previous next

humour sb. (the excessive use of this word in fashion in S.'s time is often ridiculed by him, notably in Nym's jargon in Wiv. and H5)
1. moisture Cæs. II. i. 262 “suck up the humours Of the dank morning.”
2. in early physiology, fluid of an animal or vegetable body, either natural or morbid; esp. any of the four chief fluids of the human body (blood, phlegm, choler, melancholy), by the relative proportions of which a person's physical and mental qualities were held to be determined Ado III. ii. 27 “the toothache—Where is but a or a worm?,” LLL. I. i. 233 “the black-oppressing ” (melancholy was called ‘black choler’), John V. i. 12 “This inundation of mistemper'd ,” 1H4 II. iv. 501 “that trunk of h-s,” Troil. I. ii. 23, Rom. IV. i. 96 “through all thy veins . . . A cold and drowsy ,” Oth. III. iv. 32.
3. mental disposition, temperament LLL. V. i. 10 “his is lofty,” 2H4 II. iv. 256 “what is the prince of?,” R3 IV. iv. 270, Cæs. IV. iii. 119; pl. LLL. II. i. 53, 2H6 I. i. 248.
4. temporary state of mind, mood, temper Wiv. II. iii. 79 “see what he is in,” 1H4 III. i. 171 “When you do cross his ” (Qq “come crosse”), R3 I. ii. 229 “Was ever woman in this woo'd?,” IV. i. 64 “feed my ,” Oth. III. iv. 124 “Were he in favour as in alter'd,” Lucr. Arg. 8 “In that pleasant humour.”
5. fancy, whim, caprice Mer.V. III. v. 69 “let it be as h-s and conceits shall govern,” John IV. ii. 209, Tit. V. ii. 140 “Yield to his humour.”
6. inclination or disposition (“for” something), fancy (to do something) Ado V. iv. 102 “flout me out of my ,” MND. I. ii. 31 “my chief is for a tyrant,” H5 II. i. 58 “I have an humour to knock you.”
hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
hide References (8 total)
  • Cross-references in text-specific dictionaries from this page (8):
    • William Shakespeare, King John, 4.2
    • William Shakespeare, King John, 5.1
    • William Shakespeare, The First Part of Henry IV, 2.4
    • William Shakespeare, The First Part of Henry IV, 3.1
    • William Shakespeare, Henry V, 2.1
    • William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henry VI, 1.1
    • William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, 3.5
    • William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1.2
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: