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ships (that) pass in the night
01
a situation where two people or groups cross paths briefly and then continue on their separate ways without any meaningful interaction or connection
Idiom
Informal
Old use
What is the origin of the idiom "ships that pass in the night" and when to use it?
The idiom "ships that pass in the night" is believed to have originated from a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow titled "The Theologian's Tale: Elizabeth," which was published in 1863. In the poem, the phrase is used to describe a chance encounter or a brief meeting between two individuals who, like ships passing each other in the night, briefly cross paths before continuing on their separate journeys.
Examples
The two men met once, like ships that pass in the night, and never met again.
