Words worth understanding
Start with the thought in plain English. Then explore the imagery, a practical example, when to use it, and what the saying does not mean.
4,000 entries with editorial explanations. The wider collection also contains entries still awaiting an individual interpretation.
proverb · Traditional proverb
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.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
Almost and about distinguished from lying allow language to express an approximation rather than an exact amount. The saying recognises qualified accuracy.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
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.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
An argument compared with a dagger cutting on two sides pictures a dispute affecting more than one participant. The saying warns that using an argument can have consequences for its user as well.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
The phrase pictures an elephant in a room as a conspicuous concern that people avoid discussing. It contrasts an obvious presence with collective silence.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
The saying gives much noise to an empty vessel. As an analogy, it questions whether a conspicuous contribution contains useful substance.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
An evil eye unable to see good gives hostile judgment an image of selective perception. The saying questions an outlook that notices only faults.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
An honest person refusing to act like a dog for a bone rejects degrading compliance for a reward. The saying connects integrity with resistance to manipulation.
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Consent given without understanding is denied full consent in this moral assertion. The saying values an informed choice rather than a word of agreement alone.
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A small amount of proof outweighing many assertions contrasts evidence with repeated claims. The saying values support over volume.
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An unkept promise leading to a bad life gives unreliability an expansive consequence. It warns that neglected commitments may affect relationships and choices.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional proverb
A pleasant covering may make something disagreeable easier to accept. The sweetened pill represents how presentation can soften a difficult message, while raising the question of whether the underlying substance remains clear.
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The saying calls appearances deceptive. It warns that an impression can differ from what further evidence shows.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
Something presented as clear is actually confusing or difficult to understand. The comparison is usually ironic: mud supplies the opposite of transparency, so the phrase can gently or sharply challenge an inadequate explanation.
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Two things may be very different despite being put together in a comparison. Chalk and cheese give the difference a vivid form, encouraging attention to relevant distinctions without deciding that comparison is always useless.
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A person may hear their own expectations in an ambiguous signal. Check whether an interpretation comes from the evidence or from what you already want to believe.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
The phrase compares close companions with thieves acting together. It describes strong familiarity or a shared confidence.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
A request made at a higher level leaves room to reduce it later. The saying describes flexibility in an opening demand, while its advice needs limits: an inflated request can undermine trust or ignore what the other person can reasonably offer.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
No questions followed by no lies jokingly avoids false answers by avoiding inquiry. The saying links silence about a subject with evasion of an answer.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
Agreement from an equally unreliable companion does not establish truth. Look for evidence or genuinely independent confirmation instead of treating a second voice as automatic verification.
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Avoiding questions to avoid lies connects inquiry with the risk of an untruthful answer. The saying presents noninquiry as a cynical protection.
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Attitudes separated from proof asks for evidence beyond a displayed stance. The saying questions treating confidence or manner as sufficient support for a claim.
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Authority rather than truth making law distinguishes power to establish a rule from the rule’s factual correctness. The saying raises a question about legitimacy.
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The saying makes bad friends block good friendships. It warns that one relationship may interfere with other welcome connections.
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