Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

weapons considered collectively

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

plural of “arrow” — a mark to indicate a direction or relation

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

completely unclothed

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

have

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

a dagger with a slender blade

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

showing who or what does the action

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading CCXLI.

a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

the completion of marriage by sexual intercourse

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

a rude expression intended to offend or hurt

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

cause to be slowed down or delayed

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

in a devout and pious manner

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

plural of “hamlet” — a community of people smaller than a village

From this reading HAMLETS SOLILOQUY.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

A person legally or magically entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

the trait of being rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

possessive form of “law” — the collection of rules imposed by authority

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

engage in

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

any admirable quality or attribute

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

subject to death

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

not any; not one

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

comparative of “noble” — impressive in appearance

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

characterized by active hostility

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

plural of “pang” — a sudden sharp feeling

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

a person who requires medical care

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

through chance

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

euphemisms for death (based on an analogy between lying in a bed and in a tomb)

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

move over something with pressure

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

express in words

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

plural of “scorn” — lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

plural of “shock” — the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

past form of “shuffle” — walk by dragging one's feet

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

plural of “sling” — a highball with liquor and water with sugar and lemon or lime juice

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

speech you make to yourself

From this reading HAMLETS SOLILOQUY.

third-person singular of “spurn” — reject with contempt

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

undergo or be subjected to

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

carry out

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

plural of “trouble” — a source of difficulty

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

lacking in value or merit

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

at the time that

From this reading To die,--to sleep;-- To sleep! perchance to dream;--ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

plural of “whip” — an instrument with a handle and a flexible lash that is used for whipping

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

which person or people

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading To be,--or not to be;--that is the question:-- Whether 't is nobler in the mind, to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune; Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?--To die,--to sleep,-- No more; and, by a sleep, to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,--'t is a consummation Devoutly to be wished.

in the company of; together with

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despiséd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?