Both Uses of
swagger
in
Twelfth Night
- Go, Sir Andrew; scout me for him at the corner of the orchard, like a bum-bailiff; so soon as ever thou seest him, draw; and as thou drawest, swear horrible; for it comes to pass oft that a terrible oath, with a swaggering accent sharply twanged off, gives manhood more approbation than ever proof itself would have earned him.†
Scene 3.4swaggering = walking and behaving in a highly confident manner
- to wive, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, By swaggering could I never thrive, For the rain it raineth every day.†
Scene 5.1 *
Definitions:
-
(1)
(swagger) walk or behave in a highly confident or proud manner -- often arrogant and sometimes to impress or intimidate othersSwagger is often used to imply that someone moves or behaves as though they are so strong and capable as to be above physical fear. Such people are often portrayed on television as gang members or cowboys.
- (2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)