Notes on Act IV, scene vii

clipped: less

suited: dressed

weeds: rags

Yet to be known: revealing my true identity now would ruin my plans

boon: request

meet: appropriate

wind up: tune by winding the strings tighter, as on a violin

child-changed: changed into a child again, or changed by his children

temperance: sanity

flakes: hairs (that is, they would have pitied any other old man)

perdu: lost one, also a lone sentry in danger of his life

helm: helmet, that is, only his white hair

fain: pleased

wide: wide of the mark, not yet sane

abused: confused

fourscore: eighty years old

abuse: deceive, confuse

rage: madness

even o'er: smooth over by filling in gaps, thus recollect

forgive: Lear asks Cordelia's forgiveness, what he refused to do with Goneril in 2.4.

changeable: rumors are unreliable (as Kent stands before him unrecognized)

arbitrement: deciding battle

point and period: my destiny and end