The Only Use of
martial
in
Romeo and Juliet
- …With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd,— Could not take truce with the unruly spleen Of Tybalt, deaf to peace, but that he tilts With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast; Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point, And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats Cold death aside, and with the other sends It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity Retorts it: Romeo he cries aloud, 'Hold, friends! friends, part!' and swifter than his tongue, His agile arm beats down their fatal…†
Scene 3.1
Definition:
-
(martial) relating to war or soldiersmost commonly seen in these expressions:
- "court martial" -- a military court that tries military personnel using military law (which is different than civilian law)
- "martial law" -- the body of law imposed by the military over civilian affairs which can be declared to replace ordinary civilian law in a time of crisis