measure sb. (the sense ‘quantity (of drink),’ arising out of that of ‘unit of capacity’, develops into ‘carouse, toast’ in Mac. III. iv. 11, Oth. II. iii. 32)
1.
distance of a fencer from
his opponent, fig.=reach
Gent. V. iv. 127
“Come not with in the
of
my wrath.”
2.
something
commensurate or adequate
Cor. II. ii. 128
“He cannot but with
fit
the honours Which we devise him”
; satisfaction (of desire)
3H6 II. iii. 32
“measure of
revenge.”
3.
limit, restricted
extent
Rom. III. ii. 125
“no end, no limit, ,”
Mac. V. vii. 102 [viii. 73] “in , time, and place,”
Ant. III. iv. 8
“most narrow ”
; also in phr. “above
, beyond
all , out of
”=excessively.
4.
moderation
Mer.V. III. ii. 112
“In rain thy
joy,”
R2 III. iv. 8
“When my poor heart no
keeps in grief.”
5.
treatment meted out
Meas. III. ii. 264
[257],
All'sW. II. iii. 273
“hard and undeserved
,”
3H6 II. vi. 55
“Measure for
measure.”
6.
metre
H5 V. ii. 138
“neither words nor
measure.”
7.
tune, melody
John III. i. 304
“m-s to our
pomp.”
8.
rhythm or time of a
piece of music
Tw.N. V. i. 41
“the triplex, sir, is a
good tripping measure.”
9.
dance, esp. grave or
stately dance
Ado II. i. 81
“a full of state and
ancientry,”
R2 I. iii. 291, III. iv. 7, Rom. I. iv.
10,
Ven. 1148
“tread the
measures.”
10.
stately gait or step
Mer.V. II. vi. 11
“His tedious
m-s,”
Wint. IV. iii. [iv.] 760
“the of the
court.”
