strange bedfellows

English

Etymology

1610, from Shakespeare's "Tempest", Act 2 Scene 2: "Alas, the storm is come again! My best way is to creep under his gaberdine; there is no other shelter hereabout: misery acquaints a man with strange bed-fellows."

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

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Noun

1. (idiomatic) An unusual combination or political alliance

   "Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows."

Translations

unusual combination or political alliance

• Estonian: ootamatud liitlased pl
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: неожиданные (neožidannyje) союзники (sojuzniki) (neožídannyje sojúzniki)pl, странные (strannyje) компаньоны (kompanʹony) (stránnyje kompanʼjóny)pl

See also

• make common cause
• unholy alliance