Prize, subst. 1) anything taken and seized as booty: “truth proves thievish for a p. so dear,” Sonn. 48, 14. “a p.! a p.!” Gent. V, 4, 121. “give fire: she is my p.” Wiv. II, 2, 143. Tp. IV, 205. Wint. IV, 3, 31. H4A I, 1, 75. II, 4, 283. H4B III, 1, 101. H6A V, 3, 33. H6B IV, 1, 8. H6B IV, 1, 8 IV, 7, 22. Troil. II, 2, 86. V, 6, 10. Caes. V, 4, 27. Lr. IV, 6, 230. Oth. I, 2, 51. to make p. of == to gain: R3 III, 7, 187.
2) anything gained as the reward of exertion or contest: “desire my pilot is, beauty my p.” Lucr. 279. “the proud full sail of his great verse, bound for the p. of all too precious you,” Sonn. 86, 2. “doth point out thee as his triumphant p.” 151, 10. “lest too light winning make the p. light,” Tp. I, 2, 452. Merch. II, 9, 60. As I, 1, 168. Shr. II, 344. Hml. III, 3, 59.
3) a contest for a reward: “two contending in a p.” Merch. III, 2, 142. “you have played your p.” Tit. I, 399.
4) any gain or advantage, privilege: “it is war's p. to take all vantages,” H6C I, 4, 59. “'tis p. enough to be his son,” II, 1, 20, “place, riches, favour, --s of accident as oft as merit,” Troil. III, 3, 83.
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
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