All Good Things Must Come to An End Meaning
Definition: Nothing great will last forever.
This idiom is often used as a proverb and is a wise reminder that all good things are temporary. It can be used as a term of regret, warning, or resigned acceptance.
Origin of All Good Things Must Come to An End
Geoffrey Chaucer is credited with the original use of this idiom. It first appears in the English author’s poem, Troilus and Criseyde, although in a different form than we are used to seeing today. This poem was written in Middle English in the 1300s and tells the tragic tale of two lovers in the ancient city of Troy.
In the poem, the Middle English version of the quote can be found in Book 3, line 615. The stanza containing the quote is below.
And after souper gonnen they to ryse,
At ese wel, with hertes fresshe and glade,
To lyken hir, or that hir laughen made.
He song; she pleyde; he tolde tale of Wade.
But at the laste, as every thing hath ende,
She took hir leve, and nedes wolde wende.
Examples of All Good Things Must Come to An End
This idiom conveys a variety of emotions, all of which are negative.
This example demonstrates how to use the idiom to express regret.
Bella: I’m so sorry about your grandmother.
Hannah: Yes, she passed away last night. I’m going to really miss her. I guess all good things come to an end.
The following example shows how the idiom is used to express resigned acceptance.
Hanh: What a great party!
Zhongyi: I know! I’m sad it’s over.
Hanh: Well, all good things must come to an end. At least we’ll always have the memory!
Zhongyi: And the pictures! Tag me on Facebook.
More Examples
This example describes the end of summer for school children.
But all good things must come to an end, even for the young sultans of suburbia, and so starting this week, many of them will march off to school as if trudging to the gulag. –Chicago Tribune
The second example describes resigned acceptance of Kobe Bryant’s basketball career ending.
Twenty years have come and gone since he joined the NBA, and on Wednesday night, the league must bid farewell to one of its more storied icons: Kobe Bean Bryant.
His achievements have been monumental, his impact unforgettable. But all good things must come to an end, and with his career clock nearing midnight, what better way to celebrate his legacy than to look at his most memorable, career-defining moments from the past two decades? –USA Today
Summary
The phrase all good things must come to an end is used as a reminder, or an expression of acceptance, that everything is temporary.
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