proverb · Words worth keeping
A fault once denied is twice committed.
A fault once denied is twice committed.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Denying a known mistake can add dishonesty to the original fault. Trying to avoid responsibility may deepen the harm and make repair more difficult.
Example
A worker who accidentally deletes a shared draft admits it promptly, allowing the team to restore a backup instead of wasting time investigating a false software failure.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The proverb counts the initial fault and the denial as two wrongs. Its point is that covering a mistake can create a second problem: another person may be misled, wrongly blamed or prevented from fixing what happened. A truthful account can be uncomfortable, but it offers a clearer basis for a remedy. Twice is a moral comparison rather than an exact measure of severity. The word fault also matters: someone who disputes an unsupported accusation is not thereby committing another wrong. The saying is best applied where the mistake is established and the denial knowingly contradicts it.
When to use it
Use it when hiding an established mistake would mislead others or obstruct repair.
Keep in mind
Denying a false or unproven allegation is not itself a fault; evidence must come before this judgement.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English