share and share alike
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Senses: examples: text: [E]xquisite beauty is rarely given with wit, more rarely with goodness of temper, and never at all with modesty. And some, pretending to justify the equity of such a distribution, will tell us it is the effect of the justice of Providence in dividing particular excellences among all His creatures, "Share and share alike, as it were," that all might for something or other be acceptable to one another.
ref: 1697, Daniel Defoe, “Of Academies”, in An Essay Upon Projects:
text: "I can tell stories and sing and sell more goods than any one has any idea of. Besides that, I’ve got a new corn salve I put up myself which goes like hot cakes. Barberry’s Lightning Salve, I call it — my name is Paul Barberry, you know — Dr. Barberry, most of ’em call me. Say the word, and I’ll go with you and put up my salve against your outfit, and we’ll share and share alike."
ref: 1897, Edward Stratemeyer, chapter 13, in Young Auctioneers; or, the polishing of a Rolling Stone:
text: "No, no, share and share alike," he cried. "All sink or all swim, and the devil take the flincher."
ref: 1898, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 8, in The Tragedy of the Korosko:
text: "It was quite usual in those days to be stopped by a soldier waiting on the road, who, with a gallant bow and salute, asked your permission to "mount behind" and have a lift to so and so. In fact, if you were on foot and wanted to get anywhere quickly it was always safe to rely on a military car or ambulance coming along, and then simply wave frantically and ask for a lift. Very much a case of share and share alike."
ref: 1919, Pat Beauchamp, chapter 3, in Fanny goes to War (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry):
text: Share and share alike, they lived and worked and wrangled together like brothers.
ref: 1921, B. M. Bower, chapter 1, in Sawtooth Ranch:
glosses: For members of a group, equal portions of or equal access to tangible or intangible goods, entitlements, or obligations—i.e., each person's share like each of the other shares. Often used in a context of reciprocity, or pooling resources.
examples: text: "And your father and mine have purchased all this land in company, you say—share and share alike, as the lawyers call it."
ref: 1845, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 4, in Satanstoe:
text: [O]n his decease, the principal to be equally divided between Peggotty, little Emily, and me, or the survivor or survivors of us, share and share alike.
ref: 1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, chapter 31, in The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC:
text: [T]he husband, ordered by the court to divide his property share and share alike, sawed the family piano in half, together with the tables, chairs, pictures, rugs and draperies, and loading these on a truck had the halves carted to the new home of his wife.
ref: 2000 September 27, “In Our Pages 75 Years Ago”, in New York Times, retrieved 04 Sep 2013:
topics: law
glosses: Equal rights to or equal portions of profits, assets, bequests, or other valuable items legally owed to investors, partners, beneficiaries, or other named associates. If one beneficiary is unable to benefit (for instance, if they have died), their share is divided among the others.