by men beneath the doublet. It became fashionable to expose part of it through the doublet.
Wait: To serve one's turn of duty as an official.
Wall: To give a person the wall was to allow the right or privilege of walking next the wall as the cleaner and safer side of a pavement or sidewalk. This was a constant problem when two people met on a pavement in the narrow, filthy streets of London. There were many altercations until the rule of passing to the right of the person met with was generally accepted. The natural effect of this, however, would have been for people travelling in opposite directions to use the opposite pavements!
Watch: Clock.
Weekly bill: see Bill.
Welch harp: A harp with a straight pillar and flat soundboard.
Wherry: A small river boat which carried passengers.
Whisk: A woman's stiffened neckerchief.
Wilde: Wine.
Wind: Wine.
Wind like a chicken: To wind round one's little.
Wipe: Sarcasm an insult.
Woolpacks: In the Tudor period English wool was much prized and in Elizabeth's reign woolpacks were placed in the House of Lords for the judges to sit on, so that the fact that wool was a main source of the national wealth might be kept constantly in mind. It survives today in that the Lord Chancellor still sits on one, which is now called "the Woolsack".

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Yard: The penis.

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