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 settlement may avoid the expense and strain of a prolonged dispute. The proverb favours agreement where it is fair and workable, without making cost a reason to abandon protection, accountability or a legitimate claim.
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The saying pictures agues arriving on horseback and departing on foot. It contrasts a rapid onset with a slower imagined recovery through two ways of travelling.
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Pleasant words do not by themselves establish friendship. Look for dependable and considerate conduct rather than assuming that flattery or an agreeable manner proves someone cares for you.
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Displaying the signs of a role does not prove someone can carry it out. Blowing the horn and being a hunter distinguish appearance from demonstrated ability, without making every visible symbol misleading.
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Visible religious participation does not by itself establish admirable conduct. The saying asks people to distinguish an outward sign of devotion from the way someone actually treats others.
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An accusation or hostile reaction does not prove that its target did anything wrong. Look for relevant evidence instead of treating suspicion as a reliable verdict.
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A resemblance or suspicious association is not enough to condemn every member of a group. Look for evidence about the particular case before attaching a frightening label.
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One arrangement will not fit everyone. Differences between people may require different provisions, just as feet of different sizes cannot all use the same shoe comfortably.
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Someone may treat everything that comes their way as useful to their purpose. The net makes opportunities seem readily usable, while leaving open whether that resourcefulness is considerate, appropriate or merely self-serving.
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A delay does not necessarily cancel an opportunity. Something postponed may remain possible, so distinguish waiting from a definite refusal before deciding how to proceed.
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A person willing to help may be given more and more work because others find it easy to ask them. Share responsibilities instead of making reliability a reason for overload.
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Pleasure that continually displaces necessary effort can leave a practical need unmet. Tom’s ragged shirt pictures the consequence of neglected work.
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An attractive appearance or impressive presentation does not guarantee real value. Look beyond the shine before deciding that a person, offer or object deserves your trust.
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No single person holds every means of solving a problem or gaining access. The keys suggest that knowledge, authority and opportunity may be distributed, so another person or route may help when one option fails.
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No individual possesses every useful insight. The saying encourages listening to other people’s understanding, especially when confidence or status makes one person assume that further contributions have nothing to offer.
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Things continually change and pass away in the saying’s broad picture of life. It encourages awareness that a present condition need not last, without making change a guarantee of improvement or a reason to abandon commitments.
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An organised setting can make ordinary preparation easier and quicker. The saying credits arrangements made beforehand, without guaranteeing speed, treating every delay as disorganisation or assigning household work to one particular person.
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Truthfulness does not require saying every true thing at every moment. The proverb concerns timing, relevance and consideration, while leaving a clear distinction between discretion and concealment that harms other people.
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A life occupied entirely by work can lose enjoyment, variety and energy. Make room for rest and recreation instead of treating constant effort as the only worthwhile use of time.
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A satisfactory outcome can make earlier trouble feel less important. People may judge a difficult experience more positively once its main problem has been resolved.
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Coming close to an act is different from completing it. The saying draws a sharp line between almost and actually, but it should not excuse attempts, dangerous conduct or the consequences of a near miss.
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Keep an alternative available when a plan depends on something that may fail. Two strings represent a reserve option, encouraging preparation rather than confidence that one route will always remain usable.
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A supply is depleted when people continually draw from it without replenishment. The bottom of the container makes a limit visible, inviting attention to how a shared resource is maintained.
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The rhyme presents a spring ague as medicine fit for a king. It gives a feverish illness a surprising positive value rather than simply treating it as misfortune.
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