3 everyday phrases that emerged out of Shakespeare’s plays

Centuries have passed since William Shakespeare, one of the greatest literary figures of all times, lived and made unparalleled contributions to the world of literature and language. So, it’s no wonder that we end up using many of his coinages in our day-to-day conversations.   

So, the next time you feel like you’re ‘in a pickle’when you were unable to finish your errands, or a book has you ‘in stitches’, take out a minute of your time and thank the bard for these phrases.  

Let us take a look at three of the most commonly used regular phrases created by Shakespeare. 

A sorry sight 
Play: Macbeth 
The phrase ‘a sorry sight’ is now used to define something that is both unwelcome and regrettable, especially when, someone or something has an unpleasant appearance. It was coined by Shakespeare in his tragic play ‘Macbeth’ in the year 1605. In the play, the eponymous protagonist himself used the phrase ‘this is a sorry sight’ to refer to a sin that he committed: The murder of his king, Duncan.  

Mum’s the word 
Play: Henry VI, Part 2  
Now regarded as a popular English idiom, ‘mum’s the word’ means keeping an information secret. It was first used by Shakespeare in the second part of the historical drama ‘Henry VI’ in 1594. In Shakespeare’s time, the word ‘momme’ was commonly used to mean ‘be silent’ or 'do not reveal’. Shakespeare took creative liberty and changed ‘momme’ to ‘mum’ and made Henry VI say, “Seal up your lips, and give no words but mum.” The phrase got eventually shortened to ‘mum’s the word’ but no one knows when or by whom.   

A laughing stock 
Play: The Merry Wives of Windsor 
This is a phrase that we use in our everyday lives. It means an object of public ridicule. Shakespeare, in his comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor (1604) makes one of his side characters say, “I be reputed a laughing stock in this world.” Back then, the term ‘stock’ was used as a means to punish people, in a way to torture or ridicule. However, it was later used in fairs and charity events to put volunteers into a pile of stocks and throw wet sponges at them, when they failed to do their jobs. Obviously, this led to people going into peals of laughter. This is how the phrase ‘a laughing stock’ became popular.