13 Everyday Phrases That Actually Came From Shakespeare

Just the mention of William Shakespeare makes some people cringe. Even I'll admit his writing seems daunting at times.
Whether a fan or not though, you probably use many of Shakespeare's phrases on a regular basis.

Here's a list of 13 popular, albeit strange, sayings The Bard coined. In fact, we say or write some of these so often, they've become clichés.

1. "Green-eyed monster"

Meaning: jealousy.

In "Othello," Iago describes jealousy as a monster which devours its source.

"Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy!
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on" (Act 3, Scene 3).

In this case, Iago uses romance as an example. He thinks a man would rather know his wife is cheating than suspect her without proof.

2. "In a pickle"

Meaning: a difficult or uncomfortable situation.

In "The Tempest," King Alonso asks his jester, Trinculo, "How camest thou in this pickle?" (In modern language, "how did you get so drunk?")

The drunk Trinculo responds, "I have been in such a pickle since I saw you last ..." (Act 5, Scene 1).

Trinculo's drinking does cause trouble for him, the way we use the phrase today. Shakespeare's original intent makes sense though. Many pickling processes use alcohol.

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