Shackfords (The). Lemuel Shackford, “a hard, avaricious, passionate man, holding his own way remorselessly.... A prominent character because of his wealth, endless lawsuits and eccentricity.”
Richard Shackford, nephew of Lemuel, a frank, whole-souled young fellow, intent upon his profession, but willing to make everybody else comfortable as he wins his way up. He is accused, upon circumstantial evidence, of the murder of his uncle, but is extricated by his own sagacity, which enables him to fix the crime upon the true assassin.—T. B. Aldrich, The Stillwater Tragedy (1880).
Shaddai (King), who made war upon Diabolus for the regaining of Mansoul.—John Bunyan, The Holy War (1682).
Shade (To fight in the). Dieneces [Di.en´.e.seez], the Spartan, being told that the army of the Persians was so numerous that their arrows would shut out the sun, replied, “Thank the gods! we shall then fight in the shade.”
Shadow (Simon), one of the recruits of the army of Sir John Falstaff. “A half-faced fellow,” so thin that Sir John said, “A foeman might as well level his gun at the edge of a penknife” as at such a starveling.—Shakespeare, 2 Henry IV. act iii. sc. 2 (1598).
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were cast, by the command of Nebuchadnezzar, into a fiery furnace, but received no injury, although the furnace was made so hot that the heat thereof “slew those men” that took them to the furnace.-Dan. iii. 22.
By Nimrod’s order, Abraham was bound and cast into a huge fire at Cûtha; but he was preserved from injury by the angel Gabriel, and only the cords which bound him were burnt. Yet so intense was the heat that above 2000 men were consumed thereby.—See Gospel of Barnabas, xxviii.; and Morgan, Mahometanism Explained, V. i. 4.
Shadwell (Thomas), the poet-laureate, was a great drunkard, and was said to be “round as a butt, and liquored every chink” (1640-1692).
Besides, his [Shadwell’s] goodly fabric fills the eye,
And seems designed for thoughtless majesty.
Dryden, MacFlecknoe (1682).
*** Shadwell took opium, and died from taking too large a dose. Hence Pope says: