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0 / 30 Fotos
All that glitters isn’t gold ('The Merchant of Venice') - Meaning: Not everything is as precious or as important as it may seem.
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1 / 30 Fotos
Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve ('Othello') - Meaning: To be honest and open with how one feels.
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2 / 30 Fotos
Love is blind ('The Merchant of Venice') - Meaning: When a person is so in love they have lost the ability to identify faults and flaws in the person they're in love with.
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3 / 30 Fotos
It’s Greek to me ('Julius Caesar')
- Meaning: It makes no sense.
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4 / 30 Fotos
Fair play ('The Tempest') - Meaning: Playing with respect for the rules in competitions or sports.
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5 / 30 Fotos
Break the ice ('The Taming of the Shrew') - Meaning: To do or say something to relieve tension between strangers meeting for the first time.
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6 / 30 Fotos
Set my teeth on edge ('Henry IV Part I') - Meaning: Something that causes intense discomfort.
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7 / 30 Fotos
Jealousy is the green-eyed monster ('Othello') - Meaning: The color green is associated with sickness and bitterness, like unripe fruit.
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8 / 30 Fotos
A laughing stock ('The Merry Wives of Windsor') - Meaning: A person subjected to teasing or ridicule.
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9 / 30 Fotos
Too much of a good thing ('As You Like It') - Meaning: Something that is usually considered desirable or beneficial could end up being detrimental if used or experienced excessively.
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10 / 30 Fotos
In a pickle ('The Tempest') - Meaning: Stuck in a difficult position.
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11 / 30 Fotos
Dead as a door nail ('Henry VI Part II') - Meaning: To be literally and obviously dead.
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12 / 30 Fotos
A dish fit for the gods ('Julius Caesar') - Meaning: Incredibly delicious food.
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13 / 30 Fotos
Faint hearted ('Henry VI Part I') - Meaning: Timid or fearful.
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14 / 30 Fotos
Forever and a day ('As You Like It') - Meaning: A really long time.
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15 / 30 Fotos
For goodness’ sake ('Henry VIII') - Meaning: An expression used to express frustration and annoyance.
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16 / 30 Fotos
Full circle ('King Lear') - Meaning: To complete a transitional cycle or a complete reversal of an original position.
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17 / 30 Fotos
Good riddance ('Troilus and Cressida') - Meaning: A welcomed loss. An expression used to express relief after bidding farewell to someone or something.
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18 / 30 Fotos
Heart of gold ('Henry V') - Meaning: Kind and good. A person with no ill intent.
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19 / 30 Fotos
Give the devil his due ('Henry IV Part I') - Meaning: To acknowledge the positive qualities of someone or something generally considered bad.
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20 / 30 Fotos
In my heart of hearts ('Hamlet') - Meaning: Inner-most feelings and opinions about a certain subject.
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21 / 30 Fotos
In my mind’s eye ('Hamlet') - Meaning: A mental picture. To imagine or picture a scene.
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22 / 30 Fotos
Kill with kindness ('The Taming of the Shrew') - Meaning: To cause discomfort or guilt by overly kind treatment.
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23 / 30 Fotos
Knock knock! Who’s there? ('Macbeth') - Meaning: In today's era, the phrase is commonly used in jokes.
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24 / 30 Fotos
Wild-goose chase ('Romeo and Juliet') - Meaning: Chasing something that is unattainable.
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25 / 30 Fotos
The game is afoot ('Henry IV Part I') - Meaning: A situation has already started.
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26 / 30 Fotos
Devil incarnate ('Titus Andronicus' / 'Henry V') - Meaning: The most evil of all beings. The epitome of evil.
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27 / 30 Fotos
Cold comfort ('The Taming of the Shrew' / 'King John') - Meaning: Inadequate or pointless consolation.
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28 / 30 Fotos
Foregone conclusion ('Othello')
- Meaning: A predictable result.
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29 / 30 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 30 Fotos
All that glitters isn’t gold ('The Merchant of Venice') - Meaning: Not everything is as precious or as important as it may seem.
© Getty Images
1 / 30 Fotos
Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve ('Othello') - Meaning: To be honest and open with how one feels.
© Getty Images
2 / 30 Fotos
Love is blind ('The Merchant of Venice') - Meaning: When a person is so in love they have lost the ability to identify faults and flaws in the person they're in love with.
© Getty Images
3 / 30 Fotos
It’s Greek to me ('Julius Caesar')
- Meaning: It makes no sense.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Fair play ('The Tempest') - Meaning: Playing with respect for the rules in competitions or sports.
© Getty Images
5 / 30 Fotos
Break the ice ('The Taming of the Shrew') - Meaning: To do or say something to relieve tension between strangers meeting for the first time.
© Getty Images
6 / 30 Fotos
Set my teeth on edge ('Henry IV Part I') - Meaning: Something that causes intense discomfort.
© Getty Images
7 / 30 Fotos
Jealousy is the green-eyed monster ('Othello') - Meaning: The color green is associated with sickness and bitterness, like unripe fruit.
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
A laughing stock ('The Merry Wives of Windsor') - Meaning: A person subjected to teasing or ridicule.
© Getty Images
9 / 30 Fotos
Too much of a good thing ('As You Like It') - Meaning: Something that is usually considered desirable or beneficial could end up being detrimental if used or experienced excessively.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
In a pickle ('The Tempest') - Meaning: Stuck in a difficult position.
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Dead as a door nail ('Henry VI Part II') - Meaning: To be literally and obviously dead.
© Getty Images
12 / 30 Fotos
A dish fit for the gods ('Julius Caesar') - Meaning: Incredibly delicious food.
© Getty Images
13 / 30 Fotos
Faint hearted ('Henry VI Part I') - Meaning: Timid or fearful.
© Getty Images
14 / 30 Fotos
Forever and a day ('As You Like It') - Meaning: A really long time.
© Getty Images
15 / 30 Fotos
For goodness’ sake ('Henry VIII') - Meaning: An expression used to express frustration and annoyance.
© Getty Images
16 / 30 Fotos
Full circle ('King Lear') - Meaning: To complete a transitional cycle or a complete reversal of an original position.
© Getty Images
17 / 30 Fotos
Good riddance ('Troilus and Cressida') - Meaning: A welcomed loss. An expression used to express relief after bidding farewell to someone or something.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Heart of gold ('Henry V') - Meaning: Kind and good. A person with no ill intent.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Give the devil his due ('Henry IV Part I') - Meaning: To acknowledge the positive qualities of someone or something generally considered bad.
© Getty Images
20 / 30 Fotos
In my heart of hearts ('Hamlet') - Meaning: Inner-most feelings and opinions about a certain subject.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
In my mind’s eye ('Hamlet') - Meaning: A mental picture. To imagine or picture a scene.
© Getty Images
22 / 30 Fotos
Kill with kindness ('The Taming of the Shrew') - Meaning: To cause discomfort or guilt by overly kind treatment.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Knock knock! Who’s there? ('Macbeth') - Meaning: In today's era, the phrase is commonly used in jokes.
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Wild-goose chase ('Romeo and Juliet') - Meaning: Chasing something that is unattainable.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
The game is afoot ('Henry IV Part I') - Meaning: A situation has already started.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Devil incarnate ('Titus Andronicus' / 'Henry V') - Meaning: The most evil of all beings. The epitome of evil.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Cold comfort ('The Taming of the Shrew' / 'King John') - Meaning: Inadequate or pointless consolation.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Foregone conclusion ('Othello')
- Meaning: A predictable result.
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
Decoding Shakespeare's most famous lines
Over 400 years since his death, we celebrate the everyday phrases that were written by the famous Bard
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It's been over 400 years since William Shakespeare passed away, but his written words are still alive and kicking in the 21st century. The famous playwright is said to have introduced over 1,700 words into the English language, with many of his phrases being used in everyday conversation. If you've ever been on a "wild-goose chase" or got yourself "in a pickle," if you've ever cried "for goodness' sake" or told a good old "knock knock" joke, then you've been quoting Shakespeare.
Here are a few of the other common phrases devised by the great English Bard. Click on!
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