Happy Shakespeare Day! Did you know that when you talk about your "heart of gold" or go on a "wild goose chase," you're quoting William Shakespeare?
The Bard of Avon didn't just write plays; he practically invented modern English. It's estimated that he coined over 1,700 words and scores of phrases that native speakers still use every single day without even thinking about it.
To celebrate St George's Day and the birth (and death) of our most famous playwright, here are 20 Shakespearean idioms that are still part of the furniture in British English. We've included the play they originated from so you can impress your friends with your literary knowledge! If you want to dive deeper into the history of English roots, check out our post on background idioms.
20 Idioms from the Bard
Heart of gold
very kind and generous (Henry V)
She's a lovely woman with a real heart of gold.
Wild goose chase
a hopeless search (Romeo & Juliet)
The police were led on a wild goose chase by the suspect.
In a pickle
in a difficult situation (The Tempest)
I've lost my keys and my phone; I'm in a bit of a pickle!
Fair play
honest and fair treatment (The Tempest)
In the interest of fair play, everyone should get a turn.
Break the ice
to start a conversation (The Taming of the Shrew)
He told a joke to break the ice at the start of the meeting.
Love is blind
inability to see faults in a loved one (The Merchant of Venice)
She knows he's difficult, but love is blind, I suppose.
All that glitters is not gold
appearances can be deceptive (The Merchant of Venice)
The job sounded perfect, but all that glitters is not gold.
Fight fire with fire
use the same methods as your opponent (King John)
They started a price war, so we decided to fight fire with fire.
Bated breath
with great anticipation (The Merchant of Venice)
We waited with bated breath for the election results.
Wear your heart on your sleeve
to show your emotions openly (Othello)
He's not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve when he's happy.
Mum's the word
to keep a secret (Henry VI Part 2)
Don't tell anyone about the surprise party; mum's the word!
Apple of my eye
a favourite person (A Midsummer Night's Dream)
His newborn daughter is truly the apple of his eye.
Dead as a doornail
completely dead or finished (Henry VI Part 2)
My old laptop is dead as a doornail; it won't even turn on.
Come what come may
let whatever happens happen (Macbeth)
I've done my best, so now I'll just wait—come what come may.
Green-eyed monster
jealousy (Othello)
The green-eyed monster reared its head when he saw her new car.
In one fell swoop
all at once (Macbeth)
The company closed all its branches in one fell swoop.
Kill with kindness
to be excessively nice to someone (The Taming of the Shrew)
He was being rude, so I decided to just kill him with kindness.
Laughing stock
someone who is ridiculed (The Merry Wives of Windsor)
I don't want to be the laughing stock of the entire department.
Vanish into thin air
to disappear completely (The Tempest)
My keys were right here on the table, but they've vanished into thin air!
A sorry sight
a regrettable or pitiable appearance (Macbeth)
The old garden was a sorry sight after the storm.
How to Use Shakespeare Daily
Shakespeare's influence on the English language is truly "the stuff that dreams are made of" (also Shakespeare!). While his plays might seem difficult at first, the idioms he created are incredibly practical and used in everything from sports commentary to business negotiations.
Try using break the ice at your next networking event, or describe a frustrating task as a wild goose chase. If you want to master the art of natural conversation and avoid sounding like a dusty old textbook, why not book a 1-to-1 lesson with a British native speaker today?
Now you can sound natural, confident, and perfectly prepared for a "theatrical" English conversation.