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)
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.
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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Excessive skepticism preferred to excessive trust values caution about claims. The saying gives doubt a protective role.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
People commonly believe their own claim is justified. Confidence on both sides of a dispute is a reason to examine evidence, not a way to decide who is right.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional
The saying associates knowing nothing with doubting nothing. It suggests that limited understanding may leave someone unaware of reasons for uncertainty.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
A short period can bring an event absent for many years. A long stretch of stability does not make a sudden change impossible.
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Listening more said to acquire more doubt links new information with questioning what seemed settled. The saying values an openness that may complicate understanding.
Read the explanation and example ↗proverb · Traditional (French-language collection)
Favourable circumstances can still include an unexpected setback. Enjoy a good position while avoiding the assumption that every next step is certain to remain easy.
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Doubt followed by a recommendation not to act gives uncertainty a reason for restraint. The saying favours caution before commitment.
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The phrase rejects a claim as implausible, suggesting that the speaker feels someone is asking too much of their belief. A strong expression of doubt still needs reasons when the actual claim matters.
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