Careful Words

out (n.)

out (v.)

out (adv.)

out (adj.)

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more: it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Macbeth. Act v. Sc. 5.

Out, damned spot! out, I say!

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Macbeth. Act v. Sc. 1.

Good orators, when they are out, they will spit.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): As You Like It. Act iv. Sc. 1.

Mordre wol out, that see we day by day.

Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400): Canterbury Tales. The Nonnes Preestes Tale. Line 15058.

He hath eaten me out of house and home.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): King Henry IV. Part II. Act ii. Sc. 1.

Out of my lean and low ability

I 'll lend you something.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Twelfth Night. Act iii. Sc. 4.

For out of the old fieldes, as men saithe,

Cometh al this new corne fro yere to yere;

And out of old bookes, in good faithe,

Cometh al this new science that men lere.

Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400): The Assembly of Fowles. Line 22.

  And when he is out of sight, quickly also is he out of mind.

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471): Imitation of Christ. Book i. Chap. 23.

And out of mind as soon as out of sight.

Lord Brooke (1554-1628): Sonnet lvi.

Leape out of the frying pan into the fyre.

John Heywood (Circa 1565): Proverbes. Part ii. Chap. v.

For out of the old fieldes, as men saithe,

Cometh al this new corne fro yere to yere;

And out of old bookes, in good faithe,

Cometh al this new science that men lere.

Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400): The Assembly of Fowles. Line 22.

  Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee.

New Testament: Luke xix. 22.

Out-did the meat, out-did the frolick wine.

Robert Herrick (1591-1674): Ode for Ben Jonson.

Out-did the meat, out-did the frolick wine.

Robert Herrick (1591-1674): Ode for Ben Jonson.

  Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus, but use all gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, the whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness. Oh, it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-shows and noise. I would have such a fellow whipped for o'erdoing Termagant; it out-herods Herod.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Hamlet. Act iii. Sc. 2.

Out-paramoured the Turk.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): King Lear. Act iii. Sc. 4.

Others abide our question. Thou art free.

We ask and ask. Thou smilest and art still,

Out-topping knowledge.

Matthew Arnold (1822-1888): Shakespeare.

Let the singing singers

With vocal voices, most vociferous,

In sweet vociferation out-vociferize

Even sound itself.

Henry Carey (1663-1743): Chrononhotonthologos. Act i. Sc. 1.

by simon sarris • about