All is not lost that is delayed.
All is not lost that is delayed.
Meaning in plain English
A delay does not necessarily cancel an opportunity. Something postponed may remain possible, so distinguish waiting from a definite refusal before deciding how to proceed.
Example
A grant decision is postponed for a month. The applicant checks the new timetable and pursues another funding option instead of assuming the application has failed.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The saying separates the time of an outcome from its possibility. A postponed meeting, delivery or decision has not automatically disappeared. That distinction can prevent discouragement from closing an option too early. It also asks for practical information: what caused the delay, what remains agreed and when should the situation be checked again? Patient attention can coexist with an alternative plan. The words offer reassurance about uncertainty, rather than evidence that the original outcome will eventually happen.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish a postponement from a confirmed loss.
Keep in mind
Some delays become cancellations. Keep track of evidence and deadlines rather than treating hope as a guarantee.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 11; French section, paragraph 210; source wording: Ce qui est différé n’est pas perdu.
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 ↗