Words worth understanding
Start with the thought in plain English. Then examine its imagery, practical application and limitations.
2,058 selected entries have editorial explanations. An explanation is not independent authentication of an attribution. Start with the individually source-checked classics ↗
proverb · Traditional
A restriction can make something seem especially desirable. Sweetness pictures that attraction, without proving that every forbidden thing is valuable or that wanting it makes a rule worth breaking.
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Thinking ahead can prevent effort that would otherwise be wasted. Before working harder, check whether a better sequence, preparation or decision would make the task easier to complete.
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Knowing about a possible difficulty beforehand gives you a chance to prepare. A useful warning can change how you act instead of leaving you to respond unready.
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Do not abandon a worthwhile opportunity solely because of a smaller necessary cost. The toll pictures a limited expense on the way to a larger purpose.
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Decisive action can create opportunities that hesitation misses. Courage may help someone benefit from an opening, though it cannot control luck or guarantee success.
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The saying expresses hope that everyone will encounter an opportunity. It is an encouraging viewpoint, not a guarantee that opportunities are equally available or that a setback means someone ignored their chance.
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The saying makes a tailor’s pocket sound lively with very little money and a thimble. The small contents contrast with the impression created by their jingle.
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Care with resources now may make later life less burdensome. The easy chair pictures comfort made possible by earlier restraint.
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Choosing to engage with something troublesome may bring its characteristic difficulties. The thistles and prickles picture a foreseeable cost of the chosen activity.
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Judge something by its substance rather than by the setting around it. The gem and its mount distinguish underlying quality from presentation, without making context irrelevant to how something is used or understood.
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The saying exaggerates luck until it seems able to overcome even an extreme danger. It exposes confidence in favourable outcomes that ignores the actual situation.
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A small concession can encourage someone to ask for much more. Make the scope of an agreement clear without assuming that every request for additional help shows bad intentions.
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The phrase calls for sustained practical effort on a task. Elbow grease is figurative hard work, not a substance or a guarantee that more effort will solve every difficulty.
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Unrequested advice can be as unwelcome as altering someone’s food without asking. Check whether help is wanted before assuming you know what another person needs.
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Good material can be spoiled by how it is prepared. The saying contrasts a valued provision with disappointing handling, using God and the devil as exaggerated figures rather than establishing who causes a particular meal or mistake.
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The prospect of wealth can distract people from relevant facts or objections. The saying warns about distorted judgement, without proving that every person will ignore evidence when money is involved.
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Useful advice can still help after the ideal moment has passed. Consider what can improve now instead of dismissing guidance solely because it arrived late.
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Plenty may encourage careless use, while scarcity can encourage caution about what is available. The harvest comparison describes possible changes in behaviour, without proving that either condition determines someone’s character or that hardship is desirable.
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Careful attention can help work proceed successfully. The saying praises taking heed before acting, while its confident promise should not be read as a guarantee that preparation prevents every difficulty.
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Careful attention can help you notice and address a problem before it grows. The saying encourages suitable vigilance without proving that every setback is preventable or caused by someone’s failure to watch.
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Impressive claims can conceal a modest result. The contrast between a large boast and a small roast invites comparison of what was promised with what was actually provided, without treating confidence itself as dishonesty.
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A large or conspicuous target is easier to notice and aim at. Figuratively, prominence can attract attention or criticism, without proving that the criticism is justified or that visibility must be avoided.
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The saying suggests that people who use up their resources freely may have less available to lend. Check actual capacity rather than treating spending habits as proof of someone’s generosity or character.
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A useful partial result can be better than receiving nothing. Recognise what a smaller provision contributes without pretending it fully meets the need.
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