proverb · Words worth keeping
A full purse maketh the mouth to speak.
A full purse maketh the mouth to speak.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Resources can give someone confidence or influence in speaking. The full purse is pictured as enabling a voice that might otherwise hesitate or be ignored.
What the words are saying
The saying connects material position with participation in a conversation. A person may feel more secure making a demand, or others may listen more readily because of the resources they hold. It can expose an imbalance in who gets heard rather than approve it. The connection is not universal: confidence and sound reasoning do not belong only to wealthy people. A useful application asks whether the discussion is considering the argument fairly or allowing material power to stand in for it.
Everyday example
A committee notices that one contributor’s funding gives their opinions disproportionate attention and makes room for other voices.
When to use it
Use it to examine how resources affect confidence or influence in a particular discussion.
What it does not mean
Wealth does not establish authority, expertise or the truth of an opinion.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or 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
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1316 · Purse
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English