proverb · Words worth keeping
Forbearance is no acquittance.
Forbearance is no acquittance.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Holding back from demanding something is not necessarily giving up the claim. Patience or temporary restraint should not automatically be read as forgiveness or final agreement.
Example
A volunteer gives a coordinator another week to correct an omitted credit, explaining that the extra time does not mean the acknowledgement is no longer needed.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The saying separates forbearance from acquittance: refraining from pressing a matter is distinguished from treating it as settled or released. Figuratively, a person may allow time for a reply or correction while still expecting the responsibility to be addressed. Their quietness alone does not establish that they have accepted what happened. The proverb offers a distinction in ordinary relationships, not advice about whether a legal claim has been waived. Clear communication matters because silence can be interpreted differently. State what remains expected and what the temporary restraint means instead of relying on an assumption that either side must understand it identically.
When to use it
Use it when temporary patience is being interpreted as final acceptance or release of an expectation.
Keep in mind
This is not a rule about legal waiver; clarify the actual expectations rather than assuming silence settles them.
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