Most people can quote from the works of William Shakespeare whether they know it or not, but how many people know that it was Othello who first assumed a foregone conclusion, or Mercutio who went off on the first wild-goose chase? This text presents several hundred of the most famous lines and original words from Shakespeare's canon, complete with background notes, explanations and literary anecdotes. It provides historical details that clarify famous phrases such as Hamlet's Ay, there's the rub, which originally referred to an obstacle in lawn bowling. It also features extensive lists of words coined by Shakespeare - such as foppish, courtship, puppydog, and silk stocking - as well as phrases wrongly attributed to him.