Is there someone around you who is making a fuss over something trivial? Perhaps you ran into a problem that has since been resolved, but your companion simply doesn\u2019t want to let it go. If so, the phrase \u201cmuch ado about nothing\u201d can aptly describe your plight. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n
The phrase much ado about nothing means that someone is making a big deal over something very little. In most cases, it is used to describe a situation or even in which someone has raised a fuss over details that have little to no importance. In many cases, it refers to a perceived slight, but it can also refer to physical items, or even places and events. The main point is that the attention being given is not on par with the object of said attention.<\/strong><\/p>\n When a situation has been blown out of proportion either intentionally or through misunderstandings, it can be said that there is much ado about nothing.<\/p>\n \u201cThe story about her relationship is really much ado about nothing, it's typical for girls her age\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cToo much attention is being given to people on social media, most uploads are much ado about nothing and not even that entertaining\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile you were busy at work, your mom was following me around complaining when in actuality, there was much ado about nothing to be found\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are some good lessons to be learned from the lecture, though, I don\u2019t get the hype, there was much ado about nothing\u201d.<\/p>\n The phrase much ado about nothing came from the play of the same name. It was written by famed English playwright William Shakespeare in 1598 but was not published until 1623. The play was a comedy in which there were two sets of romantic pairs that were created once a group of soldiers arrived in the town of Messina. The play was part of the First Folio and is used as a comedic way to explain relationships, gender roles, and other societal pressures.<\/p>\n The play details various ways people are opposed to relationships and affection, how we go about deceiving ourselves and others, and other love themes. It also showed the need for women to marry at the time and many of those ideas remain pervasive even in modern times. The play is a classic and is still taught in most educational programs. The phrase, much ado about nothing became a common saying a few years after the play was released. It has been passed down through the years in both upper society and common society to the point where most people are unaware of its true origins.<\/p>\nExample Usage<\/h2>\n
Origin<\/h2>\n