The world's your oyster

wired | 14:47 Thu 01st May 2008 | Phrases & Sayings

3 Answers

Can anyone please tell me where this comes from and just what it means?

Now I've heard this a few times..

the three hour apostrophe argument

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Clanad

References to the origin of the phrase are found in two sites;

THE WORLD IS AN (ONE'S) OYSTER - "If you have a lot of money, you can have anything you want. The proverb first appears in Shakespeare's play 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' (1600).'Falstaff: I will not lend thee a penny. Pistol: Why, then, the world's mine oyster, Which I with sword will open.' Act II, Scene II." From "Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings" (1996) by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996).

: : A second reference says the phrase means: "All the pleasures and opportunities of life are open to someone because he is young, rich, handsome, successful, etc. Shakespeare invented or popularized this expression." From "Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997).

Take your bi-valve... er... pick...

wired

Question Author

Thanks Clanad, I couldn't understand why anyone would be pleased to have a slimy mollusc as their world but now I understand!

taichiperson

Would the fact that some oysters contain a pearl have anything to do with it?

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