Rest on your laurels origin

Having won a campaign, a Roman general could spend the rest of their careers savouring their past successes, basking in the memories of former glories. Past achievements and rest on your laurels origin are something to celebrate and learn from; however, they can prevent progress according to John Kotter in his seminal work on Change Initiatives Leading Change HBS Press

Add to word list Add to word list. Just because you've got your degree doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels. Satisfied and complacent. The company can't just sit back and rest on its laurels — we have to move on to something new. Translations of rest on your laurels in Chinese Traditional. See more.

Rest on your laurels origin

Highly-accomplished people are often praised for their deeds. Besides their culinary or ornamental uses, the idea of a crown of laurels stems from the Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo, ruler of the sun and god of music. When Apollo wanted to woo the nymph Daphne, she turned into a laurel tree instead of returning his affections. Though he was rejected, Apollo decided to don a crown of laurel leaves in her honor. In ancient Greek tradition, these crowns were gifted to athletic champions and seen as symbols of status and victory. In , England established the position of Poet Laureate, and esteemed poet, literary critic, and playwright John Dryden was the first to hold this honor. Outside of poetry, Nobel Prize winners are also known as laureates. So a crown of laurels and being a laureate are marks of distinction, not associated with slacking off or riding on your reputation. Later in the 19th century, this expression crossed over from laudatory to critical. We do not affect to wish she should repose on her laurels and rest satisfied; on the contrary, we believe that genius is inexhaustible … For Miss Edgeworth there must be no rest on this side of the grave. Nevertheless, we can return to the glory days of laurels.

Published: January 21, at AM. German English to German. Highly-accomplished people are often praised for their deeds.

Log In. My Account. In ancient Greece, the laurel was a plant that was sacred to the god Apollo. Laurel wreaths were awarded to the winning athletes in the Pythian games, held in honor of the god Apollo every four years. Later, laurel wreaths were awarded to signify other victories and honors, in Greece and Rome.

Would you like to let someone know that it's time to put in some real effort, or tell someone that they have been too relaxed in their efforts and have been slacking off? The term 'resting on your laurels' is a saying that can be used to relate this to someone. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. The term 'resting on your laurels' is a type of figurative saying that can be used to mean that someone is relaxing on their efforts after they are sure their work has paid off, usually too soon. If someone is 'resting on their laurels' then it means that they have become lazy or too relaxed in their efforts after some hard work. Someone can use the term 'resting on your laurels' as a veiled insult that tells someone it's time to stop being lazy or get a move on with the activity in question. The expression is either used as 'resting on your laurels' or said as 'to rest on your laurels'. The term can also be used to deny that someone is 'resting on their laurels' as part of a conversation or comment. Remember that if anyone walks in here, you're fired and I didn't see anything. She was successful once, but she used the last time to rest on her laurels and let everyone else around her do the work.

Rest on your laurels origin

Add to word list Add to word list. Just because you've got your degree doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels. Satisfied and complacent. The company can't just sit back and rest on its laurels — we have to move on to something new. Translations of rest on your laurels in Chinese Traditional. See more.

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These cookies do not store any personal information. He even made a wreath out of one of the branches. Call us to discuss your change needs on Listen to the latest episodes now. Pronunciation Guide. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. You want to continue learning, growing and improving… including your language and grammar skills. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. French images. In the image above, you can see Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory, holding a laurel wreath in her hand. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More. Just because you've got your degree doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels. Having won a campaign, a Roman general could spend the rest of their careers savouring their past successes, basking in the memories of former glories. The wreaths were also presented to the winners at the Pythian Games, which were effectively precursors to the Olympic Games of Rome.

It was during this time wreaths made up of the laurel leaves were worn as symbol of victory and status.

The company can't just sit back and rest on its laurels — we have to move on to something new. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The government can't rest on its laurels and must press ahead with major policy changes. Italian images. Facebook Twitter Instagram. Winning competitors in the Ancient Greek Phythian Games, a forerunner of the Olympics founded roughly in the 6th century BC, were given wreaths made of the aromatic laurel leaves as a symbol of their triumph. Translations of rest on your laurels in Chinese Traditional. Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. Anyone can learn to sow on a button. Check See the answer Next Next quiz Review.