salad days

English

Etymology

Coined by William Shakespeare, in Anthony and Cleopatra, act 1, sc. 5:

My salad days, when I was green in judgment.

Noun

Wikipedia salad days (plural only)

1. A period of inexperienced youthful innocence accompanied by enthusiasm and idealism.
   • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter XX:

     “I'll bet he was swiping things as a small boy.” “Only biscuits.” “I beg your pardon?” “Or crackers you would call them, wouldn't you? He was telling me he occasionally pinched a cracker or two in his salad days.”