Adam Bell
Preserved but no longer current.
See CLYM OF THE CLOUGH. Adam Cupid — i.e. Archer Cupid, probably alluding to Adam Bell. In all the early editions the line in Romeo and Juliet (II, i,.13) : "Young Adam Cupid, he that shot so trim,'- reads "Young Abraham Cupid," etc. The emendation was suggested by Steevens.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Adam Bell” mean?
See CLYM OF THE CLOUGH. Adam Cupid — i.e. Archer Cupid, probably alluding to Adam Bell. In all the early editions the line in Romeo and Juliet (II, i,.13) : "Young Adam Cupid, he that shot so trim,'- reads "Young Abraham Cupid," etc. The emendation was suggested by Steevens.
Is “Adam Bell” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.