Get our new book club guide for 20% off this week only!

Why do we say "From the sublime to the ridiculous"?

Well-Known Expressions

From the sublime to the ridiculous

Meaning:

Great undertakings may end in disaster

Background:

The proverb originates from the French expression: Du sublime au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas.
Although sometimes attributed to the French diplomat Tallyrand (1754-1838) or Napoleon, the expression is used much earlier by French historian Jean Francois Marmontel (1723-99) and later by Thomas Paine in The Age of Reason (1793).

More expressions and their source

Challenge yourself with BookBrowse Wordplays

BookBrowse Book Club

Book Jacket
The Tapestry of Time
by Kate Heartfield
Love, war, and the supernatural collide in this dazzling historical fantasy by international bestselling author Kate Heartfield.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    A Club of One's Own
    by BookBrowse

    Dreaming of starting or reviving a book club? A Club of One’s Own is the essential guide to doing it right.

    Read the Reviews
Win This Book
Win These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas

"[An] atmospheric tale of unexpected hope." —Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author

Enter

Book
Trivia

  • Book Trivia

    Can you name the title?

    Test your book knowledge with our daily trivia challenge!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

T T O the T

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.