Maintain (accentuated on the 2d syllable; on the first in H6A I, 1, 71. Tit. II, 1, 47. V, 2, 72). 1) to keep, to support, to sustain, to feed: “he will m. you like a gentlewoman,” Wiv. III, 4, 45. “sweat in this business and m. this war,” John V, 2, 102. “I have --ed that Salamander with fire,” H4A III, 3, 53. H5 I, 1, 12. II, 3, 45. H6B IV, 7, 75. IV, 10, 24. H6C III, 3, 126. H6C III, 3, 126 R3 I, 2, 260. H8 I, 2, 31. Hml. II, 2, 361. to m. it == to afford it: “I am able to m. it,” Shr. V, 1, 79. “so senseless of expense, that he will neither know how to m. it, nor cease his flow of riot,” Tim. II, 2, 2.
2) to support, to defend, to vindicate, to justify: “our country rights in Rome --ed,” Lucr. 1838. “if it be honest you have spoke, you have courage to m. it,” Meas. III, 2, 167. “never could m. his part,” Ado I, 1, 238. “a sceptre must be as boisterously --ed as gained,” John III, 4, 136. R2 I, 1, 62. R2 I, 1, 62 IV, 27. H4A IV, 3, 9. H4B III, 2, 82. IV, 1, 42. IV, 2, 67. IV, 5, 225. H5 III, 2, 85. III, 6, 95. IV, 1, 300. H6A II, 4, 32. H6A II, 4, 32 H6A II, 4, 32 H6A II, 4, 32 III, 1, 129. III, 4, 31. H6B I, 1, 161 “(Jesu m. your royal excellence!).” H6C I, 1, 88. Troil. II, 1, 138. II, 2, 129. Tit. V, 2, 72. Tim. IV, 3, 71. Lr. V, 3, 100. Lr. V, 3, 100 Cymb. V, 4, 74.
3) to assert: “unless this general evil they m.” Sonn. 121, 13. “she dying, as it must be so --ed, upon the instant,” Ado IV, 1, 216. “say if I --ed the truth,” H6A II, 4, 5. “when the devout religion of mine eye --s such falsehood,” Rom. I, 2, 94. “heard him oft m. it to be fit,” Lr. I, 2, 77.
4) to keep, to entertain, to hold: “--ed the change of words with any creature,” Ado IV, 1, 185; “m. no words with him,” Tw. IV, 2, 107; “m. talk with the duke,” Lr. III, 3, 16. “m. a mourning ostentation,” Ado IV, 1, 207. “which --ed so politic a state of evil,” V, 2, 62. “it shall be so far forth friendly --ed till we set his youngest free,” Shr. I, 1, 141. “defences, musters, preparations, should be --ed, assembled and collected,” H5 II, 4, 19. “that here you m. several factions,” H6A I, 1, 71. “and m. such a quarrel openly,” Tit. II, 1, 47.
5) to represent: “the one --ed by the owl,” LLL V, 2, 902 (Armado's speech).
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
This text was converted to electronic form by professional data entry and has been proofread to a high level of accuracy.
hide
Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
