If you have been reading books, watching movies, or listening to narratives, you might have come across the phrase: “The rest is history.” You might be wondering what this phrase means and why people use it so often. Is it just a simple way to end a story or hold a deeper meaning? In this article, we will dive deep and uncover the true origin and meaning of this popular phrase.
The Origin of “The Rest Is History”
To unravel the origin of this phrase, we need to turn the clock back to the ancient times when most events were documented in books and manuscripts. The historians would write about significant events that had a lasting impact on the society of those times. However, since paper was scarce and expensive, most writers would only document the most impactful and critical events, leaving out the minor details.
Therefore, when authors in the past would write about an event, they would often summarize it by highlighting the critical turning points and the consequential outcomes that followed. When the co-authors wrote about such events, they would state the important events and mention that the rest of the details could be found in previous writings or historical records.
As a result, this phrase became a common way of concluding stories that had significant impacts on society. The phrase was also used to denote the existence of further details, which was left out due to various reasons.
The Meaning of “The Rest Is History”
In modern times, this phrase is commonly used to mean that an event or story has a well-known outcome or consequence that does not need further elaboration. For example, if you are narrating the story of the Apollo 11 mission, you may end the story by saying something like, “…and the rest is history,” implying that everyone knows that Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon.
This phrase is also used to describe a situation where a person’s success is so obvious that there is no need to explain further. For instance, if you are describing the rise of Bill Gates, you could say that he dropped out of college to start a small technology company, and the rest is history, meaning everyone knows that he is the founder of Microsoft Corporation, one of the world’s largest tech companies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “The rest is history” is a popular phrase that originated from the ancient times when writing materials were scarce and expensive. It was initially used as a way of summarizing significant events while still highlighting the existence of further details that could be found in historical records.
In modern times, this phrase has evolved and is commonly used to insinuate that an event or story has a well-known outcome or consequence that does not require further explanation. In other cases, it can be used to illustrate a person’s success, which is so profound that there is no need to elaborate. So, the next time you hear someone say that the rest is history, you know what it means and where it came from.
If you want to read more about the origin and meaning of popular phrases, check out this article, which delves into the meanings of other common phrases.
FAQ
How do you use the rest they say is history in a sentence?
“When we talk about the rest they say is history, we are usually referring to a particular event or decision which had significant consequences that later unfolded in a certain way. The phrase is usually used in storytelling and is often applied when discussing historical events. It can be used to describe an outcome that was so predictable that the details of how it came to be are no longer important.
Using the rest they say is history in a sentence is simple. For instance, if you were giving a presentation about the rise of Apple Inc., you could say ‘Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple in 1976, and the rest they say is history.’ This implies that the founding of Apple was such a momentous decision that everything else that happened afterwards can be attributed to that initial action. Another example would be ‘After Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, the rest they say is history.’
On the other hand, the phrase can also be used to indicate that a certain decision or event was unpredictable and led to unexpected consequences. For example, consider the sentence ‘When Barack Obama became the first African American President of the United States in 2008, the rest they say is history.’ This shows that Obama’s presidency was a groundbreaking event that led to a significant shift in American politics, and that everything that followed from that point on was unprecedented.
The rest they say is history is a versatile phrase that can be used to describe various events or decisions in the past that had far-reaching consequences. It highlights the impact of certain decisions and how they shaped the course of history as we know it today.”
What does the phrase the rest of us refer to *?
The phrase “the rest of us” generally refers to the majority of people who are not part of a specific group or category. The term suggests that there is a certain group of people, perhaps those who are wealthy, powerful, or privileged, who are not like “the rest of us.” When someone says “for the rest of us,” they are implying that something has been designed for common use, and is accessible to everyone, regardless of their social status or economic ability. In this way, the phrase is often used in a positive sense, to suggest inclusivity and community. It is also often used in marketing, with companies promoting products as being designed with “the rest of us” in mind, and implying that their products are more accessible and affordable than those designed for the elite few. So, in essence, the phrase “the rest of us” simply means those who are not part of a specific group or class, and it suggests a sense of community, inclusivity, and access to things that are designed for common use.
What is the idiom phrase of history?
The idiom phrase “and the rest is history” is a commonly used expression that refers to past events or situations that are well-known to most people. It is a way of indicating that a certain event was followed by a series of other well-known occurrences that led up to a notable outcome. This idiom is often used to imply that a given course of events was inevitable or that it had a significant impact on the present.
The origin of this phrase can be traced back to the ancient Roman historian, Livy, who wrote “anno urbis conditae septingentesimo tertio,” which roughly translates to “in the 703rd year after the founding of the city” to mark the beginning of a new epoch in Roman history. However, it was not until the 20th century that the expression “and the rest is history” came into common use. It is now widely used in popular culture and everyday language.
The idiom “and the rest is history” is usually used to describe an event or situation in an abbreviated form and then to suggest that the subsequent events or outcomes were predictable or well known. For example, “Elvis Presley recorded his first song in 1954, and the rest is history.” The phrase implies that the subsequent events in Elvis’ career, such as his skyrocketing fame, were inevitable after the release of his first song.
The idiom phrase “and the rest is history” is a widely recognized expression that is used to refer to past events or situations that led to significant outcomes and are well-known to most people. By using this expression, individuals can summarize a series of events in a concise and memorable way, acknowledging the significant impact that they have had on society as a whole.
