Numbers

In just a few cases, numbers and numerical expressions differ from those found in modern English. In counting above 100, the and is sometimes omitted: thus we find ‘one hundred twenty-six (H5 IV.viii.82) and ‘a hundred fifty’ (E3 V.i.174) alongside ‘a hundred and seven’ (Oth I.iii.3) and ‘a hundred and fifty’ (MW III.iv.49).
Item Example Gloss
brace TNK III.i.20 pair
thrice AYL I.i.54 3 times
twain TNK III.v.143 2

Counting in units and tens

Item Example Gloss
two and twenty 1H4 I.i.68 22
three and twenty WT III.iii.59 23
four and twenty 1H4 III.iii.73 24
five and twenty AYL V.i.19 25
two and thirty TS I.ii.32 32
three and thirty JC V.i.53 33
five and thirty Tem III.ii.13 35
two and forty RJ IV.i.105 42
two and fifty 1H6 IV.vii.73 52

Counting in twenties

Item Example Gloss
half a score TS I.ii.109 10
score Cym III.ii.69 20
score or two R3 I.ii.256 20--40
three or four score 1H4 II.iv.5 60--80
fourscore AYL II.iii.71 80
eight score eight Oth III.iv.170 168
nine score and odd 2H4 IV.iii.35 ±180
nine score and seventeen MM IV.iii.5 197
twelve score MW III.ii.30 240 [firing distance in yards]
fourteen 2H4 III.ii.46 280 [archery distance in yards]
fourteen and a half 2H4 III.ii.46 290 [archery distance in yards]
threescore thousand E3 IV.iii.62 60,000 [army size]

Indefinite numbers

Item Example Quotation Gloss
twice and once 2H4 V.iii.38 I have been merry twice and once ere now many times
two or three Per II.iv.17 Enter two or three Lords a few
three AC III.iii.22 Three in Egypt / Cannot make better note very few
four Tim V.i.218 Lips, let four words go by, and language end an indefinite number - two or three
and twenty TNK V.ii.107 [Daughter] Shall we kiss too? [Wooer] A hundred times. [Daughter] - And twenty many more
hundred TG IV.iv.142 I have wept a hundred several times a lot
x

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