my kingdom for a horse
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English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From William Shakespeare's Richard III (written c. 1593; published 1597), Act V, scene iv (spelling modernized): "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse."[1]
Pronunciation
[edit]Phrase
[edit]- The speaker is willing to sacrifice anything to obtain a seemingly unimportant item that is invaluable at a critical moment.
Translations
[edit]willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
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See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ [William Shakespeare] (written c. 1593) The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Sims [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv], signature [M3], recto:
- Cateſ[by] Reſcew my lord of Norffolke, reſcew, reſcew, / The king enacts more wonders then a man, / Daring an oppoſite to euerie danger, / His horſe is ſlaine, and all on foot he fights, / Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death, / Reſcew faire lord, or elſe the daie is loſt. / Enter Richard. / King A horſe, a horſe, my kingdome for a horſe. / Cateſ. Withdraw my lord, ile helpe you to a horſe. / King Slaue I haue ſet my life vpon a caſt, / And I will ſtand the hazard of the die, / I thinke there be ſixe Richmonds in the field, / Fiue haue I ſlaine to daie in ſtead of him, / A horſe, a horſe, my kingdome for a horſe.