William Shakespeare

Greatest playwright in English

Early Modern influential 138 sayings

Sayings by William Shakespeare

Thou lump of foul deformity!

c. 1592-1594 — Richard III (Act 1, Scene 2)
Humorous Unverifiable

Thou whoreson zed! thou unnecessary letter!

c. 1605-1606 — King Lear (Kent to Oswald, Act 2, Scene 2)
Humorous Unverifiable

Out, dunghill!

c. 1595-1596 — King John (Act 4, Scene 3)
Humorous Unverifiable

The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes.

c. 1605-1608 — Coriolanus (Act 5, Scene 4)
Humorous Confirmed

There is no more mercy in him than there is milk in a male tiger.

c. 1605-1608 — Coriolanus (Act 5, Scene 4)
Humorous Unverifiable

Away! Thou'rt poison to my blood.

c. 1609-1610 — Cymbeline (Act 1, Scene 5)
Humorous Unverifiable

Take you me for a sponge?

c. 1601 — Hamlet (Act 4, Scene 2)
Humorous Unverifiable

I must to the barber's, monsieur; for methinks, I am marvellous hairy about the face: and I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch.

c. 1595-1596 — A Midsummer Night's Dream (Act 4, Scene 1, Bottom)
Humorous Unverifiable

Virginity breeds mites, much like a cheese.

c. 1604-1605 — All's Well That Ends Well (Parolles, Act 1, Scene 1)
Humorous Unverifiable

It is like a barber's chair that fits all buttocks, the pin-buttock, the quatch-buttock, the brawn-buttock, or any buttock.

c. 1604-1605 — All's Well That Ends Well (Clown, Act 2, Scene 2)
Humorous Unverifiable

The more pity that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly.

c. 1599-1600 — As You Like It (Touchstone, Act 2, Scene 7)
Humorous Unverifiable

Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise.

c. 1605-1606 — King Lear (The Fool to Lear, Act 1, Scene 4)
Humorous Unverifiable

Exit, pursued by a bear.

c. 1610-1611 — The Winter's Tale (Stage Direction, Act 3, Scene 3)
Humorous Unverifiable

Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?

c. 1601-1602 — Twelfth Night (Sir Toby Belch, Act 2, Scene 3)
Humorous Unverifiable

Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself?

c. 1606 — Macbeth (Lady Macbeth to Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 7)
Humorous Unverifiable

My salad days,

c. 1606-1607 — Antony and Cleopatra (Cleopatra, Act 1, Scene 5)
Humorous Unverifiable

I have drunk and seen the spider.

c. 1610-1611 — The Winter's Tale (Leontes, Act 1, Scene 2)
Humorous Unverifiable

The dram of eale

c. 1601 — Hamlet (Act 1, Scene 4)
Humorous Unverifiable

Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.

c. 1600-1602 — Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2
Humorous Unverifiable

I am not only witty in myself, but the cause that wit is in other men.

c. 1597-1598 — Henry IV, Part 2, Act 1, Scene 2
Humorous Unverifiable