winter of discontent
Cold, unhappy period
A winter of discontent is a period of hardship, unrest, or widespread dissatisfaction—especially one involving political or economic turmoil.
The phrase comes from Shakespeare's *Richard III*, where it opens the play: "Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this sun of York." In British usage, it often refers specifically to the winter of 1978–79, marked by strikes and labor disputes that helped bring down the Labour government.
More broadly, any difficult season of unhappiness or social unrest: The layoffs made it a winter of discontent for the whole industry.
- strikeForceful impact or stoppage
- labourStrenuous effort expended
- unionJoining into one
- unrestState of public disturbance
- conflictOpposition between parties
Shakespeare · protest · Richard III · agitation · picketing · power cuts · bin bags · red wall · discontent · trade unions · economic crisis · shortages · inflation · metaphor · austerity · grievance · social unrest · Elizabethan drama
- Literary Phrasesto be or not to be, carpe diem, et tu Brute, call me Ishmael, once upon a time
winter of discontentgolden age
Period of peak prosperity
halcyon days · salad days · Indian summer · springtime · sunny days
winter of discontentgolden era
Period of peak achievement
belle époque · economic boom · Pax Romana · roaring twenties · national unity
winter of discontentsocial harmony
Peaceful coexistence among people
economic boom · labor peace · national unity · roaring twenties · post-war boom
winter, winters, wintered, wintering, wintry, wintertime, content, contents, contented