What’s the origin of the phrase ‘Send him packing’?
From Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I, 1596:
FALSTAFF: ‘Faith, and I’ll send him packing.
Meaning
Send packing
The meaning of the phrase
Send away ignominiously.
Historical trend
“Send packing” in printed material over time
Source: Google Books Ngrams (1820–2020).
- Send packing
Cited as a source
Referenced by 2 trusted sources for this phrase
- NPRThings We Say Today And Owe To Shakespeare : The Two-Way : NPRwww.npr.org
- Business InsiderWords Shakespeare Made up - Business Insiderwww.businessinsider.com
Backlink data verified June 2026 via Ahrefs (live index). These sources cite Phrase Finder as a reference for the meaning and origin of this expression.