proverb · Source-linked selection
He that goeth out with often loss, At last comes home by Weeping Cross.
He that goeth out with often loss, At last comes home by Weeping Cross.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying pictures repeated losing journeys ending in a sorrowful homecoming. Its destination, Weeping Cross, gives accumulated losses an image of regret.
What the words are saying
Often loss makes the trouble a pattern rather than a single setback. A useful reading asks whether a repeated undertaking needs reconsideration before further losses deepen distress. It does not establish that every unsuccessful attempt must be abandoned or that the named destination is a verified place of origin. The metaphor encourages reflection on the pattern and available choices.
Everyday example
Someone reviews a recurring unsuccessful venture before committing more resources to the same approach.
When to use it
Use it to discuss repeated losses and a need to reassess.
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What it does not mean
The image does not predict an inevitable outcome or verify a geographical origin.
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 998 · Loss
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English