Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Quality, 1) any thing which can be predicated as characteristic of a thing or person; a natural or adventitious property or adjunct: “favour, savour, hue and --es, whereat the impartial gazer late did wonder,” Ven. 747. “of plagues, or dearths, or seasons' q.” Sonn. 14, 4. “full of virtue, bounty, worth and --es beseeming such a wife,” Gent. III, 1, 65. “endued with worthy --es,” V, 4, 153. “of what q. was your love, then?” Wiv. II, 2, 223. “I have many ill --es,” Ado II, 1, 106. “owner of no one good q.” All's III, 6, 12. “his --es being at this poor price,” IV, 3, 308. “fruit of baser q.” H5 I, 1, 62. (peace) “bless us with her former --es,” V, 2, 67 (the state of things described in what precedes). “--es are so weighed,” Lr. I, 1, 5 (Qq equalities). “all the --es that man loves woman for,” Cymb. V, 5, 166.
2) nature, character, particular condition (German: Wesen, Art): “may know her grief, but not her grief's true q.” Lucr. 1313. “we have no good that we can say is ours, but ill-annexed opportunity or kills his life or else his q.” Lucr. 1313 “what is the q. of mine offence, being constrained with dreadful circumstance?” Lucr. 1313 “it is the q. of the climate,” Tp. II, 1, 200. “the q. of mercy is not strained,” Merch. IV, 1, 184. “he must observe the q. of persons,” Tw. III, 1, 70. “the q. of the time and quarrel might well have given us bloody argument,” III, 3, 31. “the q. and hair of our attempt brooks no division,” H4A IV, 1, 61. “this present q. of war,” H4B I, 3, 36. “to establish here a peace indeed, concurring both in name and q.” IV, 1, 87. “you must now speak Sir John Falstaff fair, which swims against your stream of q.” V, 2, 34. “what worst, as oft, hitting a grosser q., is cried up for our best act,” H8 I, 2, 84. “of grave and austere q.” Tim. I, 1, 54. “the flamen that scolds against the q. of flesh,” IV, 3, 156. “why birds and beasts from q. and kind,” Caes. I, 3, 64. “change their faculties to monstrous q.” Caes. I, 3, 64 “such rebel blood that will be thawed from the true q. with that which melteth fools,” III, 1, 41. “whose true-fixed and resting q.” III, 1, 41 “I hold ambition of so airy and light a q. that it is but a shadow's shadow,” Hml. II, 2, 268. “take more composition and fierce q.” Lr. I, 2, 12. “the q. of nothing hath not such need to hide itself,” Lr. I, 2, 12 “you know the fiery q. of the duke,” II, 4, 93. II, 4, 93 “my heart's subdued even to the very q. of my lord,” Oth. I, 3, 252. knows “all --es of human dealings,” III, 3, 259 (Ff Q2. 3 quantities). “all q., pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war,” III, 3, 259 “note the --es of people,” Ant. I, 1, 54. “whose q., going on, the sides o' the world may danger,” I, 2, 198. “things outward do draw the inward q. after them, to suffer all alike,” III, 13, 33. “give her what comforts the q. of her passion shall require,” V, 1, 63.
3) virtue, power, efficacy (of things); accomplishment, faculty (of persons): “each stone's dear nature, worth and q.” Compl. 210. “showed thee all the --es of the isle,” Tp. I, 2, 337. “in your fine frame hath love no q.?” All's IV, 2, 4. “allay the burning q. of that fell poison,” John V, 7, 8. “the venom of such looks, we fairly hope, have lost their q.” H5 V, 2, 19. their (the herbs', stones' etc.) “true --es,” Rom. II, 3, 16. “his --es were beauteous as his form,” Compl. 99. “to thy strong bidding task Ariel and all his q.” Tp. I, 2, 193. “she has more --es than a water-spaniel,” Gent. III, 1, 271. “admiring of his --es,” Mids. I, 1, 231. “in fortunes, in graces, and in --es of breeding,” Merch. II, 7, 33. “hiding from me all gentleman-like --es,” As I, 1, 74. “her wondrous --es and mild behaviour,” Shr. II, 50. “where an unclean mind carries virtuous --es,” All's I, 1, 49. “we will, according to your strengths and --es, give you advancement,” H4B V, 5, 73. “thy rare --es,” H8 II, 4, 137. Troil. I, 2, 94. “the Grecian youths are full of q.” Troil. IV, 4, 78 (== are highly accomplished). “I have bred her in --es of the best,” Tim. I, 1, 125. “give us a taste of your q.” Hml. II, 2, 452. “a q. wherein you shine,” IV, 7, 73. “taking a beggar without less q.” Cymb. I, 4, 24.* “the adornment of my --es,” III, 5, 141. “has she any --es?” Per. IV, 2, 50. Per. IV, 2, 50
4) profession: “a man of such perfection as we do in our q. much want,” Gent. IV, 1, 58. “attend your office and your q.” Wiv. V, 5, 44. “what q. are they of?” Meas. II, 1, 59. “what is thy name? I know thy q.” H5 III, 6, 146. “will they pursue the q. no longer than they can sing?” Hml. II, 2, 363;* cf. Hml. II, 2, 363 Peculiar passage: “because you are not of our q., but stand against us like an enemy,” H4A IV, 3, 36 (do not follow the same cause, are not of our party). Plur. --es == arts, tricks: “she hath lived too long, to fill the world with vicious --es,” H6A V, 4, 35. cf. Gent. III, 1, 271.
5) rank: “Love no god, that would not extend his might, only where --es were level,” All's I, 3, 118. “with such powers as might hold sortance with his q.” H4B IV, 1, 11. “your name? your q.?” Lr. V, 3, 120. “he shall our commission bring to you, with such things else of q. and respect as doth import you,” Oth. I, 3, 283. == high rank: “gentlemen of blood and q.” H5 IV, 8, 95. “any man of q. or degree,” Lr. V, 3, 111. Oth. II, 3, 110. “a stranger of his q.” Cymb. I, 4, 30.
6) a state of affairs producing certain effects; occasion, cause: “give him note of our approach, with the whole q. wherefore,” Troil. IV, 1, 44. “know you the q. of Lord Timon's fury?” Tim. III, 6, 117.
7) manner: “hate counsels not in such a q.” Merch. III, 2, 6. “with how depraved a q.” Lr. II, 4, 139 (Qq of how deprived a q.).