Expression: "By the four winds"

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi
Please see below.

Hero: So you came here to protect me?
Heroine: No, I came to betray you!

Hero (angry look): By the four winds, you have a lot of courage.

Could you please shed some light on this one? No where available!!!

Tom

2

‘By the four winds’ in this context is similar to ‘by God’.

Expressions with ‘the four winds’ are profusely mentioned in the Bible.

3

Is it a common expression?

Can it be used in everyday English?

Tom

4

No Tom, I wouldn’t say it’s a common expression. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it in modern, everyday English. But that’s not to say we can’t use it if we like :slight_smile: !

5

Hmm … how interesting. Thank you, Conchita!

By the way, I’ve never heard ‘by the four winds’ from English natives, only ‘to the four winds’ (one time :slight_smile: ), but I’d like to say that the Russian analogue is to the all four sides (of the world) and is widely used in everyday Russian. :slight_smile:

For example:
You can go to the all four sides = You’re absolutely free to walk wherever you want and to do what you want (…and I am not interested it any more :slight_smile: )

6

Hi Tom

I’ve never actually heard anybody use the expression By the four winds in the US either.

Amy