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Neither a borrower nor a lender be

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Neither a borrower nor a lender be'?

Literal meaning.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Neither a borrower nor a lender be'?

From Shakespeare’s Hamlet, 1602:

LORD POLONIUS:
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

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About the Author

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.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be

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