More honoured in the breach than in the observance In english explanation

The meaning, explanation, definition and origin of the idiom/phrase "More honoured in the breach than in the observance", English Idiom Dictionary ( also found in Vietnamese )

author Luna Linh calendar 2021-03-05 12:03

Meaning of More honoured in the breach than in the observance

More honoured in the breach than in the observance British old-fashioned literary adjective phrase

It indicates that something (often the laws and orders) were broken more often than they were obeyed, which becomes obvious.

"Sleeping in class is more honored in breach than in observance," Tom argued.

Other phrases about:

aided and abetted

To assist someone to do something illegal or wrong

beat the system

To find ways of avoiding or breaking the rules, either those of life in general or of a specific structure or organization, in order to achieve your aim

Grammar and Usage of More honoured in the breach than in the observance

This adjective phrase is often placed after verb "be" conjugated according to the tense of the sentence.

More examples:

None

Origin of More honoured in the breach than in the observance

(Image source: interestingliterature.com)

This phrase comes from the play Hamlet written by William Shakespear in 1601. Hamlet, a character in the play, used this phrase to describe his stepfather's boozy carryings-on as a custom "more honored in the breach than the observance," he meant it was a bad custom, more honored when violated than when followed. But nowaday, it was used more common with the meaning is that the laws and orders were broken more often than they were obeyed

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swallow the bait

If you swallow the bait, you take something that someone offers you, or agree to do something that someone asks you to do without knowing that it is a trick or way of getting something from you.

Example:

You can't just do whatever he wants you to do. Don't swallow the bait.

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