PREVENT to (1) come before, (2) go before, in = order to guide and help-not to hinder, and so the opposite of its present meaning, (3) anticipate; Latin prævenio. 1. In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. 2. Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us. Ps. lxxix. 8. See also Ps. xxi. 3. 3. We which are alive shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 Thess. iv. 15. See also Ps. cxix. 148; Matt. xvii. 25. I would have staid till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me. Merchant of Venice, Act i. Sc. 1. This seems to fall under the third meaning; and I am not sure that Shakspeare affords an example of any other; except the modern one, viz. to hinder, which is also found in the Bible. The instance, however, which Johnson quotes from Shakspeare, and interprets in the sense of to hinder, ought, I think, to be interpreted in the sense of to anticipate. I do find it cowardly and vile, For fear of what might fall, so to prevent The time of life. Julius Cæsar, Act v. Sc. 1. In the same play, iii. 1, the substantive PREVENTION is used with the same meaning : Casca, be sudden; for we fear prevention. PROPER good-looking, handsome, fair. Because they saw he was a proper child. Heb. xi. 23. The same Greek word, which is here used, is applied also to Moses, when a child, in Acts vii. 20, and is there translated fair.' Compare Exod. ii. 2, goodly child.' She finds, altho' I cannot, Myself to be a marvellous proper man; King Rich. III. Acti. Sc. 3. QUICK alive, lively. QUICKEN = to revive, animate. = If the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth . . . and they go down quick into the pit, Numb. xvi. 30. See verse 33, They went down alive into the pit.' See also Ps. xxxv. 15, cxxiv. 3. Quick and dead,' Acts x. 42; 2 Tim. iv. 1; 1 Pet. iv. 5. The word of God is quick and powerful. Heb. iv. 12. See also Isaiah xi. 3. That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die. 1 Cor. xv. 36. Thou'rt quick, But yet I'll bury thee. Timon of Athens, Act iv. Sc. 3. Hamlet, Act v. Sc. 1. Tempest, Act iii. Sc. 1. Now pile your dust upon the quick and dead. The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead. Shakspeare also uses the verb as neuter : These hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin, ROAD=' raid,' inroad, once in Bible. Whither have ye made a road to-day? 1 Sam. xxvii. 10. This word does not occur in the Bible in the modern sense; but Shakspeare uses it (1) in the sense above named; (2) for roadstead, i. e. a place for ships to anchor in; and (3) in its present ordinary signification for a public way. 1. Against the Scot, who will make road upon us With all advantages. King Henry V. Act i. Sc. 2. In one place also, Henry VIII. iv. 2, with easy roads' is used for easy stages. ROOм=place, seat at table. When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room. Luke xiv. 8. See also Matt. xxiii. 6. Grief fills the room up of my absent child, Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me. = King John, Act iii. Sc. 4. RUNAGATE fugitive, rebel, apostate; French, renégat. God bringeth the prisoners out of captivity, but letteth the runagates continue in scarceness. Prayer Book version of Ps. lxviii. 6, where the Bible has the rebellious.' I'll send to one in Mantua, Where that same banished runagate doth live. Romeo and Juliet, Act iii. Sc. 5. SECURE confident, careless. Lat. sine curâ. = Gideon . . . smote the host, because the host was secure. 'Tis done like Hector, but securely done. Judges viii. 11. Troilus and Cressida, Act iv. Sc. 5. Sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all. Ezek. xxxv. 6. The tables were written on both their sides. Exod. xxxii. 15. Comp. 2 Cor. iii. 3. Therefore will he wipe his tables clean, King Henry IV. 2nd Part, Act iv. Sc. 1. THOUGHT, used intensively for care, anxiety, melancholy. Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat. Matt. vi. 25. Comp. Phil. iv. 6, where the same Greek word is rendered careful.' If he love Cæsar, all that he can do Is to himself; take thought, and die for Cæsar. Jul Cæsar, Act ii. Sc. 1. Compare Antony and Cleopatra, think and die.' Act iii. Sc. 2. TROW to imagine, deem, believe. Luke xvii. 9. Doth he thank that servant? I trow not. Merry Wives of Windsor, Act ii. Sc. I. WIS, WIT, and WoT (originally the past tense of the former), to know, perceive, think. They wist not what it was. Exod. xvi. 15. God, &c. My master wotteth not what is with me in the house. What I shall choose, I wot not. I wis your grandam had a worser match. Gen. xxxix. 8. King Richard III. Act i. Sc. 3. Submission, Dauphin? 'tis a mere French word; King Henry VI. 1st Part, Act iv. Sc. 7. I conclude this chapter with a remark upon the phrase well stricken in years, which we find in Luke i. 7: They had no child because that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. In Tyndale's Translation, 1534, and Cranmer's, 1539, the words were well stricken in age;' which we find also in Gen. xviii. 11, and xxiv. 1. Is it possible that our translator of S. Luke altered the expression out of deference to the following passage of Shakspeare? We speak no treason, man; we say the King Is wise and virtuous and his noble Queen Well struck in years. King Richard III. Act i. Sc. 1. Mr. Steevens, in his note upon the place (and there is no other note upon it in the Variorum edition), calls the phrase 'an odd, uncouth expression.' It does not appear to have occurred to him that it is |