twice-told

[ twahys-tohld ]

adjective

1. having been told before; related two times.

twice-told

adjective

1. hackneyed through repeated use

Word History and Origins

Origin of twice-told¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

This focus on individual experiences and actions allows a reader the comfort of revisiting old friends whose life histories are twice-told tales, while also providing introductions to less well-known but equally interesting men.

From Washington Post

That idea reached a zenith of sorts in his 2018 feature, “Asako I & II,” a deftly twice-told love story that abounded in doppelgängers real and imagined.

From Los Angeles Times

For Mrs. May, this is a twice-told tale, having pleaded for more time before the original March 29 deadline expired.

From New York Times

A mere gimmick in lesser hands, Jackson’s twice-told tales — like his sleuthing subjects — “each absorb and expand the narrative.”

From Washington Post

In the Borgesian section called “A Twice-Told Tale,” the protagonist, split into multiple selves, finds himself “trapped inside” a story by Poe, full of literary echoes, doubles and narrative repetition.

From New York Times