proverb · Words worth keeping
Every tub must stand on its own bottom.
Every tub must stand on its own bottom.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
An undertaking needs a sound basis of its own. The tub’s bottom pictures the support without which the container cannot fulfil its purpose.
What the words are saying
The saying can encourage responsibility for one’s commitments rather than assuming others will supply every missing foundation. Its image does not require isolation or deny the value of shared support. People and institutions may legitimately depend on cooperation. A careful reading asks whether the essential arrangements are sound and whether reliance on others has been clearly agreed, rather than pretending that complete independence is possible.
Everyday example
A group confirms who will provide the essential materials before promising an event instead of assuming another group will quietly cover the gap.
When to use it
Use it to examine the basis of an undertaking and its agreed responsibilities.
What it does not mean
Self-reliance does not eliminate interdependence or the legitimate need for assistance.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or 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
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1677 · Tub
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English