English Expressions and their Origins

Today I thought we’d do a little quiz. Please read the story below and decide where the expressions in bold come from, Shakespeare, the Bible or elsewhere. Good luck!

Amy was from very small village in Kent and when she was 20 years old she was invited to her best friend Adam’s party, which was quite exciting as nothing ever happened in the village. She dressed up and spent a long time doing her hair and make-up and when she got to her friend’s house he told her to eat drink and be merry…so she did! She met Mark, who was tall dark and handsome. He told her that he was very successful and had a huge house in the next village, he asked her to go out with him. Adam was worried about his friend Amy and warned her that all that all that glittered is not gold. She replied that she understood this and wasn’t wearing her heart on her sleeve. She also told him that there was Hobson’s choice in this small village and if she didn’t go out with him then someone else would.

They dated each other for six months, then, he got bored and left her high and dry for a member of the Royal Family. She felt a bit sad and rather silly and went to talk to her best friend Adam about it. He told her that he was glad that she wasn’t seeing Mark anymore because he wanted to tell her how he felt about her. He told that he had loved her since he was 12 years old and that he would stay with her through thick and thin. She told him that she didn’t deserve his love as she had not been a good friend but he told her that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet and that, for him, it was better to give than to receive. She then realised that he was right and they got married and are still together 40 years later!

Now look to see if you have guessed correctly!

Answers

Eat, drink and be merry is from the Bible, Ecclesiastes VIII 15. The meaning is clear.

All that glitters is not gold has many references; the most common is from Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice (1596). It means that, just because something looks good, it may not be.

Wear your heart on your sleeve may be from the middle ages. Knights used to wear the colours or ribbons on their arms of the lady that they were trying to impress or support. It is also more famously in Shakespeare’s Othello (1604).

Hobson’s choice means that there is not choice at all. It is believed to come from Thomas Hobson (1545-1631) who rented horses to people; however, they could not choose the horse so they had to have the horse he gave you or no horse.

High and dry is from the language of sailing. If a boat is high and dry it is out of the water and has been for sometime, the situation is not good. It usually means that there is no hope of recovery or of things getting better.

Through thick and thin is a very old English expression. It refers back to a time hundreds of years ago, when England was mainly trees and woodland, there weren’t many roads therefore travelling was difficult. Through thick and thin meant how many trees and bushes there were (a lot or a few). It now means whatever problems or obstacles there are. It is usually used to express determination.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet is from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (1594). It means that it doesn’t matter what we call something but what it is that is important.

It’s better to give than to receive is from the Bible, Acts 20:35. The meaning is clear.