Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

my kingdom for a horse

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.38 in modern English

Syllables: my k-ing-dom -for a horse
IPA

37

Scrabble Score

18

Letters

4

Syllables

14

Unique Chars

Meaning

phrase

The speaker is willing to sacrifice anything to obtain a seemingly unimportant item that is invaluable at a critical moment.

Etymology

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."

Phrases

sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage

Frequently Paired Words

sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage

Questions

What does my kingdom for a horse mean?: The speaker is willing to sacrifice anything to obtain a seemingly unimportant item that is invaluable at a critical moment.
Where does my kingdom for a horse come from?: 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."

How to pronounce my kingdom for a horse

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