proverb · Words worth keeping
Four farthings and a thimble make a tailor's pocket jingle.
Four farthings and a thimble make a tailor's pocket jingle.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying makes a tailor’s pocket sound lively with very little money and a thimble. The small contents contrast with the impression created by their jingle.
What the words are saying
The pocket’s noise need not correspond to substantial resources. As an explicit analogy, a modest display may appear more impressive than what actually supports it. The occupational image should not become a judgment about tailors’ honesty or wealth. The useful reading asks what is present beyond the noticeable sound or show.
Everyday example
A buyer checks what a service includes instead of deciding its value from a flashy presentation.
When to use it
Use it as an analogy about display and small substance.
What it does not mean
The image does not establish the financial condition or character of tailors.
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 631 · Four Farthings
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English