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11 Popular Phrases with Literary Origins That We Still Use Hundreds of Years Later
Those with the talent to share the written word sometimes are fortunate enough to have their words repeated over generations
We all tend to repeat phrases that we hear through various forms of media like TV commercials, movie lines, and even song lyrics.
“I’ll be back.”
“What are you wearing, Jake from State Farm?”
“All you need is love.”
However, the phrases that have lasted generations came to us from some of the most prolific writers of their time through their literary gifts.
“A sight for sore eyes”
Meaning: you are happy to see someone or something.
Example: “Doodle-bug, my precious pup, after the disastrous day I had, you sure are a sight for sore eyes.”
Origin: Dating back to the 1700s, the phrase originally had a negative connotation, but changed over time to mean something pleasant. It was first introduced in Jonathan Swift’s A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation in 1738. It read:
