Counsels in wine seldom prosper.
Counsels in wine seldom prosper.
Meaning in plain English
Plans made while drinking may be poorly considered. The saying recommends reconsidering a decision before relying on the confidence of the moment.
Example
Friends agree over drinks to start a costly project, then review the plan carefully the next day before spending money.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Counsels are plans, decisions or advice, and wine supplies the setting in which they are formed. The warning separates the enthusiasm of a conversation from the care needed to carry its ideas into action. A proposal can sound persuasive over a drink without having survived questions about cost, responsibility or consequences. The useful response is to revisit it deliberately before making a commitment. This is a caution about the occasion of planning, not a claim that every person who drinks gives bad advice.
When to use it
Use it to suggest revisiting an impulsive plan in a calmer setting.
Keep in mind
It is not a medical assessment of a person or a substitute for considering the plan itself.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-04. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 320 · Counsels
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 ↗