Phrases coined by Shakespeare – The Tempest

A list of the phrases and sayings that first saw the light of day, or were made popular by, Shakespeare’s play The Tempest:

A sea change

Dash to pieces

Fair play

Foul play

In a pickle

Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows

Sea change

Vanish into thin air

Where the bee sucks, there suck I

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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.

Phrases coined by Shakespeare – The Tempest

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Phrases coined by Shakespeare – The Tempest