Movers and Shakers

People with influence who can typically shape events; the phrase was coined by British poet Arthur O’Shaughnessy in an 1874 poem entitled Ode, “Yet we are the movers and shakers of the world, for ever, it seems.” O’Shaughnessy was referring specifically to poets and musicians. Although it was undoubtedly coined that long ago, one suspects it only came into vogue in relatively recent times.