10 Most unforgettable lines from Peaky Blinders

There’s a swagger to Peaky Blinders - a confident, sharp-edged style that’s almost another character. Part of what makes it stick is the lines. Not every show can drop a sentence that makes you sit up, check the mirror, and feel like you’ve understood more than a story.

These lines aren’t just words. They’re attitude, power, warning, and poetry. They come from boardrooms, back alleys, football pitches, and funerals. And each one has the Shelby voice behind it.

Across six seasons, Peaky Blinders built a language: clipped, dangerous, and deeply British. Each time Tommy, Polly, Arthur, or any Shelby spoke, you leaned in. Some lines were cold threats, others brief reflections, but they all carried weight.

They held death in the pause between syllables. They held loyalty in the tightening of a jaw. They held ambition in an arrogant smile.

So, here are 10 lines you might’ve forgotten were hitting that hard. Each one gave you a glimpse of what the Shelbys believed. And if you’ve ever sworn “By order of the Peaky Blinders,” these moments made it more than a tagline; they made it a creed.

10 Times Peaky Blinders said it best

1) “I don’t pay for suits. My suits are on the house - or the house burns down.” (Tommy Shelby)

This line is classic. Tommy Shelby doesn’t negotiate; he sets terms. His suits aren’t just clothes...they’re territory. This line shows his confidence, control, and thin skin beneath the swagger. It’s not a joke. It’s a warning.

And when Cillian Murphy delivers it, he’s not selling a quip—he’s making it personal. You feel the cost of crossing him. That’s Peaky Blinders' tone in one breath: elegance mixed with violence.

2) “When you’re dead already, you do what I do. You find other ways to live.” (Tommy Shelby)

Here’s Tommy in another mood—reflective, worn. Peaky Blinders gave us this line when Tommy was shaken by grief and war trauma. It’s not a threat. It’s half prayer, half confession.

This moment reminds us that Shelby's life isn’t always about power. Sometimes it’s about survival. And survival means living small, even when the world expects you to dominate.

3) “You don’t parley when you’re on your knees.” (Polly Grey)

The heart of Peaky Blinders isn’t in the bullets; it’s in the family. And Polly is the steel support. She says this line when she refuses to negotiate from weakness. She’s not a gambler; she’s a general.

That sentence carries her life story: loss, loyalty, and refusal. Polly Grey delivers it standing tall despite pain, betrayal, and grief. If the show is about grit coated in velvet, this line is velvet resisting pressure. Politicians whisper... Polly roars.

4) “There is God and there are the Peaky Blinders.” (Tommy Shelby)

Leave it to Tommy to place the gang somewhere between heaven and hell. He doesn’t yell it. He just says it like it’s always been true. This line lands when Tommy is cornered by higher powers but refuses to act small. It’s blasphemous, bold, and pure Shelby logic.

He’s not claiming to be a god - he’s reminding people that when push comes to shove, the Peaky Blinders don’t ask for permission. They act.

And this line makes that loud and clear. Cillian Murphy’s calm delivery gives it that extra punch; it sounds more like prophecy than threat.

5) “If you’re soft on the outside, you got to be hard on the inside.” (Ada Shelby)

Ada’s line is easy to miss among the swaggering Shelby men. But it matters. Peaky Blinders gave us her softer voice, then cut deeper with this. She’s in politics, hoping to be someone better. Yet she knows the world isn’t kind.

So she keeps her softness outward and her steel inward. It’s not about cruelty. It’s about protection. And delivered by Sophie Rundle, this line quietly reframes the show’s violence—harm is possible, and you don’t want to feel it.

6) “Everyone's a whore Grace. We just sell different parts of ourselves.” (Tommy Shelby to Grace)

This one hits like a quiet punch. Tommy isn’t angry when he says it. He’s calm, almost philosophical, but the sting is sharp. It’s not just about Grace’s past—it’s about his too.

This line pulls the curtain back on how every character survives. Whether it's through violence, charm, politics, or lies, everyone in that world is selling something.

What makes the moment memorable is the honesty. Tommy’s not judging; he’s leveling the field. It’s a rare pause in a world full of bluff and posture. And Cillian Murphy’s delivery makes it feel like more than a line. It’s a thesis.

One sentence, and suddenly the entire world of Peaky Blinders makes sense. Everyone’s surviving, selling, and hiding how much it costs.

7) “Goodness is not strength, Grace. It’s weakness.” (Tommy Shelby)

Another shot from Tommy to Grace. This line splits the story apart. It’s not a statement; it’s an ultimatum. He’s making Grace choose. He’s giving her their world’s shape. It reads like free advice.

But it’s so much more. It’s an admission. Tommy knows he’s crossing lines. He knows she might walk away. But Peaky Blinders didn’t soften. That’s Grace in a dangerous world, and it’s invited to break your heart.

8) “Family, business, and then anything else.” (Tommy Shelby)

If Peaky Blinders had a mission statement, this would be it. That’s not a menu. It’s a blueprint. Family comes first because they built the business. The business comes second because it protects the family. The rest is noise.

Tommy doesn’t say it with emotion. He says it matter-of-factly, as if facts are New England weather. Cillian Murphy’s delivery makes it ring like a church bell. When you hear it, you feel it’s set in stone.

9) “Rum’s for fun and f*cking, innit? So whisky… now that is for business.” (Alfie Solomons)

This is classic Alfie Solomons—dry, eccentric, and unsettling all at once. In Season 2, Episode 2, he delivers this line during a tense meeting with Tommy, casually sizing up business while fueling the tension in the room.

It isn’t just about drinks - it’s about purpose and edge. Rum is pleasure; whiskey means you mean business. Tom Hardy’s gravelly delivery sells it perfectly; Alfie doesn’t need to shout to command the room.

10) “By order of the Peaky Blinders.” (Tommy, Arthur, and everyone who meant business)

It’s not just a catchphrase. It’s a warning, a claim, and a rallying cry. Every time someone utters this line, things are about to get serious. Whether it’s Tommy announcing the end of a deal, Arthur slamming someone through a wall, or Polly shutting down a room with pure presence...it lands.

The show gave this phrase weight by using it sparingly and always purposefully. You hear it once, and you know what show you’re watching. It’s not said with a wink, it’s said like a signature. It's the stamp on every Shelby victory, every broken truce, every power play.

No matter the season, no matter the enemy, “By order of the Peaky Blinders” means the rules just changed. And if you’re on the other side, you’re probably in trouble.

Conclusion

Peaky Blinders thrives on tight focus and sharper words. These ten unforgettable lines aren’t filler; they pulse with story and history. Each unfolds a piece of that drama: family ties, violence, grief, ambition, and heartbreak.

You might not remember every plot twist from the show. But those lines? They stick, unflinching. Peaky Blinders built that world one sentence at a time, and these are the ones that still echo.