proverb · Words worth keeping
Everything hath an end, and a pudding hath two.
Everything hath an end, and a pudding hath two.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying combines a reminder that things finish with a playful double meaning of “end.” Its joke lightens the observation rather than providing a precise rule about how every experience concludes.
Example
At the end of a long but enjoyable games evening, a host uses the saying lightly while helping everyone put the pieces away.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
End first means a conclusion, then shifts to the physical ends of a pudding. The change of sense produces the humour: the everyday object gives a literal twist to a broad reflection. The saying may be used when an activity is coming to a close or when someone wants to express relief that a tedious interval will finish. It does not predict when a particular difficulty will end or promise that everything resolves neatly. Its value is often conversational rather than instructional. Whether the joke is welcome depends on the occasion, especially when the subject involves someone’s distress or loss.
When to use it
Use it as a light remark about an activity drawing to a close, when the humour suits the occasion.
Keep in mind
It promises no timetable or resolution, and light humour may be inappropriate around distress or loss.
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