--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do I not bate? do I not dwindle? Why, my…" description: "\"Do I not bate? do I not dwindle? Why, my skin hangsabout me like an old lady's loose gown; I am withered like an old apple-john.\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/william-shakespeare-4_great-saying-by-grea_do-i-not-bate-do-i-not-dwindle-why-my-sk_2009439.jpg" --- # Do I not bate? do I not dwindle? Why, my skin hangsabout… ![“Do I not bate? do I not dwindle? Why, my skin hangsabout me like an old lady's loose gown; I am withered like an old apple-john.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/william-shakespeare-4_great-saying-by-grea_do-i-not-bate-do-i-not-dwindle-why-my-sk_2009439.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/william-shakespeare-4_great-saying-by-grea_do-i-not-bate-do-i-not-dwindle-why-my-sk_2009439.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/william-shakespeare-4_great-saying-by-grea_do-i-not-bate-do-i-not-dwindle-why-my-sk_2009439.jpg) > “Do I not bate? do I not dwindle? Why, my skin hangsabout me like an old lady's loose gown; I am withered like an old apple-john.” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels aging and decay, using vivid metaphors of clothing and fruit to convey a sense of with. **In simple terms:** Aging feels like an old dress and a with apple. Key Takeaway Embrace change and seek renewal. Themes aging decay self‑reflection metaphor Mood melancholic introspective Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - personal health - career transition - creative writing Key Concepts mortality identity transformation Questions to Reflect On - What personal “old garments” are you ready to shed? - How can you rejuvenate your spirit? A Different Perspective Metaphors may exaggerate, obscuring practical solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bate Dwindle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bate-dwindle-3580602/) [Dwindle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dwindle-52033/) [Dwindle Skin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dwindle-skin-3580600/) [Great saying by great authors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-saying-by-great-authors/) [Like Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-old/) [Skin Hangsabout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skin-hangsabout-3580601/) ## Related quotes > [“If reshaping a life style boils down to pretending and dwindling into a world of make-believe, living may turn into a schizophrenic merry-go-round and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/if-reshaping-a-life-style-boils-down-to-pretending-and-dwindling-into/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [“Nothing can dwindle to nothing, as Nature restores one thing from the stuff of another, nor does she allow a birth, without a corresponding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/titus-lucretius-carus/nothing-can-dwindle-to-nothing-as-nature-restores-one-thing-from-the/) [Titus Lucretius Carus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/titus-lucretius-carus/) > [With the magnificence of eternity before us, let time, with all its fluctuations, dwindle into its own littleness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chalmers/with-the-magnificence-of-eternity-before-us-let-time-with-all-its/) [Thomas Chalmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chalmers/) > [“But I can sit here with my dwindling days and look at what I think is important in life. 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Like aqua vitae with a midwife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/maria-nay-but-say-true-doesit-work-upon-him-sir-toby-belch-like-aqua/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Rosalind. Well, this is the forest of Arden. Touchstone. Ay, now am I in Arden, the more fool I. When I was at home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/rosalind-well-this-is-the-forest-of-arden-touchstone-ay-now-am-i-in/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by William Shakespeare > [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. 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