Today marks the 450th anniversary of the traditional birthday of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s exact birthdate is unknown, but given the fact he was baptized on April 26, 1564 and baptism traditionally takes place on the first Sunday after the birth, his actual birthdate is likely somewhere between April 20th and April 25th, 1564. April 23rd was chosen as the traditional date to celebrate his birthday so as to coincide with England’s celebration of St. George’s Day. It is hard to overstate Shakespeare’s importance and influence in the growth and development of the English language and literature. This influence, second only to that of the King James Bible, has earned him the title of the Bard in the Anglo world. His contribution consisted of 38 plays and 154 sonnets, which not only are important and classic works of art in their own right, but also either introduced or popularized words and phrases we are still using today.
Ever been “in a pickle” or had “too much of a good thing”? Perhaps friends have “eaten (you) out of house and home” or had you “in stitches” over a joke. These are just a handful of well-used sayings that come courtesy of Shakespeare. It is often not clear whether a word or phrase was already in existence in Shakespeare’s lifetime or if he invented it. Regardless, his plays often provide us with the earliest use of many.
More words and phrases coined by the Bard
– “For goodness sake” – Henry VIII
– “Neither here not there” – Othello
– “Mum’s the word” – Henry VI, Part II
– “Eaten out of house and home” – Henry IV, Part II
– “Rant” – Hamlet
– “Knock knock! Who’s there?” – Macbeth
– “All’s well that ends well” – All’s Well That Ends Well
– “With bated breath” – The Merchant of Venice
– “A wild goose chase” – Romeo and Juliet
– “Assassination” – Macbeth
– “Too much of a good thing” – As You Like It
– “A heart of gold” – Henry V
– “Such stuff as dreams are made on” – The Tempest
– “Fashionable” – Troilus and Cressida
– “What the dickens” – The Merry Wives of Windsor
– “Puking” – As You Like It
– “Lie low” – Much Ado About Nothing
– “Dead as a doornail” – Henry VI, Part II
– “Not slept one wink” – Cymbeline
– “Foregone conclusion” – Othello
– “The world’s mine oyster” – The Merry Wives of Windsor
– “Obscene” – Love’s Labour’s Lost
– “Bedazzled” – The Taming of the Shrew
– “In stitches” – Twelfth Night
– “Addiction” – Othello
– “Unclad truth” – Love’s Labour’s Lost
– “Faint-hearted” – Henry VI, Part I
– “Send him packing” – Henry IV
– “Vanish into thin air” – Othello
– “Swagger” – Henry V
– “Own flesh and blood” – Hamlet
– “Truth will out” – The Merchant of Venice
– “Zany” – Love’s Labour’s Lost
– “Give the devil his due” – Henry IV, Part I
– “There’s method in my madness” – Hamlet
– “Salad days” – Antony and Cleopatra
– “Wear your heart on your sleeve” – Othello
– “Spotless reputation” – Richard II
– “Full circle” – King Lear
– “There’s the rub” – Hamlet
– “All of a sudden” – The Taming of the Shrew
– “Come what, come may” – Macbeth
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