something is rotten in the state of Denmark
Something is not right, seriously amiss, especially when leading to suspicion of motive.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I suspect something is rotten in the state of Denmark with this deal.”
“When the manager suddenly resigned without a clear reason, the staff whispered that something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”
“As the financial reports revealed hidden debts and missing funds, the auditor concluded that something is rotten in the state of Denmark regarding the company's leadership.”
A line spoken by Marcellus in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act I, scene iv.
- 01
a little of something goes a long way
Only a small amount of something is usually required to produce a great effect.
- 02
bellwether state
A state of the United States that historically votes for the winning candidate in a given election.
- 03
blue state
A state of the United States voting Democratic in a given election, or tending to vote Democratic in general.
- 04
chalk something up to experience
To take a lesson from a bad outcome instead of grieving it.
- 05
get something over with
To proceed to do something as soon as possible, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.
- 06
give someone something to think about
To threaten or provide a challenge to.
- 07
give something a go
To try or attempt.
- 08
give something a miss
To forgo something.
Last updated August 10, 2026