thereby hangs a tale

Idioms

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From Scientific American • Nov. 12, 2019

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

From The Guardian • Aug. 13, 2017

Ah yes," he beams, "and thereby hangs a tale.

From The Guardian • Jun. 15, 2013

U is for U.P.I., which told a story before it happened, and thereby hangs a tale.

From Time Magazine Archive

Venus always bestowed a great deal of pains on the arrangement of her head covering, which was profusely decorated with combs of various shapes and sizes; but "thereby hangs a tale" which must be told.

From A Grandmother's Recollections by Church, Ella Rodman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023