Shakespeare Words
Shakespearean, not stirred.
If Shakespeare wrote it, we've Shmooped it.
Compromise
Invented in The Merchant of Venice“ | No, not take interest, not, as you would say, | |
| Directly interest: mark what Jacob did. | ||
| When Laban and himself were compromised | ||
| That all the eanlings which were streak'd and pied | ||
| Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes, being rank, | ||
| In the end of autumn turned to the rams, | ||
| And, when the work of generation was | ||
| Between these woolly breeders in the act, | ||
| The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands, | ||
| And, in the doing of the deed of kind, | ||
| He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes, | ||
| Who then conceiving did in eaning time | ” |
We don't say that two people were compromised anymore (usually, it's that two people come to a compromise or just flat out compromise—thanks, active voice!), the meaning is the same. Shakespeare used his handy prefix/word/Italian language skillz on this one: promittere (promise) + com (to come together) = compromise. |