Shakespeare created and popularized idiomatic expressions that remain embedded in English over 400 years later, demonstrating his profound influence on how we speak.
What is an Idiom?
An idiom or idiomatic expression is a group of words in a fixed order that have a meaning which cannot be worked out by looking up the individual words in a dictionary. Their meaning has to be learned and understood contextually.
Shakespeare's Idiomatic Legacy
Like his invented words, Shakespeare's idioms represent a form of linguistic innovation. However, while neologisms introduce entirely new terms, idioms combine existing words into novel figurative expressions. Both demonstrate Shakespeare's creative command of language and his lasting impact on English.
Notable Shakespearean Idioms
Sleep and Consciousness
- "I haven't slept a wink" — complete inability to sleep; coined by Shakespeare to express sleep deprivation graphically
Love and Perception
- "Love's blind" — When you love someone, you don't see their faults; used to explain how affection clouds judgment
Consumption and Excess
- "He's eaten me out of house and home" — to consume excessively; expressing financial ruin through someone's appetite or consumption
Concealment and Avoidance
- "to lie low" — to hide so that you will not be caught; to avoid detection or confrontation
Fortune and Protection
- "to lead a charmed life" — a life that seems to have been protected by a charm, magic or spell; to experience good fortune seemingly protected by providence
Characteristics of Shakespearean Idioms
- Vivid imagery — Most rely on concrete, visual language ("eaten me out of house and home," "slept a wink")
- Emotional resonance — They capture universal human experiences (love blinds, sleep deprivation, fortune)
- Persistence — Despite linguistic changes over centuries, these idioms remain in active use
- Teachability — They appear in educational contexts because they're relatable yet require explanation
Relationship to Other Linguistic Innovations
Shakespeare's idioms sit between:
- Invented words (neologisms) — entirely new lexical items
- Common speech — everyday language that didn't originate with Shakespeare
Idioms represent his ability to take existing vocabulary and recombine it in memorable, powerful ways.
Modern Usage
These idioms are still used in:
- Everyday conversation
- Literature and written English
- Educational materials (as idioms are often taught through Shakespeare)
- Translations of Shakespeare's works
Teaching Shakespeare's Idioms
Understanding idioms is crucial for reading Shakespeare because:
1. Literal translation obscures meaning
2. They carry cultural and emotional weight
3. They show how characters express themselves and relate to each other
4. They demonstrate Shakespeare's accessibility—the same expressions still work today