Category Archives: Wordplay

An exploration of words and language

Top-10 Modern Phrases Originating from a Shakespeare Play

William_Shakespeare_1609Here is a top-10 list of Shakespearean phrases most frequently used in our language today, as complied by the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary. Yes indeed, the Bard lives!

 

#1: Green-Eyed Monster

#2: In a Pickle

#3: Love is Blind

#4: Salad Days

#5: Wear My Heart on My Sleeve

#6: There’s the Rub

#7: Cruel to Be Kind

#8: Wild Goose Chase

#9: Dogs of War

#10: Strange Bedfellows

To have the sayings sourced and to learn of their common usage today, we encourage you to go to the dictionary’s presentation – Merriam Webster’s Top 10 phrases from Shakespeare.

 

Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

 

Shakespearean phrases frequently used in today’s discourse (2)

Here’s are 30 more of the Bard’s memorable sayings still in use today.

  • In the twinkling of an eye
  • It was Greek to me
  • Love is blind
  • Make your hair stand on end
  • Milk of human kindness
  • Much Ado about Nothing
  • Mum’s the word
  • Out of the jaws of death
  • Pound of flesh
  • Rhyme nor reason
  • Screw your courage to the sticking place
  • Short shrift
  • Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em
  • Star crossed lovers
  • Such stuff as dreams are made on
  • The Devil incarnate
  • The game is up
  • The Queen’s English
  • There’s method in my madness
  • This is the short and the long of it
  • To be or not to be, that is the question
  • To gild refined gold, to paint the lily
  • To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub
  • Too much of a good thing
  • Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown
  • Vanish into thin air
  • Wear your heart on your sleeve
  • What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet
  • Wild goose chase
  • Woe is me

 

Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

 

Shakespearean phrases frequently used in today’s discourse (1)

There are many, many phrases and quotes that William Shakespeare penned for his plays centuries ago that are still frequently used today. In the first of two postings, here’s a selected list of 30 of the most common of the Bard’s memorable – and timeless – sayings.

  • A dish fit for the gods
  • A fool’s paradise
  • A foregone conclusion
  • A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse
  • A plague on both your houses
  • A sorry sight
  • All corners of the world
  • All that glitters is not gold
  • All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players
  • All’s well that ends well
  • As dead as a doornail
  • As good luck would have it
  • As pure as the driven snow
  • At one fell swoop
  • Come what come may
  • Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war
  • Eaten out of house and home
  • Fight fire with fire
  • For ever and a day
  • Frailty, thy name is woman
  • Good riddance
  • Green eyed monster
  • He will give the Devil his due
  • Heart’s content
  • His beard was as white as snow
  • Hoist by your own petard
  • I have not slept one wink
  • If music be the food of love, play on
  • In a pickle
  • In my mind’s eye

 

Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.