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
Ability does not remove the need for guidance and learning. Even a promising beginner benefits from suitable instruction rather than being expected to know how to use their strengths without support.
Read the explanation and example ↗quote · William Shakespeare
Courage works best with judgement: choosing when not to take an unnecessary risk can be wiser than proving bravery through reckless action.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
A person responsible for operating a system can influence how it behaves. The clock and clerk draw attention to the discretion behind an apparently fixed arrangement, without proving that every operator is acting unfairly.
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Affection or personal attachment can make someone see what is theirs as especially admirable. The saying points to partial judgement without making a loved person or cherished work objectively inferior.
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The saying places reverence for God at the start of wisdom. It expresses a religious account of learning and moral judgment rather than a universal test of intelligence.
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Something that looks excellent can still be uncomfortable or unsuitable for the person using it. Consider fit and function alongside appearance or prestige.
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A first offering can receive a welcome that later offerings do not share. The meal image suggests the advantage of arriving before appetite or interest is satisfied, rather than proving that every first attempt is good.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
Someone who overcomes a difficult challenge may need understanding beyond the skill that made it difficult. The saying compares practical ingenuity, without proving that a single victory establishes overall superiority.
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Friendship with powerful people may offer temporary protection. The passing shadow suggests support that can disappear as circumstances or interests change.
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Need changes how an offer is experienced. The full stomach rejecting sweetness and the hungry one welcoming bitterness contrast abundance with urgency.
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Even a highly respected or capable person can make a mistake. The nodding image makes room for lapses without dismissing the person’s wider achievement or making every error unimportant.
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The loudest threats do not always signal the greatest ability or intention to cause harm. Noise alone is an unreliable measure of strength.
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The hardest or most demanding task is not necessarily the most rewarding. Consider what the effort actually achieves rather than using the size of the burden as proof of its value.
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The biggest option is not necessarily the best one. The comparison between a crab’s size and its desirable part challenges a choice made by scale alone, without making smallness an automatic sign of quality.
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A large total consists of smaller contributions. The units image makes the importance of individual parts visible within an impressive whole.
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Extensive learning does not guarantee sound judgement in every situation. Scholarship can be valuable while practical wisdom also requires understanding context, consequences and the limits of what one knows.
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A high position can expose someone to a greater loss when it is lost. The height and fall image invites humility about status and vulnerability.
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Not understanding something does not establish that it is wrong. Examine the reasons or ask for an explanation before turning a gap in your knowledge into a verdict about the thing itself.
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A feared difficulty may be less daunting than its reputation suggests. Find out what the situation actually involves before allowing an exaggerated picture to decide for you.
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Excessive or poorly considered talk can show others what to avoid. The saying values learning from an unhelpful discussion, without making the amount someone speaks a reliable test of their judgement.
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A past opportunity cannot simply be used again as though it were still present. Work with what is available now rather than relying on a resource or moment that has already passed.
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A crowd can be criticised for acting without shared deliberation. Many heads but no brains contrasts the number of people with the quality of their collective judgment.
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The saying contrasts the moon’s visibility with the sun’s brightness. As a metaphor, it can describe one prominent presence drawing attention away from another.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
Favourable conditions may not last as long as expected. The morning sunshine image encourages awareness of change, without predicting that every good beginning must end badly or that enjoyment should be distrusted.
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