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Explore 7518 quotes originally in English

Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

Samuel Johnson

Quoted in The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D, by James Boswell

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Topic

Abuses of patriotism Patriotism

Speaker

Samuel Johnson

Author

James Boswell

Source

The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D

Genre

Biography

Language

English

Time

1778 1770s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Johnson, Samuel. Quoted in journal entry, written by James Boswell. 7 Apr. 1778.

Current Citation

Johnson, Samuel. Quoted in The Life of Samuel Johnson, written by James Boswell, edited by David Womersley. Penguin Classics, 2008.

I agree with you, that in Politicks the Middle Way is none at all.

John Adams

More information about this quote

Topic

The political center Political ideology Politics

Author

John Adams

Source

Letters of John Adams

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1776 1770s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Adams, John. Letter to Horatio Gates. 23 Mar. 1776.

Current Citation

“From John Adams to Horatio Gates, 23 March 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-04-02-0023.

Go ahead, make my day.

Sudden Impact

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Topic

Calling someone's bluff

Speaker

Harry Callahan

Actor

Clint Eastwood

Source

Sudden Impact

Medium

Film

Genre

Action (film) Thriller (film) Action Thriller

Language

English

Time

1983 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Sudden Impact. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Warner Bros., 1983.

I’m a great quitter. It’s one of the few things I do well. I come from a long line of quitters.

George Costanza

Seinfeld

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Topic

Quitting Giving up

Speaker

George Costanza

Actor

Jason Alexander

Source

Seinfeld

Medium

TV program

Genre

Sitcom Comedy (TV) Comedy

Language

English

Time

1993 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

"The Old Man." Seinfeld, written by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld and Larry Charles, directed by Tom Cherones, season 4, episode 18, Shapiro/West Productions and Castle Rock Entertainment, 1993.

Sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand.

Cool Hand Luke

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Topic

Bluffing Making the most Gambling

Speaker

Luke

Actor

Paul Newman

Source

Cool Hand Luke

Medium

Film

Genre

Prison drama (film) Drama (film) Prison drama Drama

Language

English

Time

1967 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Cool Hand Luke. Directed by Stuart Rosenberg, Jalem Productions, 1967.

An evil empire.

Ronald Reagan

On the Soviet Union.

More information about this quote

Topic

Soviet Union Cold War

Speaker

Ronald Reagan

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1983 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Reagan, Ronald. "The Evil Empire." National Association of Evangelicals. 8 Mar. 1983, Sheraton Twin Towers Hotel, Orlando, FL, USA.

Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party, generally.

George Washington

Read this speech at UVA's Miller Center website

More information about this quote

Topic

Partisan politics Political parties American politics

Author

George Washington

Source

Washington's Farewell Address Presidential Farewell Address

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1796 1790s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Washington, George. "The Address of Gen. Washington to the People of America on His Declining the Presidency of the United States." Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser. Philadelphia: John Dunlap, 19 Sept. 1796.

Current Citation

Washington, George. "Farewell Address, September 19, 1796." George Washington: Writings, edited by John Rhodehamel. Library of America, 1997.

Tale as old as time, true as it can be. Barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly.

Beauty and the Beast

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Topic

Falling in love

Speaker

Mrs. Potts

Actor

Angela Lansbury

Source

Beauty and the Beast

Medium

Film

Genre

Animation (film) Musical (film) Animation Musical

Language

English

Time

1991 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Beauty and the Beast. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Feature Animation/Silver Screen Partners IV, 1991.

It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is.

Bill Clinton

More information about this quote

Topic

Meaning of words

Speaker

Bill Clinton

Language

English

Time

1998 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Clinton, Bill. Grand jury testimony. Office of Independent Counsel. 17 Aug. 1998, Washington, DC, USA.

The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for and deserted by everybody.

Mother Teresa

More information about this quote

Topic

Isolation Loneliness

Speaker

Mother Teresa

Language

English

Time

1971 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Mother Teresa. Quoted in Do Something Beautiful for God, written by Malcolm Muggeridge. Harper Collins, 1971.

I'm melting, melting! Oh, what a world, what a world! Who would have thought a good little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness?

The Wizard of Oz

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Topic

Dying

Speaker

Wicked Witch of the West

Actor

Margaret Hamilton

Source

The Wizard of Oz

Medium

Film

Genre

Fantasy (film) Musical (film) Fantasy Musical

Language

English

Time

1939 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Wizard of Oz. Directed by Victor Fleming. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1939.

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?...
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Bob Dylan

Blowin' in the Wind

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Speaker

Bob Dylan

Source

Blowin' in the Wind The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Medium

Song

Genre

Folk music

Statement Type

Question

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Dylan, Bob. "Blowin' in the Wind." The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Columbia Records, 1963.

Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'.

Andy Dufresne

The Shawshank Redemption

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More information about this quote

Topic

Living life to the fullest Giving up Decisions and choices

Speaker

Andy Dufresne

Actor

Tim Robbins

Source

The Shawshank Redemption

Medium

Film

Genre

Prison drama (film) Drama (film) Prison drama Drama

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1994 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Shawshank Redemption. Directed by Frank Darabont, Castle Rock Entertainment, 1994.

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for any one else.

Charles Dickens

Our Mutual Friend

More information about this quote

Topic

Helping others

Speaker

The Secretary

Author

Charles Dickens

Source

Our Mutual Friend

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1865 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Dickens, Charles. "Our Mutual Friend." All the Year Round. London: Chapman and Hall, May 1865, pt. 13, bk. 3, ch. 9.

Current Citation

Dickens, Charles. Our Mutual Friend, edited by Adrian Poole. Penguin, 1998, bk. 3, ch. 9.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

Thomas Jefferson

Read this letter at the National Archives website

More information about this quote

Topic

Freedom Political violence

Author

Thomas Jefferson

Medium

Letter

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1787 1780s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. Letter to William Stephens Smith. 13 Nov. 1787.

Current Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. "Col. Smith, Nov. 13, 1787." The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Including the Autobiography, The Declaration of Independence & His Public and Private Letters, edited by Adrienne Koch and William Peden. Modern Library, 1998.

Come what come may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.

William Shakespeare

Macbeth

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Topic

Things get better

Speaker

Macbeth

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Macbeth

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Macbeth." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 1, sc. 3.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Macbeth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 1, sc. 3.

Yeah, that's what she said.

Wayne Campbell

Wayne's World

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Speaker

Wayne Campbell

Actor

Mike Myers

Source

Wayne's World

Medium

Film

Genre

Comedy (film) Comedy

Statement Type

Sexual innuendo

Language

English

Time

1992 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Wayne's World. Directed by Penelope Spheeris, Paramount Pictures, 1992.

Love means never having to say you're sorry.

Love Story

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More information about this quote

Topic

Nature of love Love Apologies

Speaker

Jenny

Actor

Ali MacGraw

Source

Love Story

Medium

Film

Genre

Romantic drama (film) Drama (film) Romantic drama Drama

Language

English

Time

1970 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Love Story. Directed by Arthur Hiller, Paramount Pictures/Love Story Company, 1970.

But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall Death brag thou wand’rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st.
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Sonnets

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Topic

Beautiful women

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Sonnet 18 Shakespeare's Sonnets

Medium

Sonnet Poem

Statement Type

Profession of love

Language

English

Time

1609 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Shake-speares Sonnets. London: Thomas Thorpe, 1609, sonnet 18, I. 9.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Sonnets." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, sonnet 18.

Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

William Shakespeare

Timon of Athens

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Topic

Perverse incentives Sin Mercy

Speaker

First Senator

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Timon of Athens

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Timon of Athens." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 3, sc. 5.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Timon of Athens." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 3, sc. 5.