Most of us quote Shakespeare every day without even knowing it. “Foregone conclusion”, “one fell swoop” and “good riddance” are just a few examples. Have a look at this really long list of phrases originally coined by Shakespeare himself – you will be surprised at how many you know and probably use.
- A countenance more in sorrow than in anger
- A Daniel come to judgement
- A dish fit for the gods
- A fool’s paradise
- A foregone conclusion
- A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse
- A ministering angel shall my sister be
- A plague on both your houses
- A rose by any other name would smell as sweet
- A sea change
- A sorry sight
- Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety
- Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio
- All corners of the world
- All one to me
- All that glitters is not gold / All that glisters is not gold
- All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players
- All’s well that ends well
- An ill-favoured thing sir, but mine own
- And shining morning face, creeping like a snail unwillingly to school
- And thereby hangs a tale
- As cold as any stone
- As dead as a doornail
- As good luck would have it
- As merry as the day is long
- As pure as the driven snow
- At one fell swoop
- Bag and baggage
- Beast with two backs
- Beware the ides of March
