Ask no questions and you’ll get no lies.
Ask no questions and you’ll get no lies.
Meaning in plain English
Avoiding questions to avoid lies connects inquiry with the risk of an untruthful answer. The saying presents noninquiry as a cynical protection.
Example
A reader seeks relevant information while checking the answer’s support instead of avoiding every question.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
A critical interpretation does not make silence a reliable route to truth. Needed questions, investigation and clarification can reveal evidence, while unanswered uncertainty can also cause harm. The phrase supplies no reason to excuse a liar or blame the person who asks.
When to use it
Use it critically to examine distrust of answers.
Keep in mind
No truth guarantee through noninquiry or responsibility for another person’s lie is established.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Country attributed by the collection
United States · source-attributed; earliest origin unverified
- Source
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference
Supplied reference B; unit 143; PDF page 19; collection label: United States
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- traditional · supplied collection
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
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No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
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