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 (French-language collection)
Some arrangements need a clear present decision rather than contradictory signals. Decide what applies now so that others can act with a shared understanding.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (Spanish-language collection)
Something brought home can later become a cause of sorrow. The saying invites thought about a choice’s consequences while leaving room for disappointment that could not reasonably have been foreseen.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
The person offering advice may not bear its cost. Consider who will pay, work or face the consequences before accepting a recommendation, without dismissing useful outside judgement.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
An enjoyable celebration can leave costs or unfinished responsibilities that become apparent afterwards. The puzzled gesture suggests reckoning with consequences, rather than treating pleasure itself as a mistake.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
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.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
When many people need the same resource at the same time, its owner may need it too. A refusal to lend can reflect a real competing need rather than a lack of goodwill.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
A definite setback may be easier to address than continuing in unstable uncertainty. The comparison encourages examining whether prolonged hesitation is itself causing harm.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
Trying to rely on two incompatible options can leave you without either. Indecision or a poorly arranged compromise may fail to provide the support you need.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
A choice or situation usually has more than one aspect. Look beyond its attractive face to understand the drawbacks, limits or obligations that accompany it.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
An opportunity passed over today may be unavailable tomorrow. The warning encourages timely assessment, while its gendered personification should not be mistaken for a claim about women.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
Urgent need can draw a person out of a familiar or protected place. The wolf image highlights pressure behind an action that may otherwise appear surprising.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
The venom placed in the tail warns that a difficulty may lie at the end. Examine the final detail before assuming the whole arrangement is harmless.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
It can be easier to leave a risky situation before becoming deeply involved. The riverbank and bottom distinguish an early exit from a much harder recovery.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
An attractive price can encourage purchases whose combined cost exceeds their value to you. A bargain saves money only when the purchase itself is useful and affordable.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
A satisfying moment can be a good stopping point. Continuing solely to extend a success may expose the gain or enjoyment to unnecessary loss.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
Think about likely consequences before taking an important step. Checking the risks and your options can prevent a hasty decision that is difficult to reverse.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
A protective measure has limits when confronted by a stronger or different threat. Consider what a safeguard can actually resist rather than treating its presence as complete security.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
A limited resource sets limits on what can reasonably be made from it. Adjust the scope to what is available or obtain more resources before promising a larger result.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
A modest expenditure can help obtain a larger benefit. The small fish represents a deliberate investment whose possible return should justify what is given up.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
Reaching an objective may require choosing and using an available route. Naming alternatives is useful only when one of them leads to practical action.
Read the explanation and example ↗quote · Robert Burton
Saving a small amount can be a poor bargain if it creates a much larger cost. Judge the total consequences of a decision rather than only the immediate saving.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
Some unavoidable unpleasant experiences are easier to complete than to prolong. The bitter pill supplies a metaphor for dealing with a difficult but necessary task.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
Admiring an undertaking does not require participating in its risks. A person can value something while choosing a more suitable or safer position.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
When a decision can wait, step away and reconsider it after a pause. Distance from the immediate pressure may help you see the options more clearly.
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