William Shakespeare's Birthday - 23rd April - Happy 426th Birthday
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read

William Shakespeare's birthday is traditionally celebrated on April 23, as he was baptized on April 26, 1564, and it was customary to baptize children three days after birth. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, and is also recorded to have died on April 23, 1616
To celebrate Shakespeare's birthday students have been chasing quotations around school on a quote quest, had quizzes in tutor time, and a guess the voice challenge.
Shakespeare's contribution to the English language (not just literature) is incredible.
Famous Phrases Coined by Shakespeare
"Break the ice" (The Taming of the Shrew) – To initiate conversation.
"Heart of gold" (Henry V) – A very kind person.
"Wild-goose chase" (Romeo and Juliet) – A hopeless quest.
"In a pickle" (The Tempest) – Being in trouble.
"Wearing your heart on your sleeve" (Othello) – Displaying emotions openly.
"Full circle" (King Lear) – Things returning to their original state.
"One fell swoop" (Macbeth) – Doing something all at once.
"Too much of a good thing" (As You Like It) – Excess is bad.
"For goodness' sake" (Henry VIII) – An exclamation of frustration.
"Neither here nor there" (Othello) – Irrelevant.
"Eaten out of house and home" (Henry IV, Part II) – Consuming all available food.
"All that glitters is not gold" (The Merchant of Venice) – Appearances can be deceiving
Words Introduced by Shakespeare
Swagger (A Midsummer Night's Dream) – To walk arrogantly.
Lonely (Coriolanus) – Solitary.
Manager (A Midsummer Night's Dream) – A person who manages.
Eyeball (The Tempest) – The eye.
Undress (The Taming of the Shrew) – To remove clothing.
Assassin (Macbeth) – A murderer.
Zany (Love's Labour's Lost) – A crazy person.
Fashionable (Troilus and Cressida) – Stylish.
Obscene (Love's Labour's Lost) – Indecent.
Radiance (The Two Gentlemen of Verona) – Shining.
Many of these idioms are still widely used, showing how Shakespeare profoundly influenced everyday language



