Quote #37596
Ill deeds are doubled with an evil word.
William Shakespeare
About This Quote
This quote needs no introduction—at least for now. We're working on adding more context soon.
Interpretation
The line suggests that wrongdoing becomes worse when it is accompanied by malicious speech—taunts, slanders, threats, or justifications. A harmful act already injures; adding “an evil word” compounds the damage by intensifying humiliation, spreading harm further through reputation, or revealing a corrupt intention behind the deed. The sentiment reflects a moral psychology common in Shakespeare: language is not neutral but an instrument that can deepen cruelty, escalate conflict, and harden vice. The quote also implies an ethical standard for restraint in speech, recognizing that words can magnify the moral weight and social consequences of actions.




