But screw your courage to the sticking-place


What's the meaning of the phrase 'But screw your courage to the sticking-place'?

Be steadfast and of good courage.

What's the origin of the phrase 'But screw your courage to the sticking-place'?

From Shakespeare’s Macbeth, 1605:

LADY MACBETH
We fail!
But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we’ll not fail.

It is thought that Shakespeare was making the allusion to the screwing-up of the peg of a musical instrument until it becomes tightly fixed. If that is so then the phrase’s meaning is ‘keep screwing up your courage until it reaches the sticking place‘ not, as is usually thought ‘affix your courage to the sticking place‘.

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.
But screw your courage to the sticking-place

Phrases & Meanings

A-Z

Categories

How did we do?

Have you spotted something that needs updated on this page? We review all feedback we receive to ensure that we provide the most accurate and up to date information on phrases.