Idioms created by Shakespeare

Made by Leonardo Morrone

The besBt BEstSHakespeareIdioms

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Be all and end-all

If you want to express that something is crucial or important, or perhaps highlight that the statement is the end of the conversation or situation.

It comes from "Macbeth" (act 1 scene 7).

All that glistens is not gold

It’s in reference to the shiny precious metal gold. To say that all that glistens is not gold is to say that even though something looks good or valuable, it may not be.

It comes from "The Merchant of Venice" (act 2 scene 7) .

Heart of gold

In it’s simplest form, to have a heart of gold is a good thing. It means you are a kind, helpful, thoughtful person.

It comes from "Henry V" (act 4 scene 1).

Fair Play

We now use the expression to say that you can't argue or disagree with a person or situation, since the rules were respected, all was equal, and no one cheated.

It comes from "The Tempest".

Star-crossed lovers

Two people who love each other but whose relationship seems destined to end badly could be described as star-crossed lovers.

It comes from "Romeo and Juliet" (Prologue).

It’s Greek to me

It’s simply used to say that something makes no sense to you. It’s Greek to me just means I don’t understand it.

It comes from "Julius Caesar" (act 1 scene 2).

The lady doth protest too much

It applies when someone is trying so hard to prove their innocence, it makes them seem guilty – like they clearly have something to hide..

It comes from "Hamlet" (act 3 scene 2).

Elbow room

When we refer to elbow room, we mean the amount of excess space there is or, in some cases, isn’t.

It comes from " King John" (act 5 scene 7)

Conclusions

In conclusion we can say that the great poet William Shakespeare created many idioms through his numerous writings, these were just a few examples, but it is thanks to him that the English language is so rich in words.