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The meaning and origin of the expression: Share and share alike

Share and share alike

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What's the meaning of the phrase 'Share and share alike'?

To 'share and share alike' is to give equal shares to all.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Share and share alike'?

Share and share alikeThe expression was first known as 'share and share like', as in this example from Richard Edwards's comedy Damon and Pithias, 1566:

"Let vs into the Courte to parte the spoyle, share and share like."

Daniel Defoe, appears to be the first to have used the 'share and share alike' version. That was is Robinson Crusoe, or as he called it The life and strange adventures of Robinson Crusoe, 1719:

"He declar'd he had reserv'd nothing from the Men, and went Share and Share alike with them in every Bit they eat."

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

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.

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