Many happy returns


A toast given to someone on their birthday.

The old fella is 80 today – many happy returns Grandad.

Britain, 18th century.

Worldwide. This idiom has to have a claim for being spoken by more people more frequently than any other in the language.

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.