Shakespeare Words
Shakespearean, not stirred.
If Shakespeare wrote it, we've Shmooped it.
Circumstantial
Invented in As You Like It“ | Upon a lie seven times removed:—bear your body more | |
| seeming, Audrey:—as thus, sir. I did dislike the | ||
| cut of a certain courtier's beard: he sent me word, | ||
| if I said his beard was not cut well, he was in the | ||
| mind it was: this is called the Retort Courteous. | ||
| If I sent him word again 'it was not well cut,' he | ||
| would send me word, he cut it to please himself: | ||
| this is called the Quip Modest. If again 'it was | ||
| not well cut,' he disabled my judgment: this is | ||
| called the Reply Churlish. If again 'it was not | ||
| well cut,' he would answer, I spake not true: this | ||
| is called the Reproof Valiant. If again 'it was not | ||
| well cut,' he would say I lied: this is called the | ||
| Counter-cheque Quarrelsome: and so to the Lie | ” |
America's justice system wouldn't be the same without this word, meaning "something based on circumstance." As you might imagine, circumstantial evidence isn't kosher in the courtroom—it requires that people make some sort of connection or inference that isn't present in the evidence itself. Well look at that. Shakespeare must have gone to law school. |
Tag: As You Like It