An ill-favoured thing sir, but mine own


What's the meaning of the phrase 'An ill-favoured thing sir, but mine own'?

Literal meaning – it may not be good, but it’s the best I have to offer.

What's the origin of the phrase 'An ill-favoured thing sir, but mine own'?

From Shakespeare’s As You Like It, 1600:

TOUCHSTONE:
God ‘ild you, sir; I desire you of the like. I
press in here, sir, amongst the rest of the country
copulatives, to swear and to forswear: according as
marriage binds and blood breaks: a poor virgin,
sir, an ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own; a poor
humour of mine, sir, to take that that no man else
will: rich honesty dwells like a miser, sir, in a
poor house; as your pearl in your foul oyster.

See other phrases and sayings from Shakespeare.

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.