Phrase guide

my kingdom for a horse

phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

phrase

Meaning 1

The speaker is willing to sacrifice anything to obtain a seemingly unimportant item that is invaluable at a critical moment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From William Shakespeare's Richard III (written c. 1593; published 1597), Act V, scene iv (spelling modernized): "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse."

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: mit kongerige for en hest — willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
  • Finnish: myydä esikoisoikeutensa hernerokasta — willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
  • Finnish: valtakunta hevosesta — willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
  • French: mon royaume pour un cheval — willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
  • German: ein Königreich für ein ... — willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
  • Greek: αντί πινακίου φακής (antí pinakíou fakís) — willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
  • Polish: królestwo za konia — willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant