how the mighty have fallen

Questions

What does how the mighty have fallen mean?

Used to imply the decline of a once-great person or entity.

Where does how the mighty have fallen come from?

The phrase originates in the Old Testament, 2 Samuel 1:19. The earliest version in English is found in the Great Bible, (1539): Oh howe are the myghtie ouerthrowen. The modern word fallen version is found in the King James Version, (1611) and is an expression of David's lament over Saul and Jonathan: The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

How to pronounce how the mighty have fallen

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “how the mighty have fallen”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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4. Repeat and practice — Say “how the mighty have fallen” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.