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Send packing

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Send him packing'?

Send away ignominiously.

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.

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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.
Send packing

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