Aim, vb. 1) to point or direct a weapon; a) absolutely: “here stand we both, and a. we at the best,” H6C III, 1, 8. “I a. a mile beyond the moon,” Tit. IV, 3, 65.
b) trans.: not where I had --'d them (my arrows) Hml. IV, 7, 24. figuratively: “some apparent danger --ed at your highness,” R2 I, 1, 14. “it is exceedingly well --ed,” H4A I, 3, 282.
c) intr., followed by at: “this bird you --ed at,” Shr. V, 2, 50. figuratively == to endeavour to obtain: “--ing at Silvia,” Gentl. II, 6, 30. “Richmond --s at young Elisabeth,” R3 IV, 3, 40. “the riches of thyself I a. at,” Wiv. III, 4, 18. Ven. 400. H4B I, 1, 124. H6C III, 2, 68. IV, 1, 125. R3 III, 2, 45. H8 III, 1, 138. 2, 448. Cor. I, 1, 267. Oth. III, 3, 223. Followed by the inf.: “the head which princes a. to hit,” H4B I, 1, 149. “I a. to lie with thee,” H6C III, 2, 69.
2) to guess: “thou --est all awry,” H6B II, 4, 58. “if I a. aright,” H6C III, 2, 68. “well --'d of such a young one,” Shr. II, 237. “I --'d so near,” Rom. I, 1, 211. Followed by at == to suspect: “that my discovery be not --ed at,” Gentl. III, 1, 45. “--ing at your interior hatred,” R3 I, 3, 65. And == to make conjectures about sth.: “they a. at it,” Hml. IV, 5, 9. “a. better at me by that I now will manifest,” Ado III, 2, 99, i. e. form a better opinion of me.
To aim one, instead of at one, rests only upon a conjecture of M. Edd. in Err. III, 2, 66 (O. Edd. I am thee).
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.
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