# many a time and oft

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/many-a-time-and-oft
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Frequently.

## Examples

- I have thought about moving to the city many a time and oft.
- My grandfather warned me about the dangers of the forest, having walked those dark paths many a time and oft in his youth.
- Though he claimed to have forgotten the old legends, the village elder had recounted them to the children many a time and oft throughout the long winter.

## Origin

Formed by repetition for emphasis, the phrase is a variation of the more standard many a time. It remains a fixture of English rhetoric as a redundant intensifier.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.