proverb · Words worth keeping
According to the old proverb.
According to the old proverb.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The phrase appeals to an old proverb without naming it. It borrows the authority of a familiar saying while leaving the actual words and claim unstated.
Example
A listener asks for the actual saying before deciding whether it supports the speaker’s argument.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
According to invites agreement with a source, and old gives that source a sense of tradition. A useful reading asks which proverb is meant and whether it fits the situation. Age and familiarity alone do not supply evidence. The phrase cannot be explained as a particular maxim until the surrounding context identifies one.
When to use it
Use it to examine an unspecified appeal to traditional authority.
Keep in mind
The phrase does not identify a proverb or independently verify its claim.
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