Meanings
phrase
- The speaker is willing to sacrifice anything to obtain a seemingly unimportant item that is invaluable at a critical moment.
Origin
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."
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Danish mit kongerige for en hest
- mit kongerige for en hestwillingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
Finnish myydä esikoisoikeutensa hernerokasta, valtakunta hevosesta
- myydä esikoisoikeutensa hernerokastawillingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
- valtakunta hevosestawillingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
French mon royaume pour un cheval
- mon royaume pour un chevalwillingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
German ein Königreich für ein …
- ein Königreich für ein …willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
Greek αντί πινακίου φακής
- αντί πινακίου φακής (antí pinakíou fakís)willingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
Polish królestwo za konia
- królestwo za koniawillingness to sacrifice anything for something previously unimportant
Cite this entry
APA
my kingdom for a horse. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/my%20kingdom%20for%20a%20horse
MLA
“my kingdom for a horse.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/my%20kingdom%20for%20a%20horse. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “my kingdom for a horse,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/my%20kingdom%20for%20a%20horse.
Source: my kingdom for a horse on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.