Falstaff

American  

[fawl-staf, -stahf] / ˈfɔl stæf, -stɑf /

noun

1. Sir John, the jovial, fat knight of brazen assurance and few scruples in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and The Merry Wives of Windsor.

2. (italics) an opera (1893) by Giuseppe Verdi, with a libretto by Arrigo Boito based on the Shakespearean character.

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Falstaff Cultural  

1. An endearing, fat, aging rogue who appears in several of the plays of William Shakespeare. He is prominent in the two parts of King Henry the Fourth, where he is the jolly companion of Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. Falstaff is a lover of wine, women, and song; although a coward in practice, he loves to tell tales of his supposed bravery.

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Example Sentences

That dichotomy made Hill wonder how he could convince his boss, coach Jim Wagner, to motivate Falstaff to do more while rewarding Chinen with more playing time.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2025

“I am not only witty in myself, but the cause that wit is in other men,” Falstaff declared.

From Salon • Oct. 2, 2024

McKellen plays John Falstaff, a fictional character who appears in three Shakespeare plays.

From New York Times • Jun. 18, 2024

McKellen, who portrays John Falstaff in the adaption of William Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part 1” and “Henry IV, Part 2,” reportedly cried out after toppling from the front of the stage.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2024

Falstaff will never be decorous: and he is cast off.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith