A knight in shining armour

Meaning

A person who comes to the aid of another when other hopes have faded, like the knights in romantic stories.

Examples

She was stuck, out of petrol in the middle of the moors at night. When the repair man turned up she called him her knight in shining armour.

Where did it originate?

The United Kingdom. An allusion to the notion of gallant and noble mediaeval knights.

Where is it used?

Widespread but not commonly used.

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About the Author

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.

A knight in shining armour