A table friend is changeable.
A table friend is changeable.
Meaning in plain English
A companion drawn mainly by hospitality may not remain dependable when the benefits end. Sharing a table alone does not establish lasting friendship.
Example
A host notices which acquaintances also check in during the weeks when no parties are planned.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The table friend appears where there is food, company or an invitation to enjoy. Calling that friend changeable raises doubt about what holds the relationship together. The saying distinguishes pleasant companionship from the reliability revealed by less comfortable circumstances. It can prompt someone to notice whether care and effort are mutual, rather than judging friendship only during occasions of abundance. It should not make every guest suspect. Eating together can support real affection; the concern is a pattern in which one person repeatedly takes benefits while offering little attention or support in return.
When to use it
Use it to question friendship supported only by repeated benefits.
Keep in mind
Shared meals do not by themselves make a relationship shallow.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-04. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 3; French section, paragraph 61; source wording: Ami de table est variable.
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗
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