Shylock

American  

[shahy-lok] / ˈʃaɪ lɒk /

noun

1. a relentless and revengeful moneylender in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.

2. a hard-hearted moneylender.

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verb (used without object)

1. (lowercase) to lend money at extortionate rates of interest.

Shylock British  

/ ˈʃaɪˌlɒk /

noun

1. a heartless or demanding creditor

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Shylock Cultural  

1. The merciless moneylender in The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare. He demands a pound of flesh (see also pound of flesh) from the title character of the play after the merchant defaults on his debt.

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Discover More

Shylock is a Jew (see also Jews), and there has long been controversy over whether Shakespeare's portrayal of Shylock contributes to prejudice against Jews. Shylock is a cruel miser and eventually is heavily fined and disgraced, but he maintains his dignity. At one point in the play, he makes a famous, eloquent assertion that his desire for revenge is the same desire that a Christian would feel in his place. “I am a Jew,” says Shylock. “Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?”

Other Word Forms

• Shylockian adjective
• Shylocky adjective

Etymology

Origin of Shylock

C19: after Shylock, the name of the heartless usurer in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (1596)

Example Sentences

But before Page reaches Iago, he spends time with Shylock from the “The Merchant of Venice.”

From Los Angeles Times

He also found success as a director on productions of Shylock, JM Barrie and The Life And Loves Of Edith Wharton, all of which toured internationally.

From BBC

He played Shylock in a 2005 production of “The Merchant of Venice” and Gremio in “The Taming of the Shrew,” among many other roles.

From Seattle Times

What a powerful time, then, to encounter Shakespeare’s Shylock in Patrick Page’s solo-show investigation of evil, “All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain.”

From New York Times

In the Bard's famous play, Shylock asks for a pound of Antonio's flesh a loan isn't repaid within three months.

From BBC

Related Words

• bank
• banker