bent —
“Her affections have their full,”
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, ii. 3.
204
;
“the very bent of honour,”
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, iv. 1.
186
;
“thy affection cannot hold the bent,”
TWELFTH NIGHT, ii. 4. 36
;
“in the full bent,”
HAMLET, ii. 2. 30
;
“fool me to the top of my bent,”
HAMLET, iii. 2. 374.
“Bent is used by
our author for the utmost degree of any passion or mental quality. The expression is
derived from archery; the bow has its bent when it is
drawn as far as it can be”
(JOHNSON)
.
A General Glossary to Shakespeare's Works. Alexander Dyce. Boston. Dana Estes and Company. 1904.
This text was converted to electronic form by professional data entry and has been proofread to a high level of accuracy.
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