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He who laughs last laughs longest

What's the meaning of the phrase 'He who laughs last laughs longest'?

Literal meaning.

What's the origin of the phrase 'He who laughs last laughs longest'?

This proverb originated in Tudor England but, for once, wasn’t coined by Shakespeare. It is found in print in the play Christmas Prince, which was first performed, at Cambridge, around 1608:

Laugh on laugh on my freind
Hee laugheth best that laugheth to the end

See also: the List of Proverbs.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
He who laughs last laughs longest

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