slings and arrows

slings and arrows

1. Harsh criticisms, judgments, or personal attacks. Her unpopular opinions have brought slings and arrows on her from people all over the country. Now that you're the boss, get ready to face the slings and arrows of unhappy customers and employees alike.
2. Unpleasant or difficult hardships. We've had our share of slings and arrows, but we've managed to build ourselves up into a stable business.
See also: and, arrow, sling
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

slings and arrows

mainly BRITISH, LITERARY
Slings and arrows are bad things that happen to you and that are not your fault. She seemed generally unable to cope with the slings and arrows of life. He endured the usual slings and arrows of a life lived in the media spotlight. Note: This expression comes from the line the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, in Shakespeare's play `Hamlet'. People sometimes use this line in full. Ah well, we all have to bear the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Note: This is a quotation from a speech in Shakespeare's play `Hamlet', where Hamlet is considering whether or not to kill himself: `To be, or not to be - that is the question; Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?' (Act 3, Scene 1)
See also: and, arrow, sling
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

slings and arrows

adverse factors or circumstances.
This expression is taken from the ‘to be or not to be’ speech in Hamlet: ‘Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them’.
2001 Ian J. Deary Intelligence The genetic lottery and the environmental slings and arrows influence the level of some of our mental capabilities.
See also: and, arrow, sling
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

the ˌslings and ˈarrows (of something)

the problems and difficulties (of something): As a politician you have to deal with the slings and arrows of criticism from the newspapers.This comes from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet: ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’.
See also: and, arrow, sling
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

slings and arrows

Difficulties or hardships.
See also: and, arrow, sling
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • the slings and arrows
  • you can dish it out, but you can't take it
  • dish it out
  • dish out
  • live (one's) own life
  • live your own life
  • if you can't take it, (then) don't dish it out
  • thick-skinned
  • thin-skinned
  • (one's) own person
References in periodicals archive
He has suffered the slings and arrows - and the back seat sick and moaning customers - of being a taxi driver for years.
Friends reunited
But Toro Bravo is as much about cooking as about rising above life's slings and arrows: recipes open with personal insights and provide aspiring home cooks with fare that will intrigue their culinary approaches.
Toro Bravo
A pilot of the show - called Slings and Arrows - has been commissioned by BBC1.
Elton writes new sitcom for the Beeb
However, he struggles to maintain his usual detachment from Consuela, exposing him to the slings and arrows of misfortune.
Bed-hopper Ben finds love hurts; ELEGY (15) VERDICT: ***
Suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune; international perspectives on stress, laughter and depression.
Suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune; international perspectives on stress, laughter and depression
Should our schools suffer in silence or face up to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune by promoting the suggestion that William Shakespeare may have batted for the other side?
Birmingham Post comment: Shakespeare out
For all intents and purposes, Angelus has just launched a commercial enterprise that has virtually no chance of succeeding, is unlikely to generate significant revenues in the near future, is labor-intensive, risky, and subject to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.
Remembering the glory days. (Flip Side)
In Washington, the nightmare of American voters paying such exorbitant prices to fill up their four-wheelers and sport-utility vehicles had politicians throwing all sorts of slings and arrows at OPEC's evil--and ungrateful--empire.
Let's put the brakes on our gas habit
We both love women, we both want their attention, we both thrill to their delights when not enduring the slings and arrows of mistreatment.
Stand by your man
In the final analysis, Garvey's monumental vision of black self-reliance had been calculatedly held hostage to the supine inquiry of Rodney King: "Can't we all just get along?" Some may view the author's attempt to bridge the great racial divide by rescuing whites from feelings of guilt about the past and present slings and arrows of outrageous fortune suffered by blacks as a noble assignation.
'The Black Star Line': the de-mystification of Marcus Garvey
Perhaps they are insulated by wealth from the slings and arrows of rising population, unemployment and other nasties.
Our green and pleasant land; FEEDBACK
The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Dating & Sex provides a comprehensive handbook for fielding the slings and arrows of romance, and packs in hundreds of scenarios from across the series plus dozens of new entries on romantic trysts gone bad.
The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Dating & Sex
As for an assisted suicide if his life had become insufferable, the reasons given by Patrick Stewart to justify fele de se (felon of himself) are trivial compared with life's heroes who are prepared to keep on to the end despite the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and the unbearable pain of cancer and the many other ailments that inflict mankind at any age.
Cowardly way out; You Say Email:letters@liverpoolecho.co.uk