The Only Use of
martial
in
Romeo and Juliet
- —All this,—uttered
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!†p. 132.6
Definition:
relating to war or soldiers
most 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