Beatrice claims to believe in Benedick’s worth “better than reportingly.” Her use of the word “reportingly” is intriguing, and suggests that the reports she heard about Benedick are not responsible for her new opinion of him. Either she is mistaken, or she has held affections for Benedick since the beginning of the play’s events.

Ursula and Hero describe Benedick’s reputation, which, according to Ursula’s word, “goes foremost in report through Italy.” Hero, despite holding a higher opinion of Claudio, agrees with Ursula with the intention of tricking Beatrice into loving Benedick.

In an ironic gesture, Hero claims that she will not tell Beatrice of Benedick’s passion for her. She knows, however, that Beatrice can hear her every word. Hero suggests that Benedick should suppress his passion “like covered fire,/Consume away in sighs.” The lines evoke the image of a candle being snuffed out, the resulting smoke of which is alluded to in the ethereal reference to “sighs.”

Before discussing Benedick, Hero describes Beatrice’s proud nature. As Hero sees it, Beatrice is so critical that she would find fault with any man. Issuing a list of characteristics, Hero imagines the problem Beatrice would complain of: “if tall, a lance ill-headed;/If low, an agate very vilely cut.”

It is clear that there are multiple levels of deception here. Hero intends to trick Beatrice into falling in love with Benedick. However, Hero is acting according to the lie Don Pedro told her about Benedick’s affections for Beatrice. Thus, none of the characters in the scene understand the full picture. One of the central themes of the play is the use and consequences of deception.

Ursula is referring to the arbour—previously called the “pleached”—with another pair of uncommon words. “Woodbine” refers to any crawling plant or vine, one which “binds” to “wood.” A coverture refers to any covering or canopy.

Ursula employs a clever pun here. “The pleasant’st angling” takes on two meanings. On one level, “angling” refers to fishing, which Ursula expands on with the image of the fish “greedily devour[ing] the treacherous bait.” On another level, “to angle” means to place an object at a new angle or direction. It can be said that Hero, Ursula, and Margaret are “angling” Beatrice towards Benedick.

A lapwing is a kind of bird, a variety of crested plover known for being particularly swift on foot. It is not clear whether this metaphor is intended to mock Beatrice, or simply to point out her rushed state.

The events of Act 3, scene 1 closely mirror those of Act 2, scene 3. Just as Don Pedro planned for Benedick to overhear his false account of Beatrice’s love for him, Hero will spin the opposite story to a not-so-hidden Beatrice.

The word “pleached” means “interlaced.” Given that a “bower” is an arbour, the setting is a shady tree-lined area covered by interlacing branches: an ideal place for eavesdropping.

After learning that she has a reputation for being overly prideful and scornful, making her “unlovable” to Benedick, Beatrice expresses disbelief and shock. Suddenly, the character who defies societal expectations regarding women and marriage manages to abandon her contempt and “maiden pride.” She acknowledges that she has a “wild heart,” yet here she wants Benedick to “love on” as she will love him in return. However, it appears that Beatrice allows Benedict to pursue her more as a reaction against the reputation she has gained.

Hero and her attendant Ursula have planned to have Beatrice overhear their staged conversation, which will trick her into believing that Benedict loves her (as he does in reality). Hero and Ursula’s plan represents a Cupid’s trap. Moreover, the execution of this plan indirectly shows how Beatrice and Benedick are both stubborn and in self-denial regarding love and matrimony.

A play on words—Beatrice refers to both the marriage ceremony and the ring that symbolizes marriage.

That is, a person who is prideful and contemptuous will be condemned behind his or her back.

This is Shakespeare's literary illustration of the adage that one's ears burn when one is being spoken about.

In other words, Benedick's virtues deserved a good reputation long before anyone recognized his virtues.

This is, of course, meant to be a funny image, but it is based on the Elizabethan judicial act of "pressing" suspected criminals (who haven't plead guilty or innocent) by piling stones on their chest until they either plead guilty or innocent or die from the weight.

That is, and so different from what is accepted as proper behavior.  In Shakespeare's time, behavior and health were believed to be governed by *humours, *all of which needed to be in balance for a person to function properly.  Beatrice would be viewed as out-of-balance.

That is, a weather vane that simply rotates as the wind blows, with no direction or purpose.

That is, Beatrice is so self-absorbed that she cannot even recognize value a lover.

That is, Beatrice undervalues or underestimates the value of what she sees.  Her "disdain" makes her blind to love.

In other words, Hero suggests that Benedick loves in silence.  The implication is that Beatrice, because of her proud nature, will reject Benedick's love, so it would be better if Benedick just keeps his love secret.

Hero refers to hawks (haggards) that, like Beatrice, are almost impossible to domesticate.

A veiled comment on Prince John,  who rebelled against his brother.  In a larger sense, Shakespeare is making a political statement that applies to disloyalty and rebellion in general, not an uncommon problem in Elizabethan times when the Queen dealt with numerous plots against her right to rule.

This is likely the same arbor that Benedick hid in.  An arbor and bower are both an enclosed space in a garden with a roof of vines intertwined to enclose the space.

They are, of course, deceived by the Prince's plan to bring Beatrice and Benedick together.

By the Renaissance and Elizabethan periods, Cupid, the god of love, is described as an infant-angel, no longer the crafty god of the Greeks and Romans.

Considering Beatrice's quick wits, this likely means that she is arguing with the Prince and Claudio.