proverb · Words worth keeping
In the dark, all birds are grey.
In the dark, all birds are grey.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
All birds appearing grey in darkness gives limited visibility an image of distinctions becoming hard to see. The saying questions judgment without adequate conditions.
Example
Someone postpones a comparison until the information needed to distinguish the options is available.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The sentence is not a verified vision or wildlife finding. A useful nonliteral application identifies what the available information cannot distinguish and seeks better evidence. It does not make people interchangeable or erase relevant differences merely because they are not immediately apparent.
When to use it
Use it to discuss information limits without erasing actual differences.
Keep in mind
No biological finding or equivalence of options from missing information is established.
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
- Transylvania Province of Romania