proverb · Words worth keeping
Every man has his humour.
Every man has his humour.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
People have different preferences, dispositions and ways of responding. The saying encourages allowance for that variety, without making every preference a right to ignore others or treating someone’s current habits as unchangeable.
Example
A reading group asks whether members prefer discussion before or after the shared reading and agrees a format that allows several ways to participate.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The proverb gives each person their own humour, read here as a particular inclination or manner rather than only a joke. A useful response notices that an arrangement welcome to one person may not suit another. Asking about preferences can make cooperation easier than assuming everyone shares the same outlook. Still, preferences have to coexist with the needs and choices of others; an individual inclination does not excuse harmful conduct. Nor should the saying fix a person permanently in a type. Its useful invitation is to make room for difference while keeping shared responsibilities and the possibility of change visible.
When to use it
Use it when differing preferences need recognition in a shared arrangement.
Keep in mind
Respect for variety does not excuse harm or make a person’s habits permanent.
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