thereby hangs a tale

1. That detail or incident reminds one of another story, as in So he went without supper, but thereby hangs a tale. This expression, embodying the pun on tail and tale, was used by Shakespeare in at least four of his plays and presumably was well known before that. [1500s]

Example Sentences

Thereby hangs a tale of awakening and change that will delight both old and new fans of the elusive Italian writer.

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No, they did not, and thereby hangs a tale.

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And thereby hangs a tale, no doubt, but in the interest of time let’s skip to the finished product: a peeled plum tomato collapsed down to a red cushion that more or less covers the patty.

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On the other hand, there are also the mysterious revolutions of luck, the wheel of chance – and thereby hangs a tale.

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These include “out of the question,” “the long and the short of it,” “thereby hangs a tale,” “set your teeth on edge,” “it’s high time,” “the truth will come to light,” “something in the wind” and “I have not slept one wink.”

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