59 --- "Henri VIII: Dressed to Kill": A PUN

Before leaving the Tower of London we visited the exhibition in the White Tower: "Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill", where we discovered Henry VIII the warrior, the sportsman and the king. The exhibition celebrates the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII becoming King of England. We saw his armour, helmets and weapons.

What is the meaning of "Dressed to Kill?" Remember, this is the king who sent two of his wives to their death at The Tower of London.

"Dressed to Kill" here is in fact a pun = a play on words. (sometimes a play on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.) In addition, we remember what a cruel husband Henry VIII was!

1) A knight is "dressed to kill" because he goes to war to kill the enemy. He is dressed in his armour and carries his weapons.

2) But "dressed to kill" also means "dressed in fancy or formal clothes."
"For the opening of the opera, she was dressed to kill."

3) Henry VIII had his wives Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard beheaded.

Return to the blog for a little more "pun fun" in Post 60.

Jane