Origin of Phrases - S
Stink to high heaven
Meaning: To have a very strong odor.
Example: There is a road kill on 101 that stinks to high heaven.
Origin: Heaven as referenced in the bible is presumably quite a long distance away, and anything here that could be smelled in heaven would be a powerful odor indeed.
Shakespeare may have originated the phrase (or at least made it famous) in "Hamlet" when Hamlet's uncle, the king of Denmark says: "O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven; It hath the primal eldest curse upon it, A brother's murder."
Heavens also refers to the planets and stars. Also a fair distance away.
Interesting that Shakespeare's reference was not an actually an odor, but a deed that was observable from heaven.
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