proverb · Words worth keeping
Don't blow your own trumpet.
Don't blow your own trumpet.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The instruction warns against blowing one’s own trumpet. It discourages conspicuous self-praise.
Example
Someone describes their work accurately without exaggerating it or erasing their contribution.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The loud instrument gives boasting an image. A useful reading distinguishes inflated praise from an accurate account of contribution or a reasonable request for recognition. The supplied successful-year example illustrates the affirmative phrase rather than the source’s negative instruction.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish boasting from fair self-description.
Keep in mind
Speaking about achievements is not automatically arrogance.
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