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It usually means "he". Thus the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet: "God be with his soul! 'A was a merry man!"
It's an archaic abbreviation of sorts. Pronounce it "uh".
Please note that the apostrophe precedes the word: it's 'a not a'.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoYou are probably thinking of 'a (the apostrophe comes before the a) which was a slangy way of saying "he". The character who uses it the most is Mistress Quickly in Henry IV and Henry V. Also "And then my husband--God be with his soul, 'a was a merry man." - Nurse, Romeo&Juliet.
It's an archaic abbreviation of sorts. Pronounce it "uh".
When used in someone's name, such as Thomas a' Beckett, it stands for "of" or "from" or it can also show that the person is descended from a particular family. So it really denotes that the person "belongs" to a place or family.
When the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet says "God be with his soul. 'A was a merry man", it means, as is clear from the context, "he".
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What does Shakespeare's word mad-bread mean?
Sorry, Shakespeare did not use that word.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word townsfolk?
Shakespeare does not use the word townsfolk.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word forth?
In a forward direction.
What does shortened word oft mean in shakespeare?
Oft is not a shortened word. Often is a lengthened word. The original word is oft and the form often did not appear until about a century before Shakespeare's day. They are, of course, the same word and mean the same thing.
What does gi' mean in shakespeare plays?
William Shakespeare sometimes uses the word gi in his plays. This word has the same meaning as the word give.
What does Shakespeare's word mad-bread mean?
Sorry, Shakespeare did not use that word.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word townsfolk?
Shakespeare does not use the word townsfolk.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word forth?
In a forward direction.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word the?
Shakespeare wrote in English. "The" means exactly the same when he used it as it does when you use it.
What does shortened word oft mean in shakespeare?
Oft is not a shortened word. Often is a lengthened word. The original word is oft and the form often did not appear until about a century before Shakespeare's day. They are, of course, the same word and mean the same thing.
What does gi' mean in shakespeare plays?
William Shakespeare sometimes uses the word gi in his plays. This word has the same meaning as the word give.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word waxen?
Waxen means made of wax. Its meaning has not changed since Shakespeare used it.
What does meration mean in the play of romeo and julliet?
There is no word "meration" in Shakespeare.
What does shakespeare mean by the word thrice?
Tuu;6r0 dn7fcijnb-n0ce
What does shakespeare mean by the word fie?
Used to express distaste or disapproval.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word o'th'other?
It's short for "or the other", as in "one or the other".
What did Shakespeare mean by the word 'then'?
Shakespeare wrote in English, the same language I am using now. There is no such language as "Shakespearean language" or "Shakespeare language". It's English. A word like "then" is a building block of the English language and always means "then" when Shakespeare or any other English speaker uses it.
