Screw your courage to the sticking place


What's the meaning of the phrase 'Screw your courage to the sticking place'?

Be firm and resolute.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Screw your courage to the sticking place'?

This line is from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, 1605:

Lady Macbeth:
‘We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we’ll not fail.’

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.
Screw your courage to the sticking place

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