Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows

What's the origin of the phrase 'Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows'?

From Shakespeare’s The Tempest, 1610:

Alas, the storm is come again! my best way is to creep under his gaberdine; there is no other shelter hereabouts: misery acquaints a man with strange bed-fellows. I will here shroud till the dregs of the storm be past.

Browse more Phrases

About the Author

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.

Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows

Phrases & Meanings

A-Z

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UV W XYZ