Phrases We Owe to William Shakespeare
Phrases We Owe to William Shakespeare
Shakespeare popularized these phrases, it does not necessarily mean he was the first to use them. Much of his language was influenced by the cultural and social nuances of the Elizabethan era.

"All's well that ends well" - From the play "All's Well That Ends Well"

 

"Bated breath" - From "The Merchant of Venice"

 

"Brave new world" - From "The Tempest"

 

"Break the ice" - From "The Taming of the Shrew"

 

"Dead as a doornail" - From "Henry VI, Part II"

 

"Eaten out of house and home" - From "Henry IV, Part II"

 

"For goodness' sake" - From "Henry VIII"

 

"Good riddance" - From "Troilus and Cressida"

 

"Heart of gold" - From "Henry V"

 

"In a pickle" - From "The Tempest"

 

"Love is blind" - From "The Merchant of Venice"

 

"Kill with kindness" - From "The Taming of the Shrew"

 

"Green-eyed monster" - From "Othello"

 

"Parting is such sweet sorrow" - From "Romeo and Juliet"

 

"The world's my oyster" - From "The Merry Wives of Windsor"

 

"Wild-goose chase" - From "Romeo and Juliet"

 

"Neither here nor there" - From "Othello"

 

"The course of true love never did run smooth" - From "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

 

"The be-all and end-all" - From "Macbeth"

 

"With bated breath" - From "The Merchant of Venice"

"Catch a cold" - from "Cymbeline"

"Come what, come may" - from "Macbeth"

"Cruel to be kind" - from "Hamlet"

"Fair play" - from "The Tempest"

"Faint-hearted" - from "Henry VI Part I"

"Fancy-free" - from "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

"Forever and a day" - from "As You Like It"

"Full circle" - from "King Lear"

"Give the devil his due" - from "Henry IV Part I"

"Good night, sweet prince" - from "Hamlet"

"Laugh yourself into stitches" - from "Twelfth Night"

"Lie low" - from "Much Ado About Nothing"

"Melted into thin air" - from "The Tempest"

"One fell swoop" - from "Macbeth"

"Play fast and loose" - from "King John"

"Set your teeth on edge" - from "Henry IV Part I"

"Spotless reputation" - from "Richard II"

"Too much of a good thing" - from "As You Like It"

"Wear your heart on your sleeve" - from "Othello"

"What the dickens" - from "The Merry Wives of Windsor"

"As good luck would have it" - from "The Merry Wives of Windsor"

"Beggar all description" - from "Antony and Cleopatra"

"All of a sudden" - from "The Taming of the Shrew"

"Foul play" - from "Pericles"

"Eyesore" - from "Love's Labour's Lost"

"Fancy-free" - from "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

"It smells to heaven" - from "Hamlet"

"Like the dickens" - from "The Merry Wives of Windsor"

"Laughing stock" - from "The Merry Wives of Windsor"

"Naked truth" - from "Love's Labour's Lost"

"In my mind's eye" - from "Hamlet"

"Salad days" - from "Antony and Cleopatra"

"Too much of a good thing" - from "As You Like It"

"There's method in my madness" - from "Hamlet"

"Wild goose chase" - from "Romeo and Juliet"

"With bated breath" - from "The Merchant of Venice"

"Spotless reputation" - from "Richard II"

"To be or not to be" - from "Hamlet"

"Vanish into thin air" - from "Othello"

"The game is up" - from "Cymbeline"

"As good luck would have it" - from "The Merry Wives of Windsor"

"Beggar all description" - from "Antony and Cleopatra"

"All of a sudden" - from "The Taming of the Shrew"

"Foul play" - from "Pericles"

"Eyesore" - from "Love's Labour's Lost"

"Fancy-free" - from "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

"It smells to heaven" - from "Hamlet"

"Like the dickens" - from "The Merry Wives of Windsor"

"Laughing stock" - from "The Merry Wives of Windsor"

"Naked truth" - from "Love's Labour's Lost"

"In my mind's eye" - from "Hamlet"

"Salad days" - from "Antony and Cleopatra"

"Too much of a good thing" - from "As You Like It"

"There's method in my madness" - from "Hamlet"

"Wild goose chase" - from "Romeo and Juliet"

"With bated breath" - from "The Merchant of Venice"

"Spotless reputation" - from "Richard II"

"To be or not to be" - from "Hamlet"

"Vanish into thin air" - from "Othello"

"The game is up" - from "Cymbeline"

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