Advantage, subst. any favourable condition or circumstance; 1) profit, gain: “that sin by him a. should achieve,” Sonn. 67, 3. “for his a.” Meas. II, 4, 120. IV, 1, 24. Merch. II, 7, 19. Alls I, 1, 17. John II, 206. John II, 206 IV, 2, 60. R2 I, 4, 41. H4A I, 1, 27. III, 1, 109. H5 IV, 1, 190. H6A IV, 6, 44. H6B III, 1, 25. H8 I, 1, 193. Troil. II, 2, 204. Lr. III, 5, 13. to make a. of == to profit by: Gent. II, 4, 68. to take a. of, in the same sense: Ven. Ded. Gent. II, 4, 68 Wiv. III, 3, 116. John I, 102. II, 297. R2 II, 3, 79. R3 IV, 1, 49. Cor. II, 3, 206. Per. I, 4, 66. “to take a. on:” Ven. 405.
2) condition favourable to success: “refer yourself to this a., first that your stay with him may not be long,” Meas. III, 1, 255. “for a.” Alls I, 1, 215. “she herself, without other a., may lawfully make title,” I, 3, 106. “the plots of best --s,” John II, 40. “I'll use the a. of my power,” R2 III, 3, 42. H4A IV, 3, 2. IV, 4, 28. IV, 4, 28 V, 1, 55. H5 I, 2, 139. H6A I, 4, 12. IV, 4, 19. Troil. V, 2, 130. Cor. IV, 1, 43. Caes. IV, 3, 210. Hml. I, 2, 21. Lr. II, 1, 24. Oth. III, 1, 55. IV, 2, 179. Ant. IV, 11, 4. Cymb. I, 4, 140. IV, 1, 12. V, 2, 11. V, 3, 15.
3) favourable opportunity: “make use of time, let not a. slip,” Ven. 129. “a maid of Dian's this a. found,” Sonn. 153, 2. “all kind of arguments for his a still did wake and sleep,” Compl. 123 (according as he wanted); cf. “I can change shapes with Proteus for --s,” H6C III, 2, 192 (according as it serves my turn). “the next a. will we take throughly,” Tp. III, 3, 13. Wiv. III, 2, 36. Mids. III, 2, 16. Alls I, 1, 215. John III, 4, 151. V, 7, 62. H4A II, 4, 594. H5 III, 6, 127. H6A II, 5, 129. H6B I, 1, 242. R3 III, 5, 74. V, 3, 92. Troil. III, 3, 2. Mcb. V, 4, 11. Oth. I, 3, 298. II, 1, 248. III, 3, 312.
4) superiority: “I have seen the hungry ocean gain a. on the kingdom of the shore,” Sonn. 64, 6. “a. feeds him fat, while men delay,” H4A III, 2, 180. “having some a. on Octavius,” Caes. V, 3, 6. Ant. IV, 7, 11.
5) interest upon money: “neither lend nor borrow upon a.” Merch. I, 3, 71. “paid back with a.” H4A II, 4, 599. Metaphorically: “with a. means to pay thy love,” John III, 3, 22. “he'll remember with --s what feats he did that day,” H5 IV, 3, 50.
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
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