Shakespearean

comparative more Shakespearean · superlative most Shakespearean · alternative Shakespearian · alternative archaic Shakesperian · alternative archaic Shaksperian

1. literatureOf or pertaining to, characteristic of, associated with, or suggestive of William Shakespeare (an English playwright), his works, or his authorship, or the time in which he lived.

   This is the distinctive milieu of Succession, the HBO juggernaut which turned the pitiful exploits of a bunch of media mogul failsons into Shakespearean drama for four critically acclaimed seasons.

   2025 June 2, Adrian Horton, “Tech-bro satire Mountainhead is an insufferable disappointment”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

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   […]there were those who had them set far over back—wide-awake men, who wanted a clear prospect; while careless men, who did not know, or care, how their hats sat, had them shaking about in all directions. The various hats, in fact, were quite a Shakespearean study.

   1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, chapter XI, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume I, Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC

   The boisterous Bulmer playfully made a pass at him with his drawn sword, going forward with the lunge in the proper fencing fashion, and making a somewhat too familiar Shakespearean quotation about a rodent and a Venetian coin.

   1922, G[ilbert] K[eith] Chesterton, “The Hole in the Wall”, in The Man Who Knew Too Much […] , London: Cassell and Company, pages 80–81

   Meanwhile, I presided over the Senate. I also dined quite frequently with the President who continued to delight and fascinate me with his conversation, not to mention his wonderful malice which was positively Shakespearean in its variety.

   1973, Gore Vidal, chapter 25, in Burr

   There was indeed something Shakespearean about both the service in the abbey and the marches that surrounded it. By Shakespearean I mean there was a blend of pageantry, procession, music and mystery.

   2023 May 7, Michael Billington, “The Coronation review – immaculately rehearsed, touching and Shakespearean”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

2. Derivative of Shakespeare's works or authorship.
3. Composed of Shakespearean sonnets.

plural Shakespeareans · alternative Shakespearian · alternative archaic Shakesperian · alternative archaic Shaksperian

1. A scholar of the works of Shakespeare.

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   Another lawyer and well-known Shakespearian, Richard Grant White, says: "No dramatist of the time, not even [Francis] Beaumont, who was the younger son of a judge of the Common Pleas, and who after studying in the Inns of Court abandoned law for the drama, used legal phrases with Shakespeare's readiness and exactness.[…]"

   1909, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], “Is Shakespeare Dead?”, in What Is Man? And Other Essays, New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers, published May 1917, page 341

2. A person trained to act in Shakespeare's plays.

alternative Shakespearian · alternative archaic Shakesperian · alternative archaic Shaksperian

1. Shakespearean English.

   No more playing with me like I’m your ball of yarn, Angel of Dipshit. I’m going to fry you so good you’ll start talking in Shakespearean.

   2024, Katarina E. Tonks, chapter XXXI, in Death Is My Ride or Die (The Death Chronicles; 2), Toronto, Ont.: Wattpad Books, →ISBN

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   I have had no one to talk to for ages. There’s Ma, who only talks in Shakespearean. And it took me ages to learn that and I still don’t understand the whole thing.

   2019, Inaaya Mahek, “Sarkine”, in Cassy & the Bathroom People, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire: Matador, →ISBN, part 2, page 183

   Honorable Corps Commander, I am one of your seven personal robots at your residence, and I assure you I am the best. […] I can speak Shakespearean, Hoch Deutch, Urdu, and three other dead languages.

   2023, Malek Nazemi, “In the Eagle’s Nest”, in United Earth 2252, Meadville, Pa.: Fulton Books, →ISBN